The Creatives Note: Interviews

The Next Batch: Rowland Olamide on the inspiration behind Batch's first community project and collaborating with Tendril

Tunmise Afape — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:01:29 GMT

In October, Batch, a community of young motion designers from all across Africa, released a film introducing its community, marking an exciting new chapter in its story.

The film, which was made in collaboration with Tendril, a leading studio based in Toronto, is the community’s first collaborative project.

The project titled ‘The Next Batch,’ which had over 20 collaborators, debuted at Batch Meet 1.0, the community’s first event. “This film captures the essence of who we are at Batch—a community driven by a passion for animation, visual storytelling, and growth,” it noted.

“By inviting every collaborator to design their own version of the Portal, we celebrate the diversity within the team while highlighting our collective commitment to shared goals.”

Batch, founded in 2022 by Rowland Olamide, a freelance art director & motion designer, is a community of motion designers united by a shared passion for animation and visual storytelling. According to Rowland, Batch represents motion designers from underrepresented areas around the world like Africa, Asia even Australia. “We are the next batch of amazing motion designers,” he wrote in 2022.

In a conversation with The Creatives Note, Rowland Olamide, founder of Batch and creative director for the project, talks about the inspiration behind the project, how the collaboration with Tendril came about, and the process of bringing the film to life.

Rowland Olamide, creative director and founder of Batch

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did the collaboration with Tendril happen?

I texted Chris [Bahry], who is the co-founder of Tendril, a couple of weeks ago if it was possible for him to sponsor an event I wanted to host for Batch, and he was like, yes, he will. Chris, who has been a really good friend and a mentor of sorts, has always been supportive of everything I do in the shadows, so I was super excited about getting that ‘Yes’. After he said yes, we had a brief call.

On the call, he talked about me branding the event and creating a project that encapsulates what Batch is about. It was supposed to be a branding project but also a motion project, and it was supposed to be an exploration I would work on personally. But I was like, ‘It would be cool if it was not just me but a community thing and it would be cool if we had creative direction from Tendril as well,’ and he loved the idea of having them creatively direct the project. So he assigned a creative director from Tendril for the project.

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Leo Mateus, the creative director who was assigned to the project, is someone I have worked with in the past. I worked with him on a pitch last year, and from my experience on that project, I knew that he was the perfect person to work with for the project, because, unlike a lot of people I have worked with, he cared about what I had to bring to the table and listened to my ideas.

So for the next couple of weeks, Leo and I met to discuss the project and pre-plan it together. While I was going to creatively direct the project, he was coming in to serve as a creative mentor.

Frame from ‘The Next Batch’ film | Credit: Batch

For this phase, we were able to plan out the project. We planned how to make it collaborative because a big part of what I wanted the project to be was to make sure everyone in the Batch community, who would be interested in contributing to the project, would be able to be a part of it. I didn’t want to make it something that would be just me and a few people that I liked because I have been in spaces that are very closed off and I didn’t want that for this project.

Interesting!!! According to the project credit, over 20 people contributed to the project. How did you make that happen?

The first thing we did was to create a Google form which we shared within the community for people who would like to be a part of the project to signify. (Let me give a shout-out to Ayomide, the project manager. She was a big part of planning and making it happen.)

After that, we created a brief that we shared with everyone. And for the next couple of weeks, we had a meeting every week with the community where everyone got to share their ideas and what they were working on. At this point, we were doing design explorations. Everyone had a chance to design a frame and express an idea. (You will find everyone's design explorations in the case study). My job as the creative director was to take everyone’s ideas and create a cohesive film.

Alongside Leo, we had an art director, Murilo [Martarello], who worked on the final design, and Juliana [Custódio] and Luan [Rossi dos Santos] from Tendril who worked on the final animation.

We also had another executive creative director, Branko [Jass], who made all this possible. He made sure the project came out as nicely as it did.

Early exploration and unused frame from ‘The Next Batch’ project | Credit: Batch

What was the creative brief and overall process like for the project?

One of the things Leo and I worked on early on was identifying the common pillars and keywords that would guide the ideas. The keywords described what we were trying to create.

One of the keywords I came up with was ‘Journey,’ because Batch is a journey, and it’s a big part of why Batch is called Batch. When I was thinking about the name Batch at the time, I thought about how we are the next batch of amazing motion designers from the continent. While we may not necessarily be where we want to be in our careers, we are on a journey.

Another keyword was ‘Aspiration’. The project was going to be aspirational such that when you see it you are inspired. ‘Excitement’ and ‘Transformation’ are other keywords that guided the project.

Some common pillars that we came up with were “colourful, morph, portals, texture, levitate.” These keywords and pillars guided the process and you will find elements of them across the film.

In terms of the style of the project, I wanted to make sure that everybody, no matter their style (2D or 3D), could contribute to the project. I wanted a series of portals and my favourite portal is the 2D portal that was made by Titi. She drew and painted every single frame.

During this phase of the project, the contributors generated a lot of ideas and it was my job to bring everything together. I made the executive call on what stayed and what had to go. With help from Murilo and Juliana, we took all the frames and ideas and made them into a story, with the story morphing and evolving along the line.

Frame from ‘The Next Batch’ film | Credit: Batch

What has the reception and response to the project been like?

Honestly, I knew it was going to come out amazingly but I don’t think I was prepared for the feeling that would come with it. I wasn’t mentally prepared for how exciting it would feel.

The feedback has been positive. A lot of people love it.

How did the community’s first-ever event go?

The event, which happened on October 5th, had over 40 people in attendance and we first previewed the film at the event. (Shout out to Ayomide, David and Sonia who helped with planning the event.)

The idea for the event, which was inspired by the Lagos Meet’s Dribbble event in 2018, was to create a comfortable space where everybody could bond and interact physically. And we were able to achieve that with the support of Tendril.

One of the things we did at the event was to make the portal scenes into an activity for the event. We made everyone at the event paint their own portal.

Cross section of participants at the ‘Batch Meet 1.0’ | Credit: Batch

Check out the full project case study

Liz Ogunoye: On how curiosity led her to design, finding a community of diligent people, and her mission to tell stories for the next generation — #025

Tunmise Afape — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 14:06:55 GMT

Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Liz Ogunoye, a graphic designer, digital illustrator and artist, who currently works as a brand designer and illustrator at Chowdeck, a Nigerian technology company that provides logistics services to both vendors and consumers.

In the last 5 years, she has worked in a marketing agency, a print agency, a fintech, and different startups as a designer while also taking on freelance projects.

In this interview, you will get to know what led her to design, how she got started, what keeps her going, the challenges she faces as a designer and how she navigates them, the people who inspire her, and the people she would love to collaborate with on a project. You will love and enjoy reading this!

Liz Ogunoye

Tell us about yourself

My name is Liz Ogunoye. I am a graphic designer, digital illustrator and digital artist.

I have been in design for about 5 years and in that time, I have worked in a marketing agency, a print agency, a fintech, and different startups; it's been an interesting run. These days, I lean more into my illustrative side.

Currently, I work at Chowdeck as a brand designer and illustrator.

When I am not working, I spend my time watching animations and reading African fiction.

Interesting! How did you get started with design? What led you to a career in design?

It was not an intentional decision. My first introduction to design was in my first year at uni during a skill acquisition program in my fellowship. There was bead-making, hairdressing, design and other skills to choose from. I first chose bead-making, but I was curious about what design was, so I signed up for both design and bead-making. There, I was introduced to design principles and Coreldraw. After that, I kept tinkering around Coreldraw.

In my second year, I learnt about digital art. There was a buzz around digital art at the time, so I was interested because I could draw; I used to draw when I was younger. I learnt that I would need to get a tablet and use Photoshop, so I wanted to learn Photoshop.

Around that time, I learnt about a design training by a design group called Campace. I registered for the training and during the training, I learnt more about design; that was where I got a proper introduction to design. My project at the end of the training was to design a book cover—which earned me the first position at the end of the training.

After the training, I interned at Printivo, a print agency, where I learnt about a lot of things. And I have continued to design and grow from then on.

How would you describe the journey and your experience so far?

It has been interesting and really chilled.

I didn’t mean to do design full-time, but I learnt it from an interesting group of people who are diligent and prone to excellence. At Campace, we had talks on different aspects of design every other weekend.

Before graduating I got gigs that my colleagues were kind enough to refer me for. And when I left uni, I went to work at Gokada. After Gokada, I worked at a marketing agency and then a fintech before ending up at Chowdeck. In between all these roles, I was working on freelance projects as well.

I was fortunate enough to be with a very nice community of people sharing knowledge and things they were doing. It was cool.

When did you decide to go full-time into design?

That would be after learning about design properly at Campace. It was really interesting to learn and work with cool people. Also, the fact that my book cover project earned me the first position at the end of the training made me feel like it was something I could become good at.

I also found it interesting that design tied into something I was keen on; I used to draw and make comics and storybooks when I was in primary and secondary school—and learning about design sort of fed that side of me.

I was even more hyped because people were willing to pay for my work.

How would you describe what you do to a five-year-old?

I draw and colour things.

What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

No day is the same. At the time of this conversation, I don’t have a set routine but maybe later on.

Currently, I mostly work from home but sometimes I go to the office. So, on most days that I work from home: I wake up, eat, work, and rest.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

The most interesting part of both worlds—of design and illustration— is that you stare at a blank canvas and make something out of it.

The saying, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free,” by Michelangelo captures the feeling. That is, looking at a blank page and bringing design and illustration out of it.

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What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

I don’t think it’s one thing. I think it’s a series of decisions and investments.

The first one would be deciding to pay for the Campace training because it was a lot of money for me at the time as a student. But deciding to pay and learning has proven pivotal.

Another one would be my dad giving me a laptop. For the first training—which was organised by my fellowship in my first year on campus—I didn't have a laptop but when I got home after that training, my dad, without any prior conversation, was like, ‘I got this laptop, I think it will be useful for you.’

Taking gigs when I didn’t think I was capable enough is another one. Deciding to take up gigs when I was not ready or sometimes taking risks by accepting some projects. For example, there was a time I took a gig that required me to be out of school for some time. I took the gig and learnt a lot about being in a team. It was there I also learnt how to use Photoshop properly.

On the financial end, it will be investing in courses and work gear.

Being a part of a community—the Campace community—and having to give back to the community is another important investment.

Credit: Liz Ogunoye

What are some of the challenges you face as a designer?

Early on, it was skilling up and not having a good device; my laptop at the time was really slow.

Another challenge at the beginning would be getting my people at home to understand what I was doing. Their worry was not out of anything bad, it was just out of care for how I would survive. So getting them to understand what I was doing was profitable took time.

But right now, one challenge will be not skilling up fast enough. There’s so much to learn and create.

Another challenge will be sharing and talking about my work. I don’t do that enough.

