The real story
One artist. Fifteen years. Zero hype machine.
Telegram was never just a messaging app — it's where memes are born and stickers become a language. Few icons run deeper than JOOBI.
It started in 2009 with 40 hand-drawn faces on DeviantArt. No team, no funding, no marketing. Just Tanya Mau and the discipline to keep going.
Fifteen years later it's hundreds of emoji, sticker packs used everywhere, and official apps — and it's still hand-drawn by the same person who started it all.
Show Tanya some love →187
unique emoji
~80%
animated & interactive
100+
with skin tones
2009
year it all began