Today’s Google Doodle: Summer Solstice by Christoph Niemann

Google hits the beach with a colorful illustration by the New Yorker cover artist

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CHRISTOPH NIEMANN / GOOGLE.COM

Summer is officially here, so grab your bathing suit, sip the nearest margarita and soak up the sun! Or, you know, if you’re stuck inside for the day, watching today’s animated, summer solstice-themed Google Doodle will do the trick too.

The summer solstice, which marks the longest day of the year, began at 1:04 ET this morning. To celebrate the occasion, Google called on Christoph Niemann, the German-born illustrator best known for the many covers he’s designed for The New Yorker. Now, Niemann has put a digital spin on his signature illustration style with a whimsical animation of five swimmers wearing Google logo-colored swim caps. This warm weather Doodle appears for Google users across the Northern Hemisphere today — but he drew up a special first day of winter Doodle for the Southern Hemisphere too:

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Christoph Niemann

(MORE: Today’s Google Doodle: A Tribute to Maurice Sendak)

Although these are Niemann’s first Google Doodles, this isn’t the first time he’s worked with the company. He illustrated a promo video for Google Chrome back when it debuted in 2009. Not surprisingly, it’s pretty adorable:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5535Ts-iOP0]

LIST: A History of Google Doodles