How did you navigate these challenges?

For all that I lacked, I had friends. For example, a friend gave me my first tablet. I had another friend I could go to for feedback and tips.

The challenge on the family end was sorted when I started contributing at home. There was one time my mom called me to ask me how I was doing because I stopped calling home for money.

Also, resuming straight to work after uni helped them understand that what I was doing was serious. And when the pandemic happened and I had to start working from home, they saw me in front of the laptop always.

Credit: Liz Ogunoye

What is your workflow and creative process like?

Early on, after a client explained what they wanted, I would just ghost them and come back with the result, but that has changed.

Now, my process starts with an extensive conversation with the client, where I try to understand the brief and expected output from the project.

After getting the whole idea of what they want, I go back to check for ideas I have seen in the past or just check for similar works that are related to what the client wants. I also find inspiration on Pinterest; I basically research and look at how the brief has been addressed in the past.

During the research process, I get an idea or two I want to explore. So I develop it and come to the client with the first draft—a sketch of the idea—for feedback.

After their feedback, I go on with the direction and come back with an improved draft for feedback until we have the final output.

What part of this process do you enjoy the most?

That would be the research process because it gives me more insight into the project and also shows me new things I didn’t know. I sometimes get ideas I may use some other time.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

I work mostly in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma on my Macbook. I use a Wacom Tablet and an iPad for drawing.

Credit: Liz Ogunoye

How did the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

The lockdown for me was a blur; it just went by. At the time, I was working at a marketing agency and it was my first experience working remotely, so it was a bit tough because the internet service providers were really bad and slow during prime work hours and there was also an issue with the light and a whole lot of other issues.

I was always working and at some point, there was a bit of despair but after the lockdown, I decided to move on from the agency.

How do you handle creative blocks and client pushbacks as a creative?

For creative block, I sleep or eat. And in a situation where it gets prolonged, I take a break, lounge around, see movies, and mindlessly scroll through Pinterest—this can trigger something in me to create something magical.

Another thing I do is talk to my friends; this is like free therapy. I ask questions until we get to the root of it.

I have also learnt to communicate with my colleagues and they are very chilled and cool. Sometimes they get on a call with me to try to help and we figure things out.

For pushback from teammates, I always make sure they are clear and straightforward so it is easy to address. But for clients who can’t clearly state what it is, especially for digital illustration and art projects, I get opinions from other people—artists and non-artists—because they may see something or make a comment that will help.

Credit: Liz Ogunoye

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

There's nothing. I may be apprehensive at first but I will get used to it.

What are some of your favourite projects you have worked on?

I can’t pick right now because each project has different stories. And it feels like asking a parent to pick the child they like the most. (laughs)

How do you stay creative and motivated to keep creating?

It changes every now and then, but the theme stays central: At its core, I want to be able to tell stories for the next generation.

I usually say I grew up watching Disney and DreamWorks movies and cartoons with really nice stories of love and bravery. And I want to be able to do that for the next generation of kids through books or comics and be able to sustain stories that are more Nigerian; it's what keeps me going.

When I feel frustrated, I watch what others are doing and I am inspired to want to contribute to see that these stories are told.

How do you relax and have fun?

I watch movies and stay indoors. I am not very outdoorsy.

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

Ola Agunbiade, Adxnna, Toyin Ajetunmobi, Segun Samson, Olajide Ajayi.

Who are the creatives you would love to work with or collaborate with?

Adxnna and Segun Samson

What brands would you love to work with?

Skydance Animation and Blue Zoo Studio.

What would you be doing if you were not a designer?

I enjoy teaching or doing something very hands-on where I need to create with my hand.

Liz Ogunoye

What advice do you have for someone who is at the early stage of their creative journey?

You don’t have to do it alone but if that’s your vibe, go for it. But you should know that there are a lot of resources and people that can help.

Also, be true to yourself. Know what you like and look for people who do it and reverse engineer their work to understand what they did and how they do it. Break it down, recreate it for learning purposes—not pass it off as yours—and apply what you learnt to your work.

Credit: Liz Ogunoye

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

Working with the finest studios making great animations and being a part of great storytelling.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Damilola Mojid

Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?

I just want to say, in the words of Taiwo Adeyemi, “These things are possible. All you are thinking about is possible.”

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Connect with Liz on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to like and share the interview.

Are you an artist, designer or filmmaker interested in sharing your story on The Creatives Note? Reach out to us via thecreativesnote[at]gmail[dot]com

See you next time!!!

The Torsche wants to redefine the narrative around design in Africa

Tunmise Afape — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:01:52 GMT

The African design and creative industry is filled with some of the most talented people you will find anywhere in the world. Every time I go on the internet, I see a piece of art or a design solution that reminds me of the depth of talent that is scattered across this continent.

Though the design talents on the continent continue to grow, the curation and documentation of these talents and their work leaves much to desire. The growing need for the curation and documentation of creativity in Africa is at the core of why The Creatives Note was founded. This is why our mission at The Creatives Note is: to curate, document and tell stories of creativity (art, design, and film) in Africa.

While doing great work as a creative is important, sharing the work is equally important. And to curate, document, and amplify these amazing works and the people creating them, creative-industry-focused publications and platforms are needed.

The Torsche: Showcasing the best of African art & design

Inspired by the need for more amplification, recognition and support of talented African creatives, Deji Ajetomobi, a multidisciplinary designer, founded The Torsche, a platform dedicated to showcasing work by African creatives and studios. “The rise in talented African creatives is undeniable. From stunning visual arts to exceptional design solutions, we are making waves both locally and internationally. Yet, there’s still a need for amplification, more recognition and support,” Deji shared.

Deji Ajetomobi, Founder of The Torsche

“The Torsche is a movement to document and inspire. By showcasing the best of African arts & design works, we aim to improve the value of design and foster more collaboration within the creative community.”

The Torsche—which is a play on the word ‘Torch’, adds letters from ‘Porsche’ and is pronounced in Nigeria's Yoruba dialect—is named after the idea of a ‘spotlight.’ According to Deji, The Torsche is more than a platform; it's a beacon and also a movement to redefine the narrative around design in Africa.

Deji, a self-taught designer from Nigeria, says several things led to him starting The Torsche, but one of the things that spurred him to start was his experience in the UK. “I found that the opportunity in design in the UK is vast compared to Nigeria—and Africa as a whole,” Deji, who recently moved to the UK to pursue a postgraduate degree, tells The Creatives Note.

The UK is home to a lot of the global design/creative publications, blogs, and platforms like Creative Boom, Creative Review, Its Nice That, Brand New, and BP&O. And from his observation, he noticed that “the cumulation of publications showcasing design projects over the years has increased the value of design, even beyond the design community,” adding that “business owners have come to realise that design can be the differentiator, especially for those who operate in a saturated space/industry.”

Credit: The Torsche

This realisation made him see the importance and need for the curation of design projects back home. “The Torsche is a platform to showcase [exceptional works] and a movement to improve the value of design in Africa from the business view and also in the quality of work designers put out.”

By showcasing exceptional works on its platform, Deji says The Torsche also intend to increase collaboration on the continent and beyond. “Most of the major projects I have worked on involved me collaborating with other creatives and I have seen the value that collaboration brings to one’s work,” Deji explains.

We need more collaboration in Africa, says Deji. “We need to bring in people from different backgrounds to create works that are more diverse,” he adds.

By curating a collection of projects by Africans and for African businesses, Deji hopes to create a repository where local and international brands can discover African talents who has the context to create relevant and meaningful works for their brand. “The Torsche also has a directory that showcases African designers and creative talents from different backgrounds,” he adds.

The Torsche has four main goals, Deji tells The Creatives Note. The first goal is to document creatives and their works. “Over the years, we have had impressive designers come out of Africa but there aren't a lot of African platforms dedicated to telling and documenting their stories,” says Deji, adding that this lack of documentation has “created a gap between them and the young crop of designers just coming up.”

Credit: The Torsche

The second goal of The Torsche, according to Deji, is to be a source of inspiration for creatives by spotlighting exceptional people and their work. “There are a lot of creatives doing amazing work and we want to tell their stories to inspire others,” Deji explains.

By sharing the work and story of people doing the actual work, we can take the attention away from the ‘patchwork designers’ proliferating the design industry, he notes. “There’s a set of designers just coming out who just talk with no actual work to back up their talk but have new and fresh designers actually look up to them,” he tells The Creatives Note.

“These people are only concerned with positioning themselves as thought leaders, with little to no work to show for it. This is often done by sharing lots of controversial thoughts or continually spamming people with tutorials or work they didn't actually create themselves,” Deji told Creative Boom in a recent interview. “In a continent where few universities offer design as a course, and most creatives are self-taught, it's easy for a beginner just starting their creative career to be led astray by these self-proclaimed ‘leaders’ or ‘inspirations’.”

Credit: The Torsche

The third goal of The Torsche is to foster collaboration, says Deji. “There's a big opportunity for collaboration when there's a place you can find creatives with a style you may need,” he explains. “This also creates a platform for even international brands to easily access African talents who have the specific skill/style they may need for a project.”

The end goal of documenting these stories, creating a source of inspiration, and fostering collaboration among creatives is to increase the value of design and arts on the continent, Deji tells The Creatives Note. “At the end of the day, the goal is to increase the value of design and arts,” he says.

To summarise it all, “We feature exceptional works, foster connections, and celebrate the continent's diverse creativity,” The Torsche notes on its website. “Through engaging stories, insightful interviews, and a comprehensive directory, we aim to support and inspire designers and creatives at every level.”

When asked what the criteria is for getting featured on The Torsche, Deji says, “We are looking for exceptional works,” adding that “We are in an era where most creative projects are beginning to look similar, so we are interested in projects that are distinct.”

He adds, “It has to be insightful. For us, there's no false pretense or twisted words. We are not just observers; we are active participants in the growth of the African creative industry.”

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It doesn’t matter if it is paid, pro-bono, or a personal project, if it reaches our standard, we will feature it, Deji tells The Creatives Note.

On its website, The Torsche notes that “Not only do we feature design works done by designers, creatives, studios, and agencies within African but also works done by collaborations between international creatives and African brands in service of Africans.”

Boluwatife Sonaike: On finding digital art, translating ideas to visuals, and how he is always feeding his visual bank — #024

Tunmise Afape — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 12:18:06 GMT

Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Boluwatife Sonaike, a digital artist from Nigeria. Tife, a graduate of chemistry, is a self-taught artist known for his distinct style of digital illustration and painting.

Over the last five years, he has worked with multiple Nigerian brands and notable music artists such as Show Dem Camp, YKB, Yinka Bernie, Lady Donli, Ycee, and most recently Rema, for the identity of HEIS, his second studio album.

In this interview, you will get to know what led him to art, how he got started, how he approaches his work, his favourite projects, his biggest challenge as an artist, and how he navigates it. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!

Boluwatife Sonaike

Tell us about yourself

My name is Boluwatife Sonaike (known as Tifetheillustrator). I am a digital artist.

I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. I studied Chemistry at Olabisi Onabanjo University.

Ooooh, interesting! How did you get started with art? What led you to digital art?

Like a lot of kids, I had a thing for art from a young age, but I really got interested in digital art in 2018 after seeing the cover art for Poverty Die by Olamide—designed by Duro Art. At the time, I didn't know how music art covers were illustrated—I never even thought about how they were made. But the cover art was so interesting to me that it got me interested in knowing how it was made, and I discovered a whole community of designers and artists doing insane work here in Nigeria.

After that, I took art more seriously. I would spend time on YouTube to watch tutorials and learn about digital art. At the time, I had just my phone and a mobile app for making art; I didn’t have an iPad or a laptop.

For practice, I would replicate the work of the people I admired. Over time, I developed my own style by adding my own character and element into the art that I made.

Fortunately for me, after making and sharing my art for some time I got the opportunity to work with YCee [a Nigerian rapper, singer and songwriter]. And since then, I have been able to work with some of the guys I used to look up to.

What has the experience been like?

It has been insane. If anyone had told me I would be working with the people I work with now—just a few years into making art—I would have probably said no way.

How would you describe what you do to a 5-year-old?

Using cover art as an example, I would say I translate ideas into visuals.

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What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

I am sort of a workaholic because I enjoy making art. So, I work late most of the time. I spend the day researching while I spend the night painting and illustrating—I like working and painting at night so I spend a lot of time, during the day, researching because it makes the actual work of painting easier. If research is done right, it shortens the amount of time it takes to get the work done.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? What is the most satisfying thing about it for you?

For the most part, I enjoy the freedom that comes with creating as an artist.

What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

I would say networking and connecting with other people in the community. I realised that you may have the skill but you still need to connect with the right people.

What are the challenges you face as a creative?

Aside from the general ‘Nigerian problems,’ I would say the lack of creative freedom by some clients. (I don't think this is peculiar to Nigeria or Africa, it happens everywhere.)

Most times, people don’t give artists/creatives creative freedom on a project and it affects the project.

How do you navigate this challenge?

I have learnt from working with Niyi Okeowo that if you can endure the process, there's a happy end. (This is why I enjoy working with him.)

There's a point you will get to in the project where you will eventually have the opportunity to bring your twist to the project.

What is your creative process and workflow?

As I said earlier, when the research is done right, the amount of time it will take to finish the project is shortened. And I don’t think anything should go wrong with the project as well.

So I spend a lot of time researching. And research for me is about feeding my visual bank i.e. looking at images around me and online as well. I try to draw inspiration from everything around me; I am always soaking in inspiration from my environment.

After researching, I jump straight on the canvas and pour down everything I have gathered to come up with a sketch and improve on it until I get to the final result.

What part of the process do you enjoy the most?

The research phase is what I enjoy the most.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

I use Procreate on my iPad most of the time because I am either illustrating or painting.

When needed, I use Photoshop and Illustrator on my laptop.

How did the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

The lockdown helped me work and earn remotely. And I got to know a lot of people during that time as well.

Also, NFT going viral during the lockdown created a lot of opportunities for artists and opened people's eyes to the possibilities in digital art.

How do you handle creative blocks and client pushback?

For me, creative block is a two-way thing. Sometimes it’s because of information overload which happens when I have taken in so much inspiration and I have to just pour it out. Or I am just tired and have to just step back and rest.

For pushbacks: when I have done different sketches and they are still pushing back, I go back to ask more questions to better understand what they want. But there's also the place where I may need to convince them. I have to let them know and see how what I am presenting will work.

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

Working on commissions can be stressful but it is important to pay the bills.

What are the projects and pieces of work you are most proud of?

One of my favourite projects is the cover art for Palmwine Music 3. It was very fun to work on it with Niyi.

Another one is the Lepashandy poster series. For the series, I am leaning into nostalgia and old Nigeria. I am still working on developing it and making more posters for the series.

How do you stay creative? What drives you and keeps going?

Working on personal projects makes me want to keep creating art because I have the creative freedom to do what I want.

What do you do for fun? How do you relax when you are not working?

I would say sleeping because when I am supposed to be relaxing and having fun, I am still feeding my visual library. So my brain only truly relaxes when I am asleep.

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

Niyi Okeowo, Duro Art, Sir Duks, Bolu Sowoolu, Bidemi Tata and a whole lot of young artists out here doing amazing work.

Who is that one person you would love to work with or collaborate with?

Sir Duks

What brand(s) would you love to work with?

Lately, I have been more interested in fashion so I would say OffWhite and Ahluwalia

What would you be doing if you were not an artist?

Probably politics.

What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out or is at the early stage of their creative journey?

Take time to understudy people who are doing what you want to do. There's nothing wrong with studying people. I have noticed that a lot of artists just starting out want to get ahead without taking time to study and practice.

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

Getting to a point where people who are not creatives and artists understand and appreciate art and the Nigerian culture because of the work I have done.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Bolu Sowoolu and Kodak.

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Connect with Tife on Twitter and Instagram.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to like and share the interview.

I know you enjoyed this, you should consider subscribing.

See you next time!!!

Seyi Olusanya on getting into type design, founding Afrotype, and collaborating with Google Fonts

Tunmise Afape — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:39:00 GMT

In April, Google Fonts announced the addition of Tac One, a single-weight, bold Sans Serif typeface, designed by Afrotype—a Lagos-based type studio founded by Seyi Olusanya—to its catalogue. One month later (in May), it also announced the addition of Danfo, a tuscan serif font inspired by vinyl stickers on the ubiquitous Danfo buses of Lagos, another typeface designed by Afrotype to its catalogue.

In a conversation with The Creatives Note, Seyi Olusanya, the founder of Afrotype, talks about getting into type design, founding Afrotype, and collaborating with Google Fonts.

Seyi Olusanya

Getting into type design

In 2018, Seyi designed and released Danfo Std, a font inspired by Danfo—the yellow buses with black stripes used for public transportation in Lagos. “Outside of the obvious yellow and black, these buses are mood boards and outlets for their eclectic and animated drivers to express themselves. One of the most common being the font used to create rich stickers that boldly speak their truth,” the case study on Danfo Std noted.

“Drawing inspiration from these fonts, we’ve created the typeface Danfo Std to increase and extend the range to which we can milk and rely on the striking energy and aesthetic of Danfo buses to further our collective identity.”

Danfo Std | Credit: Dá Design Studio

According to Seyi, who started his graphic design career designing flyers in uni, Danfo Std was his first foray into type design. “I designed Danfo because I was eager to translate something cultural into a format that other people could use,” he tells The Creatives Note.

“I got Danfo Std done and put it out into the world. And that was my first foray into type design.”

“I was very much in touch with what contemporary design practice and culture in other parts of the world was like. I noticed that there were type designers and foundries that were inspired by their surroundings and culture,” he says. But when he looked around in Nigeria, he says, there weren't that many people doing that. “Karo Akpokiere was the only person I found who had made a typeface inspired by syringes,” he recalls.

As someone who likes challenges and likes to learn new things, he set out to learn type design—and design a font while at it. “I like to learn to make new things, so I downloaded Fontlab and went to Palmgrove bus stop—the closest bus stop to my house at the time—to take pictures and get inspiration for the font I wanted to work on,” Seyi recalls. “I started reading about type design while learning how to use Fontlab at the same time.”

Danfo Std | Credit: Dá Design Studio

Designing Danfo Std took about six months, says Seyi. “Because I had a job running the studio at the time, I only worked on it in my spare time,” he says. “I got it [Danfo Std] done and put it out into the world. And that was my first foray into type design.”

He also adds, “I wanted to build a personal brand around progressive African design—making African design projects that feel contemporary and pushing quality forward.”

Finding African-inspired typefaces

At the time of designing and releasing Danfo Std, Seyi, who studied Architecture (BSc) and Environmental Design (MED) at the University of Lagos, was leading art direction at Dá Design Studio, a brand identity design studio he co-founded with Damilola Marcus. (Dá Design Studio, which officially closed its doors in 2023, provided boutique brand solution services for ambitious and progressive businesses through design research, experience design, graphic design, design writing, visual identity design, verbal identity design, interaction design and motion design. Some of its clients included Nigeria’s leading companies and startups such as Paystack, Cowrywise, Rise, Mono, and Green Africa Airways.)

Cowrywise (2018) | Credit: Dá Design Studio

As an art director in the context of branding, Seyi says, deciding on the typeface to use for a brand is an important part of your work. And having to constantly deal with the need for unique typefaces when working with new clients inspired and further ignited his interest in type design, he notes. “Another important detail [of why I got into type design] was my experience with client projects while running the studio,” he tells The Creatives Note. “When we worked with Nigerian startups on branding projects, we would go on French and American type foundry websites to look for typefaces that resonate with art direction we had designed.”

After doing the hectic work of brand strategy and understanding their [clients’] primary audience—which are mostly Africans, Seyi says, it felt weird that they had to go to foreign type foundries to find typefaces for their projects. “I thought it would be cool if there was an [African] type foundry with typefaces inspired by African culture,” he tells The Creatives Note.

“After my experience with Danfo Std, I had it in mind to start making type properly...I started looking for inspiration online and I found Festac 77.”

“Type is a fundamental component of culture. It's how our words are written, the physical form they take. It carries an emotional quality that can strengthen or detract from a message. As Africans, we have an incredible history to draw from. There are rich stories to tell. These stories are not just told; they are also written. They can be written more effectively,” Seyi noted in a post.

Seeing the need for an African type foundry, Seyi began researching more into type design and started Afrotype as the outlet for his type exploration. “After my experience with Danfo Std, I had it in mind to start making type properly,” he says. “I started looking for inspiration online and I found Festac 77.”

Early iterations of Tac | Credit: Afrotype

Founding Afrotype, a type studio for African-inspired typefaces

“Closing the [design] studio, I knew that Afrotype was one of the things I was going to focus on,” says Seyi. With Afrotype, Seyi wants to build “a catalogue of typefaces that are genuinely African—and grounded in our culture and history.”

He notes that starting Afrotype was also influenced by the global adoption of our [African] art and talent. “When you watch shows/movies that are titled in indigenous language on platforms like Netflix, you will notice that the titles with diacritics, sometimes, look hacked,” he explains. “It’s like they find a font that looks like what they want and just add the diacritics to it manually because hiring type designers with the required expertise costs a lot of money.”

He adds, “Or you find that someone is inspired by [our culture], but they don’t really have the expertise to translate it the way a type designer would.” These are all opportunities for type designers here, says Seyi, highlighting the increasing need for type designers with African root.

The decision to delve into type design was also influenced by the bar of quality that type controls, says Seyi. “Something I don't enjoy about designing brand systems for businesses is that you don't have any control over the project once you hand off the project,” he explains. “You have done the work and handed it off with as much guidance as you possibly can, but it’s up to the internal team to maintain it and in some cases progress it, which rarely happens—even with established agencies.”

“With type design, there is a limit to how much you can edit. There’s a limit to what people can do to mess up the output...So, I found type design attractive because it gave me back some sense of control.”

It is a lot of work if you want to do it well, he tells The Creatives Note. “It’s a lot of hard work. Good brand designers are typically generalists; you are rarely going to find a good brand designer that's just good at one thing, which can make work tedious and overwhelming.”

The Kofe Club (2017) | Credit: Dá Design Studio

So, according to Seyi, the inability to control the end result of a brand design project is one of the things that made type design attractive to him. “With type design, there is a limit to how much you can edit. There’s a limit to what people can do to mess up the output,” he explains. “So, I found [type design] attractive because it gave me back some sense of control.”

For Seyi, considering the need for an African type foundry, the global adoption of African art and talents, the bar of quality that type controls, and the support from Google Fonts, “It felt like the right time to start Afrotype.”

Collaborating with Google Fonts on Danfo and Tac

According to Seyi, even though Afrotype would have happened anyways, the collaboration with Google Fonts accelerated the launch of Afrotype. “After we closed the studio, my plan was to take a year sabbatical to travel the world and explore. I was eventually going to do Afrotype at my own pace but Google Fonts came with funding and mentorship. They sent us materials, resources, and books. They also paid for licenses and courses and gave us access to amazing and talented type designers,” he tells The Creatives Note.

“I thought it was a scam when I first got the email,” says Seyi, on the collaboration with Google Fonts. According to him, Dave Crossland, who works with Google Fonts, reached out to him. “I think Dave had seen and downloaded Danfo Std when I released it,” he says. “I remember seeing on the analytics then that someone from Europe had purchased it [Danfo Std], and I was like, ‘Oh, cool.’”

Credit: Afrotype

But when he got the email about the collaboration with Google Fonts, he says, “I ignored it for some time because I didn't take it too seriously. Also, it was during the heat of the final project we were working on at the studio.”

He adds, “One day I calmly read the email and searched for his name [Dave Crossland] on LinkedIn and realised that he was real, so I replied to the email.”

“Initially, it was supposed to be just me…but I didn’t want to work on it alone because I thought it would be cool to empower other people, which would make the type design ecosystem here grow faster.”

After some email exchange, “We got on a call, and he told me that they were in the process of working with African designers on a type project.”

For the project, Google Fonts got designers from Africa who had some proof of work and genuine interest in type design and gave them the resources they needed. “After a couple of conversations, I was in talk with Thomas [Phinney],” he says.

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“Initially, it was supposed to be just me, and I had started the research and art direction, but I didn’t want to work on it alone because I thought it would be cool to empower other people, which would make the [type design] ecosystem here grow faster. So, I decided to find people who had started exploring type,” says Seyi, on bringing in collaborators to work on Tac and Danfo with him. “I reached out to David [Udoh] because he had shown me some very interesting type work he was working on, and I also reached out to Eyiyemi [Adegbite] who had made Faaji typeface.”

He adds, “I decided to bring them on board and the working experience was really cool. We had access to support from experienced type designers who gave us feedback periodically.”

David Udoh

Eyiyemi Adegbite

For the project, the trio worked directly with Mirko Velimirovic, who was their main mentor. “He held our hands through the project, giving us feedback, advice, and insight into the software and teaching us about the type ecosystem in the US. Without him, there's no way we could have achieved what we did in the timeframe we did,” Seyi notes. “He [Mirko] was absolutely instrumental.”

“I learnt a lot about the type design process. I also learnt a lot about asking the right questions.”

They also got tons of support from Dave Crossland, Thomas Phinney, Lizy Gershenzon and Travis Kochel, Ksenya Samarskaya, Laura Meseguer and boomstho (Amoke Adey), according to Seyi.

Speaking further on his experience working on the project, he says, “I learnt a lot about the type design process. I also learnt how to ask the right questions. It was very tedious working on two typefaces (Tac and Danfo) at the same time.”

He notes that they were trying to cover a lot of scope. “We were supposed to make over a thousand glyphs per typeface,” he says. And as they got deeper into the project, they had to bring in a lettering artist. “We worked with Abu, a lettering artist to learn in real time how these stickers were made. Engaging him gave us several design breakthroughs,” he shares.

Abu, a lettering artist, cutting out the letters from vinyl sticker | Credit: Afrotype

Working on two typefaces in 5 months is a ridiculous amount of work, he tells The Creatives Note. “It was a crazy crash course into type design that turned us into type soldiers,” he says. “My plan was to not work and just chill for a year after the studio was closed but I was thrusted into the world of type design after a short break.”

Taking inspiration from culture and history

The Danfo typeface—which is an improvement of Danfo Std designed by Seyi in 2018—draws inspiration from the vinyl stickers on the iconic 'Danfo' buses of Lagos, Nigeria. “For Danfo, a Tuscan serif font, we had to be ethical about it. This is why we hired Abu and give him credit whenever we write or speak about the research process. It was tricky to standardise the letterforms while keeping very important cultural details in the DNA of the look and feel,” Seyi explains.

Danfo now features numbers, punctuation, symbols and language support for over 900 languages.

Danfo, a tuscan serif font inspired by vinyl stickers on the ubiquitous Danfo buses of Lagos | Credit: Afrotype

Tac—the second typeface the trio worked on—is a single-weight, bold san-serif inspired by the wordmark of Festac '77, one of the most significant festivals in Africa's post-colonial history. The festival, which was created to amplify black and African culture globally, empower black and African artists worldwide, and support cultural reconnection to Africa, was a very ambitious endeavour which had more than 15,000 participants from about 55 countries worldwide.

“Most of the explorations with Tac and Danfo I have seen look very mature. Something about using them commands having a good knowledge of graphic design.”

Tac, a revival of the Festac 77 identity, expands upon the six lowercase letters, single quotes, and number 7 in the wordmark, resulting in a complete Google SSA character set of over 1100 glyphs.

Tac, a single-weight, bold san-serif inspired by the wordmark of Festac '77 | Credit: Afrotype

Public reactions and feedback

“The responses have been absolutely great,” says Seyi. “Seeing designers use the typeface to express themselves is the biggest joy for me.”

“The plan is to have tens of typefaces inspired by our history and contemporary culture that creatives all around the world can use and be rest assured is truly African.”

Also, the quality of people and work that the typefaces have been used for is fulfilling to see, Seyi tells The Creatives Note. “Most of the explorations with Tac and Danfo I have seen look very mature,” he says, adding that “something about the design of the letterforms makes designers acutely aware of design principles and I love that.”

Credit: Afrotype

As for feedback, he mentions that the reaction has been two-fold. On one hand, Tac has helped to educate people about Festac 77. “When people come across the typeface, they go and research about it [Festac 77],” he explains.

Festac 77 was a very significant event, says Seyi. “It was bigger than Nigeria. It was an event for Africans and Africans in the diaspora. People from all over the world came,” he notes. “It was very symbolic in the sense that it was a glimpse into what a working Nigeria would look like. The houses in Festac, which accommodated over 15,000 people, had light, food, water and transportation.”

He adds, “It was a huge feat. And the more I read about it, the crazier it is to me that nobody talks about it.”

While he notes that there are different schools of thought on the importance, impact, and cost of the festival, he says, “The fact is that it happened and people from around the world came.”

The reception from the designers, creatives and people who partook in the festival has been amazing, he tells The Creatives Note. “Marilyn Nance, the photographer in charge of covering the participation of the North American contingents in Festac 77, reached out when Tac dropped,” Seyi shares.

Ms Marilyn, whose images are currently in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), has gotten a lot of acclaim for her work. “She has been pushing Tac since it dropped, and it has been incredibly satisfying to see because she understands the significance of the work and is willing to associate with it,” he adds.

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On the other hand, Tac and Danfo are now an option for creatives to use when they need African-inspired typefaces. “Currently, the world is consuming the work of a lot of African creatives across art, design, architecture, music and film,” he says. “And it amazing to be able to create typefaces that are representative of our culture and history.”

Credit: Afrotype

What Next?

Now that Tac and Danfo are live, Seyi hopes for more collaboration with Google Fonts. “The platform they have is incredible,” he says. “And we hope to drop a newer and refined version of the typefaces with more weights.”

Apart from that, he plans to make more typefaces. “We currently have one in the works called Lagos Island Slab, inspired by the very dense architecture in Lagos Island,” he reveals. “Though, it’s still in the very early stages.”

But in the long run, the plan, according to Seyi, “is to have tens of typefaces inspired by our history and contemporary culture that creatives all around the world can use and be rest assured is truly African.”

Check out Danfo on Google Fonts. Also, check out the Tac One typeface on Google Fonts.

Do you have a story, project, tip, news, opinion piece, idea or event you want to feature on The Creatives Note? Reach out to us via thecreativesnote[at]gmail[dot]com.

Inside Creative Nestlings’ evolution: From a community to an African creative network and startup building for African creatives & entrepreneurs

Tunmise Afape — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Credit: Tunmise Afape for The Creatives Note

When dillion co-founded Creative Nestlings in 2011, he had one goal in mind: to build a community of young black creatives. “I wanted to make films at the time, but I realised that the creative industry in Cape Town was not diverse—it was mostly controlled and dominated by the haves in the urban and suburbs. It dawned on me that there were almost no creative communities for young black creatives to grow, connect, and collaborate within and outside their boundaries,” dillion s. phiri, the founder of Creative Nestlings, tells The Creatives Note. “This [realisation] led me to start Creative Nestlings with Jonathan ‘Sudi’ Anzulini.”

Thirteen years into the journey, Creative Nestlings has grown into a platform and creative network democratising how young African creatives connect, learn, get paid, and grow.

In this conversation with The Creatives Note, dillion, a social sculptor, aspiring filmmaker, creative director and entrepreneur, talks about his journey from Zimbabwe to South Africa, founding and growing Creative Nestlings—a thriving community and network of African creatives—as an “economic refugee” in South Africa, the plan to map the entire African creative & cultural industries, his mission to fund & invest in infrastructure and tools for creatives on the continent, and the next phase of Creative Nestlings.

dillion s. phiri - Founder of Creative Nestlings

From Zimbabwe to South Africa

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, dillion says he is half Malawian, half Zimbabwean. “My mother is from Zimbabwe while my father is from Malawi,” he shares.

He spent his early years in Zimbabwe until he and his family had to leave for South Africa during the peak of the economic crisis that befell Zimbabwe in the 2000s. “I was born in Zimbabwe and grew up there up until I was 14 when we had to move to South Africa because of the economic crisis in Zimbabwe at the time. I remember crossing the border with my brother (who was 12 at the time),” he recalls. “It’s been 20+ years since we moved here. And I have been living here [in South Africa] since then.”

As a young boy, he had a thing for doing creative things and wanted to make films but, he says, he couldn’t pursue the interest at the time. “As an immigrant [in South Africa], my mother advised I get a degree in IT because it was picking up at the time and there were a lot of career and financial prospects as well,” he tells The Creatives Note. “After getting my degree, I worked for Cape Town Tourism for about a year and a half, but it just wasn't for me. I wanted to make films and work in the creative industry.”

dillion (2016) [Image Source: IOL]

Leaving Tourism for the Creative and Tech Industry

After a year of working in Tourism, he says, “[tourism] wasn’t for me, so I left my job and set out to make films.” While trying to make films and get involved in the creative industry, he realised that the creative industry in Cape Town was controlled and dominated by certain demographics not well represented in South Africa/Africa. “So, I set out to build a community where creatives from all walks of life, can connect, collaborate, and grow together,” he says. Creative Nestlings, the community he and Jonathan Sudi Anzuluni, a photographer friend, founded in 2011 has grown and evolved over the years.

Since leaving his job in Tourism more than a decade ago to make films, dillion, whose passion and personal interest is in making films, says, he has been building Creative Nestlings, which is currently in a transition phase. “Over the years, we have worked on several projects, but I still haven’t made the film I wanted to make,” he shares. “I have been writing a lot lately—I wrote a couple of films (long and short films) last year, and I am looking to raise money to make those films…which has been interesting to do as a foreigner in South Africa.”

Alongside building Creative Nestlings, dillion is an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at I’M IN, an incubator & accelerator working with black-owned, high-growth start-ups and launching them into the African technology sector by providing opportunities and technical apt. “At I’M IN Accelerator, we are a catalyst. We back early-stage startups in South Africa that are run by some of the most interesting minds that are often overlooked, and we have been actively incubating and funding women. We are hoping to expand across Africa soon,” he says. “So, I work in both the creative and tech industry right now and it’s been an interesting balance to strike.”

He adds, “I poach lessons and skills from both sides.”

dillion [Image via: Instagram/dillionsphiri]

From a Community to an African Creative Network and R&D Company

With 110,000+ members in its thriving community—connected through in-person gatherings “Conversations on Creativity,” WhatsApp group and channel, newsletter, and social media platforms—Creative Nestlings is a network of African creatives and cultural practitioners of diverse specialties and backgrounds across the continent and diaspora.

“This active network fosters collaboration, peer-to-peer mentorship, resource sharing, tools by creatives and support among peers, creating a powerful platform for creative growth and development,” Creative Nestlings notes on its website.

“Initially, the plan [with Creative Nestlings] was to build a community for black creatives because of the lack of diversity,” dillion tells The Creatives Note. But now, Creative Nestlings is much more than a community for just black creatives. “In Cape Town, it has been interesting because originally we were tokenised as the ‘black’ creative network. Whenever they needed someone black they would call us up. But now that is starting to change. We are majority black, but we’re not exclusive,” dillion told Okayafrica in a 2016 interview. “We’re definitely not exclusively black.”

Since its founding, Creative Nestlings has hosted several talk series and dialogues to facilitate conversation about the creative industry across Southern Africa; collaborated with creatives in its community; collaborated with brands; consulted for organisations and cities; published books and created documentaries on the creative industry, says dillion.

dillion [Image via: Instagram/dillionsphiri]

“We started by self-funding everything—with my ex-wife Lunga who ran Creative Nestlings with me in the 2010s. I remember selling our computer and borrowing some cash to fund our very first event,” he recalls. “[Over time], we started collaborating with brands here and there and figured out monetisation strategies.”

But dillion notes that “collaborating with brands can be a lot because they want to take too much,” so Creative Nestlings started to offer R&D (Research and Development) services to organisations looking to tap into the creative industry. “We ran as an R&D agency for a very long time because we realised that there was money in R&D,” he explains. “We did a lot of consulting for brands and organisations—especially cities across South Africa—that wanted to understand how young people think and move.”

Connecting Creatives, Facilitating Creative Conversations, and Mapping the African Creative and Cultural Industries

Over the years, Creative Nestlings has facilitated meaningful conversations among creatives, institutions, governments, corporates, and brands through #ConversationsOnCreativity, one of its cornerstone programs—which is executed through in-person gatherings, digital platforms, content, and conferences.

“These platforms provide spaces for peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing, and resource exchange, empowering creatives to learn from each other and grow together,” it says on its website.

Credit: Creative Nestlings

Another fundamental pillar of Creative Nestlings’ work is connecting creatives with opportunities—with the goal of empowering them to refine their craft, expand their professional networks, and propel their careers forward.

“We connect African creatives to a diverse range of opportunities, events, and development programs, including developing our own initiatives and partnerships with incubators, accelerators, funding initiatives, business training workshops, conferences, masterclasses, residencies, and exchange programs,” it notes.

As an R&D company, dillion says, Creative Nestlings partners with businesses and institutions to develop and execute initiatives and programs aimed at developing African creatives and providing support to build their creative businesses.

For example, in 2016—through a partnership with J&B Scotch Whisky, Blacknation Media and Independent United—Creative Nestlings co-founded and operated ‘J&B Hive,’ an incubator aimed at supporting, funding, and investing in creatives in Johannesburg. “Through the incubator, we gave Bathu, a South African sneaker brand, funding to make 1000 pairs,” dillion says. “Now they are a big brand here in South Africa and it’s incredible to see.”

Last year, Creative Nestlings also partnered with Cape Town-based V&A Waterfront on their ‘Artist Alliance Programme,’ an incubation program & community aimed at celebrating and championing the richness of the talent, projects, and people that embody the creativity and resilience of South Africa. “With Artist Alliance, V&A Waterfront was trying to create a pipeline for creative talents to work with and we came in to build a community around it and be a catalyst on their journeys,” dillion explains.

In addition to providing opportunities for creatives, Creative Nestlings is actively engaged in mapping and developing equitable creative and cultural industries in Africa, says dillion. “We want to show that the creative industry has the potential to be one of the biggest job creators for a continent with a lot of young people like Africa,” he says. “We want to show that it is one of the industries where innovations can happen quickly and that it has a very low barrier to entry especially with technology being more accessible.”

He adds, “We also want to equip and show creatives that they can make a better life for themselves through their talent and curiosity if they know how to participate in it.”

In 2019, Creative Nestlings collaborated with Disorient to produce ‘Zero To A Hundred,’ a documentary telling a story of the state of creativity & entrepreneurship in South African cities. The documentary—which explored the question of what innovation means in African terms—had creators, entrepreneurs, and investors in different industries share what innovation means to them, what the state of opportunity is, and where it’s all going.

The Next Phase of Creative Nestlings: A Foundation + Tech Startup

“The project we do per time is based on what’s happening and the resources that are available,” says dillion, speaking on how he has managed to sustain his work at Creative Nestlings over the years. According to him, the team is lean, and they mostly hire on a project basis. “We are a small team. We only hire extra hands when we have projects—that is, [our team size] is project dependent.” he shares. “On the core team, there’s me, the MD [of the foundation], an intern, and Nonka—who curates our events.”

While Creative Nestlings has funded most of its projects by partnering with businesses and institutions—and consulting with them as an R&D company—it has received grants and launched physical products in the past as well. “In 2020, we got a $30K grant from Facebook to support our work,” he says. “In 2018, we published a book titled, ‘What It Takes’ and sold almost 1000 copies. And we made some money from that.”

Creative Nestlings has also made money selling merch like tote bags—made in collaboration with members of its community—to its community members, according to dillion.

While these funding models have served them so far, dillion says, Creative Nestlings is pivoting. “Creative Nestlings is in a transition period right now,” he tells The Creatives Note.

Creative Nestlings is pivoting from a model that depends on money from client projects and funding from partners to a revenue-generating and self-sustaining model by setting up a tech startup and a foundation. “Doing good as a business is not easy, so the foundation [will] focus on doing good while the startup makes money,” dillion says.

The Creative Nestlings Foundation, the non-profit arm of the organisation, is dedicated to nurturing and cultivating creativity, innovation, curiosity and entrepreneurship among young African creatives while Creative Nestlings, the tech startup arm of the organisation, will build products for Africans and also invest in the foundation, according to dillion.

“For a long time, it [Creative Nestlings] did well as a project. But last year, we separated it into the Creative Nestlings Foundation—through which we will continue to consult for organisations and also invest and give grants to creatives and [operate] every other social component of what we do—and Creative Nestlings [CRCO]—the startup through which we are building tools for creatives to manage and engage their communities and events,” dillion explains.

dillion [Image via: Instagram/dillionsphiri]

The foundation, which has its own managing director, will also raise funds and get grants from other funding institutions to support its works, in addition to the investment that will be made by the tech arm of the organisation. “The foundation has an MD who manages and oversees its operation,” he shares.

“We are looking to launch 2 funds: a micro-grant that gives about $250 monthly to creatives across Africa and a $ 1 million accelerator to invest in creative companies and entities,” he says, speaking about the foundation’s plan. “There's not a lot of investment for creative entities that are not residencies and exhibitions, so we want to be that accelerator that supports creative projects and businesses in creative areas like prints, fashion, digital and movies.”

He adds; “We want to invest in creative projects and build entities around these projects because the [creative] industry is big.”

As for Creative Nestlings [CRCO], the team is currently working on building the MVP of its first product—which aims to revolutionise the way enthusiasts engage with communities, events, and opportunities. “The biggest part of an event is before the event happens—that is, the event planning stage—and there’s no platform in Africa that helps manage the whole process,” says dillion. “Most people prioritise the event day experience, but this depends on everything that happens behind the scenes.”

The Creative Nestlings [CRCO] platform will seamlessly connect organisers, attendees, and service providers, transforming the planning and experience of vibrant gatherings. “Through the platform, you will be able to hire and pay people and teams to help manage your event,” he explains.

“We also want to help manage the post-event part and manage your community [such that] you can see the people supporting you—what they do and where they are from—which can help in planning your future events.”

Editor’s Note: At The Creatives Note, we are looking to tell more stories of African creative entrepreneurs—and creative projects in Art, Design and Film, please reach out to us with stories, news, insights, projects, tips, and ideas via email at thecreativesnote[at]gmail[dot]com.

Chisaokwu Joboson talks working with Google Fonts on the Ojuju typeface, the public reaction to its launch, and his mission to create more type support for African languages

Tunmise Afape — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 15:24:10 GMT

On February 29, Google Fonts announced the addition of Ojuju, a san-serif typeface of an afro-grotesque style, created by Chisaokwu Joboson, a Nigerian-based brand and type designer, to its catalogue.

When the news broke, a lot of Nigerians on social media were super excited. For context: this is the second typeface of African essence to be released by Google Fonts.* So, the news of the addition of Ojuju to Google Fonts marked a significant milestone for type design—and design in general—in Nigeria and Africa.

Following the news, Nigerian designers—and designers from around the world—went out of their way to make designs using Ojuju typeface. It was interesting to see the beautiful application and use of the typeface in the several submissions from designers.

To understand the inspiration behind the typeface and how the project came about, The Creatives Note caught up with Chisaokwu Joboson, the Nigerian-based brand and type designer, who designed the Ojuju typeface.

Chisaokwu Joboson

From Graphic Design to Type Design

Joboson’s journey into design, like that of many Nigerian designers, started out in graphic design. “I started out as a self-taught graphic designer. But along the line, I developed a likeness for logo design, which I did for a bit before diving into brand design,” Joboson tells The Creatives Note.

As a brand designer, he quickly realised his love for creating custom logotypes when designing brand identities. “In my work creating brand identities, I enjoyed creating custom types for the logo marks I designed. Many times, I would decide to create the logotype from scratch,” says Joboson. “That was my first entry into the world of type creation.”

After designing brand identities for some African brands, he observed a problem: Most typefaces didn’t cater to African languages. “Over time, I realised that in trying to find typefaces, while I found some that I loved, most of the typefaces available lacked African letters and symbols that could be used to properly communicate to an African audience,” he shares.

“This made me feel like African languages were really under-represented and overlooked by type designers. They made support for Latin and a few other languages and moved on.”

This observation led him to explore type design. “I saw that problem and felt that it would be nice to be one of the people who would do something to solve it,” he notes.

Credit: Chisaokwu Joboson

Google Fonts called, Joboson answered

While exploring logotype and type design, Google Fonts came calling, says Joboson. “Last year (2023), Simon Charwey—who I like to call an African design visionary—reached out to me to ask me if I would be interested in a type design project by Google Fonts. He said that they were looking to work with African designers to create typefaces that would incorporate and support African languages, and I said yes I would be interested,” Joboson tells The Creatives Note.

At the time, Joboson had never designed a typeface before so he sent in the logotypes and African-centric design he had created as his submission. “Months after the conversation with Simon, I got a message from Dave Crossland about the project. And after a few conversations, I got commissioned to work on the project,” he shares.

“I had even forgotten about the conversation with Simon when I got the message because the conversation happened in the first quarter of the year and I didn’t hear from Google Fonts until September or so.”

Credit: Chisaokwu Joboson

Ojuju: Inspired by African masquerades

According to Joboson, Ojuju was inspired by African masquerades. He reveals that he had this fascination for African masquerades growing up.

“As a young kid, when I visited my home town in Enugu, there were these festivals where masquerades performed. And on most occasions, you would find people running away from and towards the masquerades when they try to come closer to them,” he shares.

“I always wondered about the concept behind masquerades because when you come to Lagos, you see the same concept replicated in the form of ‘Egungun’ or ‘Eyo’ during the Eyo festival,” he adds.

“Different masquerades had different masks but they always did the same thing; if they are not dancing, they are running around or wowing people with some mysterious trick.”

These memories stuck in his head growing up. So when the opportunity to design a typeface came, Joboson says he thought about designing a typeface around African masquerades. “I don't really know why but that was what came to my mind at the time,” he shares.

“When it was time to name the typeface, Ojuju just came to mind and I decided to go with it.”

Credit: Chisaokwu Joboson

Working (and learning) with the Google Fonts team

Joboson says he went into the project with the knowledge he had about design and his experience designing logotypes but he knew that designing a typeface was a lot more than that. But thanks to Google Fonts, he was able to learn about type design properly.

“There was a lot of support in learning and working on the project. I got feedback from people who were more advanced in type design.”

With Ojuju being a reverse contrast variable typeface, Joboson says there were a lot of things that had to be considered, which he had to learn on the project.

“Considering the fact that it was my first typeface, it was quite a bold and difficult thing to do. But with direct supervision and design guidance from Mirko Velimirovic, who I would call a mentor and a collaborator, I was able to get the idea done right,” he shares.

“The choice of making it a reverse contrast variable has to do with designing something of African essence. I feel like African design, in certain cases, is meant to break the rules of design in a good way. I like to see African design as chaos; good chaos, chaos that works.”

The whole project was a great learning experience, says Joboson.

Public reaction and feedback

“The reaction has been overwhelming,” says Joboson, referring to the public’s response to the release of Ojuju. Even though he occasionally thought about the significance of what he was doing while working on the project, he didn’t envisage such reactions. “I didn't expect such reactions. I was really humbled and overwhelmed,” he admits.

“My notification blew up. Every day, I get a notification of someone who posts about Ojuju and how they are using it—whether rightly or wrongly (I am not judging, haha).

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“It was interesting to see people use and talk about it. It was a beautiful experience.”

As big as public reactions and impact go, Joboson says Ojuju is his biggest project for now. “There was a time I would go on Google Fonts to admire typefaces. Getting to create one for them is a dream come true,” he says.

What next?

With the success of Ojuju, Joboson plans to do more type design projects. “I guess I can now call myself a type designer,” says Joboson. “I am still fascinated with type design and I feel like I have a mission to contribute to more typefaces supporting African languages.”

This project has made him find one of his purpose in design, he says. “Everything has led to this point where I have now found a mission in helping to get more type support for African languages,” he shares.

Chisaokwu Joboson

The project also made him realise the work that still needs to be done when it comes to the global inclusion and adoption of African languages, scripts and writing systems in type design. “It's like a case of opening a Pandora box; once you open a box, you see more problems,” says Joboson.

“After working on Ojuju, I realised that there's a need to create support for more African languages and scripts,” he explains. “I believe it's a gradual process, and I hope that the release of Ojuju would spark more conversations about the problem, and would lead to more people contributing to solving the problem. But my focus right now is getting support for as many African languages as possible.”

Ojuju was released under Udi Foundry, the independent type foundry Joboson founded—which he calls his birthchild. “I have a number of ideas on different typefaces and I am currently exploring and working on 5 different typefaces, all of African essence, which I would like to put out,” says Joboson. “I am also exploring non-African typefaces. I am just having fun.”

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Check out the Ojuju typeface on Google Fonts.

* The story originally stated that “Ojuju was the first of its kind from a platform with a global reach like Google Fonts”. Ojuju is the second typeface of African essence to be released by Google Fonts. (“Agbalumo” by Raphael Alẹ́gbẹ́lẹ́yẹ̀ was the first).

Editor’s Note: At The Creatives Note, we are looking to cover and tell more stories of things going on in the African design industry, please reach out to us with tips, news, insights, projects, ideas, and stories via email at thecreativesnote[at]gmail[dot]com.

Bolutife Awakan: On finding design, constantly learning and investing in herself, and the role of strategy in design — #023

Tunmise Afape — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 15:01:05 GMT

Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Bolutife Awakan, a senior brand designer & strategist who currently leads the brand and design team at Traction Apps.

With over 8 years of combined experience in Design, Marketing, Branding, Strategy, and Business growth, she manages the brand and spearheads every creative project at Traction Apps.

In this interview, you will get to know what led her to design, how she got started, what keeps her going, the challenges she faces as a designer and how she navigates them, her favourite projects, the people who inspire her, and the people she would love to collaborate with on a project. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!

Bolutife Awakan

Tell us about yourself

My name is Bolutife Awakan. I am a senior brand designer & strategist with over 8 years of combined experience in Design, Marketing, Branding, Strategy, and Business growth.

I currently lead the brand and design team at Traction Apps; I manage the brand and spearhead every creative project. I also freelance and consult with Nigerian and international organisations on the side.

I love music, movies and sports; I used to do sports but not anymore.

Recently, I won the Brand Designer of the Year Award at No-code Tech Summit 2023.

Interesting! How did you get started with design? What led you to a career in design?

My design journey started when I was studying Food Technology at YABATECH (Yaba College of Technology). As part of my course requirement, I had to take a computer course every semester. In one of the computer courses I took, the lecturer taught us about computer application packages and Coreldraw was at the center of it.

The class was my first encounter with someone speaking about design. Before the class, I had interacted with design but never thought of it in that light. I was a critic, appreciator and collector of design and creative things; I had a lot of screenshots of designs on my phone because I used to just take pictures of any nice design I saw. I collected a lot of images. I just appreciated fine things even though I didn’t know why they were fine or what to look out for. I just collected things that looked fine to me.

Make Music Lagos | Credit: Bolutife Awakan

During the class, my mind became open and I realised that I could actually learn how to design. After the class, the lecturer gave us an assignment to design an exercise book cover.

I didn't have a computer at the time so I borrowed one from a friend to do the assignment. I designed something based on what the lecturer explained and taught us in class. I wasn't entirely sure of what I was doing, but I think all the images and designs I had been collecting helped me.

When I had issues with navigating Coreldraw, I would ask the owner of the laptop I was using how to go about it. He also helped me with cutting out the background of the image in Photoshop because I had no clue how to do that. (That was the only thing I didn’t do myself). After spending days on the design, I eventually submitted it.

After everyone submitted their designs, the lecturer called me to his office because, according to him, my design was the best in the class. Even now, I can still say the design is fine. Unfortunately, I can’t find the design again.

That experience made me realise I could explore my interest in design. Before this happened, I wanted to pursue a career in food technology because I liked it. But that experience opened my mind and encouraged me to pursue my interest in design. After that, I practised a bit more but didn’t really do much with it until another semester when I had to design for a group project.

I can't tell my design story without mentioning my school a lot because it was an enabler for me. During another semester after my first encounter with design, I had to take a course on entrepreneurship, and as part of the requirement, we had to do a group project. For the group project, we had to come up with a product; package and brand it, market it, and submit a report on it.

That particular semester, my group was stranded because we couldn't find someone to design and print the package for our project. So I decided to take it up. I did some research - I checked online for inspiration and tutorials on how to design a product package. Based on my research, I came up with something and my group members liked it. When other group members saw it, they also liked it so they asked me to help them design theirs as well.

This was my first big break in design. It was the first time I was paid to design. After designing, I needed to print so I just went to Somolu - a popular printing hub in Lagos. I ransacked the place till I found someone who could print a sticker for me. We submitted our project and got very good grades - the lecturer really liked our packaging.

After that semester, I became the official designer of the class and eventually started designing posters for people during the faculty elections.

Make Music Lagos | Credit: Bolutife Awakan

When did you decide to go full-time into design?

As part of my school program, I had to do a compulsory one-year internship at a company. I got lucky to find a part-time job, which was where I worked on Make Music Lagos - the work I am mostly known for.

In 2017, I got to volunteer for them; doing admin stuff. I didn’t tell them I could design but in 2018, their designer went for NYSC and they were stranded. I still didn’t say anything but somebody on the team asked me if I could design because they saw me post about design on my WhatsApp status. I was shy and was not confident in myself because of the scale of the event.

Fortunately for me, they had created the design theme for the event, so I just had to scale it across different systems. I designed posters for individual artists; over 200 artists. Till today, my boss at the time still refers to it. She was so happy.

After one year, I had to go back to school so I couldn't work on it in 2019. But in 2020, I just owned the project and led the design in 2020. After I graduated from school, I was retained to work in the company.

I spent the early years of my design career working for the company, which operated in the entertainment space, before moving to the tech industry.

How would you describe the journey and your experience so far?

I would say it has been inspiring.

People often say this when I share my story. Personally, I also feel inspired whenever I think about my journey and how far I have come. Nothing can make me stop now.

How would describe what you do to a five-year-old?

I would say I help businesses find their style and help them be exceptional at it. I also create beautiful and useful pictures that make their customers pick them over other people.

What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

On a typical day, I do my devotion when I wake up. After that, my alarm for my one-hour learning time would probably come on. During this one hour, I either read a book, watch a course or a tutorial, or just do anything related to learning.

When the one hour is over, I start my day. My days are usually filled with meetings so I have to sit in a lot of meetings to make sure that we are going in the direction we need to go as a company. In between the meetings, I get some designs done.

On days when there’s a lot of workload, I do more of designs. Once I am done with my tasks for the day, I get back to learning. By 7 pm, I get another one hour of learning time. My calendar has two slots for learning in a day. Whatever I do in that period is left to me.

Bolutife Awakan

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

Getting to that HAHA moment, that is, hitting the point of clarity. At this point, everything starts to make sense.

My happiest moments are in the place of strategy - where we are defining what a brand does, what they are all about and what will make them make sense to people before translating it to design.

Strategy comes before design in my process. It is the point of finding the idea that ties everything together.

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What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

I like saying that I'm super grateful that I got to meet people who challenged me early enough. They challenged me in the sense that they made me see myself in the light that I didn’t see myself. This challenge was a boost for my morale and my growth.

People who could recognise the greatness I carried did not hesitate to tell me or help me find ways to express it in a way that didn’t take away from me. This deposited a lot of positivity in me and made me pursue greater things. So, that investment of people in me has been of great help. I thank God for the gift of people who have pushed me and inspired me.

Another thing would be that I learnt about myself early enough. And I always say this, “Self-mastery, self-awareness, understanding yourself, and all those things that we trivialize are important.”

Rayna UI | Credit: Bolutife Awakan

I invested a lot in learning about myself; understanding myself and knowing when I'm falling short. I learnt to know my strengths and my weaknesses and find a way to balance them.

I also learnt some important non-design skills like communication, documentation, and presentation early on. For example, I learnt how to send proper emails when I was volunteering for the company I later worked with. Things like these that designers overlook are the things that set one apart from people who are just able to do design.

Additionally, as an avid learner, I love to learn new things. I don’t believe anything is too hard to learn. So early on when I was not earning that much, I would save my money to buy courses, just so I get the value that I perceived the course would offer. Sometimes I use my last card to learn things. The combination of these small things has had great effects on me and my career.

Rayna UI | Credit: Bolutife Awakan

What are some of the challenges you face as a designer?

The first challenge would be to get your stakeholders - or whoever you are presenting to - to buy into your idea. Sometimes you see it clearly but they don't see it. So, at that point, it is usually difficult because some people are just difficult. You have done your best to communicate with the person but it’s just tough. This is hard for me because I pride myself on the fact that I know how to present to people. But there are times when it’s just very tough.

Another thing would be to get them to invest in the idea you shared. Because, to see it is one thing, to invest in it is another thing. They understood what you presented but it’s hard to get buy-in for the budget to implement your idea.

Another challenge I deal with is coming up with design concepts. Sometimes I just get stuck when I am faced with some wicked design challenges. For example, I worked on a particular project where almost all the concepts I initially came up with for the logo already existed when I did a reverse search for them. A lot of the geometric marks out there look similar. So coming up with something unique can pose a very big challenge.

How do you navigate these challenges?

When I am faced with the challenge of coming up with design concepts, I go back to the basics. This is why strategy is a very key part of my process. I have to find a higher purpose behind that design for me to connect with it to get something unique out of it. I go back to find the missing gaps and create a story out of them because I think in stories; Victor Fatanmi has had a great influence on me when it comes to thinking in stories. In summary, I go back to the idea I want to represent with the design and create a story out of it until it gets clearer.

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As for stakeholders and getting them to buy and invest in the vision I have, I usually use an example that would make it more relatable to them. For example, if I want to propose a rebrand and we need to hire an agency, I try to communicate why it is important in business terms. I have learnt to think like a business person. It’s one of the reasons I enrolled in a business school. Sometimes they push back because they don’t like change and sometimes it’s because of the cost. So I make sure to communicate the future implication of not doing it now, which may be them facing a copyright issue and having to spend 10X of the current cost. In summary, I try to understand the reason for the pushback and try to find common ground with them.

Tell us what your workflow and creative process is like.

As I mentioned earlier, my process starts with strategy. It can be a mini or full-on strategy. After the strategy session is done, I move on to generating keywords and ideas, and develop the story that would drive the work.

Once this is done, I find references that represent these abstract ideas and build on them. This is followed by sketching and vectorising the sketches for presentation. I present the ideas and share the thought process behind them.

I receive feedback and work on the feedback until we align.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

I mostly use Adobe Illustrator and Figma these days. I also use Photoshop, Indesign, and Premiere Pro. I use Google Suite - Doc, Sheet and Slide - a lot as well.

For gadgets, I am fully hooked into the Apple ecosystem. I work on a Macbook. I also use an iPad for learning and sketching.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

I think my exponential growth happened in 2020 because that was when I eventually went fully into branding. And that was because I had a lot more time on my hands due to the lockdown.

Before the lockdown happened, I had a very tight schedule. I mostly didn’t leave the office until 8 pm because I was designing for different brands, sub-brands and events for the company I worked with at the time. The company produced events for A-list artists and I used to handle the design. I also had to work with the printer to make sure the designs came out well. So, it was a lot of work for me, especially towards the end of the year when there were a lot of events happening.

The pandemic slowed things down and forced us to stay indoors. So I had time to learn new skills and complete a lot of certifications. I started learning motion design around this time. After the lockdown, I was back on the job market with more skills, and became more exposed to new opportunities.

HousePadi | Credit: Bolutife Awakan

How do you handle creative blocks as a creative?

I don’t suffer in silence when I am dealing with creative blocks. I speak up. I communicate with the people I work with if I am stuck. I make sure to communicate and ask for more clarity. I also reach out to my friends and ask for them to share ideas with me, and most of the time, their ideas and suggestions work. Also, in the process of speaking with them, I get ideas.

Another thing I do is check the internet for what has been done before. I try to find what others have done and find a way to make it better. Oftentimes, if I get to see what someone else has done before, I get ideas.

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

It has to be meetings. I do a lot of meetings but I don’t look forward to them except for the few ones that are not long.

What are some of the most exciting projects you have worked on?

The first one is my work for Make Music Lagos. It is a project that has allowed me to express myself.

Another one would be my work for Rayna UI, a component library. It was a comprehensive and challenging project. The team was amazing.

HousePadi | Credit: Bolutife Awakan

How do you stay creative and motivated to keep creating?

I would say the things I have done. As I mentioned, I look at the past and say to myself that I have come too far to stop now. My previous achievements keep me going, especially on days when I have to deal with a big challenge on a project. I look back a lot. So, having overcome past challenges, I am motivated to overcome new challenges that may come my way.

I also think about the impact of the work I do on people. I measure the result of the work I do to make sure there’s an impact. This helps me to know and make sure that what I am doing is not a waste of time.

How do you relax and have fun?

I love watching movies; mostly thrillers. I watch a lot of crime and psychological thrillers. I also listen to music.

I go out with friends on a few occasions but I am mostly indoors.

Bolutife Awakan

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

Bolanle Banwo, Jordan Belonwus, and Victor Fatanmi.

Who are the creatives you would love to work with or collaborate with?

Fungi Dube, Ameji, and the guys at FourthCanvas.

What brand would you love to work with?

Paystack and Piggyvest.

What would you be doing if you were not a designer?

I would probably be a professional sportsperson; either football or tennis.

What advice do you have for someone who is at the early stage of their creative journey?

My advice would be to learn the basics and understand design and what it communicates. Because design is as strategic as it is creative.

Also, try to have a purpose in mind. This will guide and keep you going when things get tough. Find a higher purpose behind whatever you do as it will help you get through tough times.

Lastly, find something that would set you apart beyond the technical skills you acquire.

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

Launching and running a very design-centric print studio and being a design educator and brand consultant.

Also, championing more creative laws that would enable the work of creatives in the country.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Alamu Temitayo.

Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?

I'd love to share my book on personal branding that anyone would find handy. Visit the online store to order a copy.

Signature | Credit: Bolutife Awakan

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Connect with Bolutife on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to like and share the interview.

See you next time!!!

"It's a dream come true" — Zimbabwean visual communicator and type designer, Taurai Valerie Mtake, on working with Google Fonts to create the Madimi One typeface

Tunmise Afape — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 10:50:35 GMT

Two weeks ago, Google Fonts added two typefaces, made by a Nigerian designer and a Zimbabwean designer, to its catalogue of open-source fonts. One of the typefaces—Madimi One, a rounded sans with a mixed geometric and organic design—was created by Taurai Valerie Mtake, a Zimbabwean visual communicator and type designer.

Following the announcement, The Creatives Note caught up with Mtake, who is currently based in Sweden, to discuss how the project came about and her experience designing a typeface and working with the Google Fonts team.

Taurai Valerie Mtake

The Origin of Madimi

In 2016, while looking for a project to work on for her thesis at the Greenside Design Center College of Design in South Africa, Mtake decided to create something meaningful that would allow her to apply everything she had learnt during her program. “My thesis needed to be a solution to a problem Africans face. I wanted to use the knowledge I had gained to create a solution to a problem I, as an African, faced,” Mtake tells The Creatives Note.

She had her lightbulb moment while watching a TED talk by Prof. Saki Mafundikwa, the author of ‘Afrikan Alphabets: The Story of Writing in Afrika’.

Before enrolling for her Bachelor's in Visual Communication at the Greenside Design Center College of Design, Mtake had gotten a Diploma in Graphic Design and New Media at the Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts (ZIVA), where she was mentored by Prof. Mafundikwa.

“In his TED talk, Prof Mafundikwa said, ‘It’s time for young African designers to start looking within Africa for inspiration,’ and that stuck with me because it dawned on me that when I and my friends go on Behance for inspiration, most of the designs we looked at for inspiration were not made for Africans or by Africans,” Mtake shares.

“So I picked up his book again to look for something to inspire me. I was looking for something much closer to home for inspiration and I stumbled on the page about Bantu Symbol Writing also known as Nguni symbols.”

Nguni Symbols

After stumbling on the Nguni symbols in the ‘Afrikan Alphabets’ book, Mtake decided to visit Dr. Esther Mahlangu, a South African artist whose paintings looked closely related to the symbols, to learn more about the symbols. “I went to see Dr. Mahlangu in her village to talk about the symbols, but unfortunately she didn’t know much about them,” says Mtake.

“This experience made me realise that the knowledge of these symbols is being lost. It touched me. How can this be? So I dug deeper and did more research. I found Dr Credo Mutwa, who was the first writer who wrote about them, but he got sick and eventually passed away before I could meet him.”

This didn’t stop Mtake as she met up with a couple of other script writers and linguists she could find to try to understand the history and origin of these symbols. “I also visited the Credo Mutwa Cultural Village in Soweto, South Africa. While I was doing this research, I realised that this project was bigger than I thought, and I had just about six months to come up with my thesis,” Mtake shares.

During this research, Mtake decided to write a book about these symbols and expand more on this symbol writing. She chose to look into the book ‘Indaba, my Children’ by Credo Mutwa to make people understand more about these symbols. “I wrote the book. But as a designer, I wanted to create something multifunctional, so the book had a game inside it. The book had perforated pages from which you can pull out the symbols to learn more about them in 3 languages; chiShona – which is my mother tongue, isiNdebele – another Zimbabwean main language, and the English language.”

Taurai Valerie Mtake

Mtake challenged herself to create the game as a tool to teach her nephews, nieces, and other young people who were born and raised abroad about the language. “The idea was to use the game as a tool to preserve our culture. I used the game to modernise and digitise some of the games I used to play as a kid,” says Mtake. “So for the project, I wrote a book, made a board game, and a mobile app game as well - but I didn't develop the mobile game at the time.”

From Symbol to Typeface

While working on the book, Mtake realised she couldn’t find the perfect typeface for her project. “I looked for typefaces that would work for my project but I couldn't find any. So I just picked one to work with for the project but it still didn't sit well with me,” Mtake reveals.

She decided to take matters into her own hands by creating a typeface of her own. “I started sketching a typeface even though I had just three months left to conclude the project. I sketched and visited Jan Erasmus, a South African type designer. He showed me his work and also showed me how type design is done. He warned me that type design takes time. Eventually, I abandoned the typeface design because I didn’t have much time and I was overwhelmed.”

Credit: Taurai Valerie Mtake

After concluding her project (thesis), Mtake picked up the typeface sketch again. “After I published my project, I reached out to Sebastian Tapiwa Garikayi, a friend of mine who is a self-taught type designer, in 2017 – 2018, on how to go about digitising the typeface I had sketched while working on my thesis. Also, the sketch still needed to be refined.”

Working with the Google Fonts team

Seven years after publishing her Madimi project (thesis) in 2016, Mtake got a message inviting her to be a part of a type design project by Google Fonts. “Last year (2023), out of the blues, I was contacted by Simon Charwey, a very good friend of mine who is also a designer, and he was like, ‘Google is doing a project and they are looking for African type designers, would you like to be a part of this?’ and I said sure why not,” Mtake tells The Creatives Note.

“At the time, I had just concluded my Masters in Visual Communication and had just started an internship here in Sweden. So I decided to have a chat with Thomas and Dave who were commissioning me for this Google project to find out the details.

With guidance from the Google Fonts team, and mentoring and technical help from Laura Meseguer, Lisa Huang, and Mirko Velimirovic, Mtake worked on refining her original sketch. “After about 3 - 4 months of working on the project with the Google Fonts team, I managed to refine my original sketch and I am glad to see the result. It feels so surreal but I am happy to see a typeface inspired by Southern African symbols is now available on Google Fonts.” Mtake shares.

At the moment, Madimi has just one style but Mtake says she will keep working on the typeface to develop and make more styles available. “We only have the bold style available but I would love to keep working on developing more styles so that we can have options like Madimi Light, Madimi Heavy and so on.”

Credit: Taurai Valerie Mtake

Speaking on what it was like working on a project of this scale, Mtake says, “It was a surreal feeling. I was like, ‘Is it really me? Am I really being asked to take on such a project for a company as big as Google?’ I was also like, ‘Yes it is me. I am one of the right people to come to for this project.’

“I felt a bit of imposter syndrome but with time I gained confidence in myself and it felt right. It felt good that my achievements and work were being noticed. It's a dream come true.”

What Next?

Apart from releasing more styles for the Madimi family typeface, Mtake plans to publish two of the books she has written. “If I find the right and appropriate connections, I plan on publishing two of the books I've written,” she reveals.

“I also want to collaborate more extensively on projects that involve crafting and sharing African narratives, particularly those that have to do with Zimbabwean stories - but not limited to that,” Mtake shares.

“I believe that many African stories should be told by us [Africans] and not by others [non-Africans] because we will be able to tell them [our stories] better.

“I want to be more involved in projects that involve shaping the African narratives, especially in the areas of languages, cultures and branding.”

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Check out the Madimi One typeface on Google Fonts.

Nonso Eagle: On being a creative director, leading the creative team at PiggyTech, and how he approaches design — #022

Tunmise Afape — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 12:24:24 GMT

Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Nonso Eagle, the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of PiggyTech, the parent company of PiggyVest, PocketApp, and Patronize. In his role, he leads the design and creative team that creates works that cut across product, marketing, social media, and every other touchpoint.

In this interview, you will get to know what led him to design, how he got started, what keeps him going, the major challenge he faces as a creative and how he navigates it, his favourite projects, the people that inspire him, the creative he would love to work with, and his goal to impact people through his work. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!

Nonso Eagle

Tell us about yourself

My name is Nonso Eagle. I am a designer and creative director.

I am currently the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of PiggyTech, the parent company of PiggyVest, PocketApp, and Patronize. In my role, I lead the design and creative team that creates works that cut across product, marketing, social media, and every other touchpoint.

One interesting thing about me is that I have a good memory. People—friends and family—always refer to me for past events because I tend to remember things.

And yes, Eagle is my surname.

Interesting! How did you get started with design? What led you to become a creative director?

As a young child, I used to draw. I did it as a way of expressing myself. But I really got into design in 2009 in my first year at Covenant University when I picked up how to use Photoshop from my roommate at the time.

After I discovered Adobe Suite and what I could do with it, I spent a lot of time watching tutorials, practicing, and creating stuff out of curiosity. Over time, I started to design logos and flyers for my friends and small businesses on campus.

Credit: Nonso

I continued to design throughout my days on campus. In my second year on campus, I and a few friends started a business. As the only designer on the team, I was tasked with everything that had to do with design. And that sort of kicked off my design career.

After we graduated from Uni, we started another company together which evolved and grew into what we have now.

How would you describe the journey and your experience so far?

It has been pretty good.

When we started the company after graduating from Uni in 2014, there wasn’t a lot of distinction in the design field as we have now—and we couldn’t hire different people as well—so I had to do everything from UI/UX design, marketing design to print design and all sorts.

It has been nice to see the growth. Starting out this way has helped me learn a lot of things along the journey.

Credit: Nonso

How would you describe what you do to a five-year-old?

I design the app they use and interact with.

What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

I work remotely mostly so I don’t have to go to the office every day. On most days, I wake up and check my emails to see if there’s anything I need to work on for the day.

After this, I get some work done which can involve reviewing designs from my team members or working on designs myself. On days when I have meetings, I’ll attend. Around 5-6 pm, I get off work.

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What is the most satisfying thing about what you do?

It has to be seeing people—the users—appreciate and interact with the work we do, because everything we do is for them.

What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

It has to be the investment in how I see design. I believe that design is one, whether it is product, motion, or graphic design.

At the end of the day, the goal is to pass a message, solve a problem, and make things easier for the end users.

Credit: Nonso

What are some of the challenges you face as a designer?

The major one is the lack of appreciation for the time and work it takes to create or design something. When you are good, people think what you do is easy and don’t want to give you enough time to create the good work you often create.

For example, when you say something will take you three weeks, somehow, they expect you to get it done in one week.

Check Out: 10 African digital products and platforms you should know and use as a creative/creator

How do you navigate this challenge?

I have learnt to compromise when I need to, but I won’t compromise on putting the focus on the message. At the end of the day, the users will not see the time it takes to get the work done. They only see the end result and can’t judge if you had something different or better.

Source: PiggyVest

Tell us what your workflow and creative process is like

The first thing I try to do is understand the brief. Once I understand the brief, I use keywords from the brief to find inspiration. When researching and looking for inspiration, I don’t limit myself to similar projects. I have found out that I can get ideas from other areas that are not similar to the brief. There’s inspiration everywhere.

After I am done with the research and have an idea of what I want the result to look like, I start designing. Once the design is done, I share it for feedback, implement any feedback, and share the final output.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

I mostly use Figma, Photoshop, and Illustrator. I recently started exploring Procreate for personal projects.

How did the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

Before the pandemic hit, we were already operating a ‘Work From Anywhere’ model. At PiggyTech, we have always believed that you could get your work done anywhere. So, the pandemic didn't really change a lot for me when the lockdown happened.

Also, we have always lived close to each other, so it didn’t affect us and the work we did so much because I could just stroll to any of my friend’s place if I needed to.

How do you handle creative blocks and pushbacks as a creative?

I take a break and try not to think about anything design. Just do random things to de-stress and then get back to it and try again

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

I don't think there's anything I do that I don’t like or enjoy doing. But my least favourite type of project to work on is logo design.

Source: PiggyVest

What are some of the most exciting projects you have worked on?

My number one will be the design of the current version of the PiggyVest app. There was a version I designed in 2022 that didn’t even make it to production because I had to redesign the ‘redesign’.

Another one is a project I worked on in 2014 for Pushcv—one of our early startups. I worked on the branding and created a teaser video that led to over 500K signups at the time.

Check Out: Geneza Store: How Geneza Brands, a Nigerian-led design studio, is creating an online store for premium and affordable design mockups, resources, and templates

How do you stay creative and motivated to keep creating?

I like creating. I just enjoy it.

There’s also the fear of not making it in life, haha. I keep creating because I don’t want to be poor.

How do you relax and have fun?

I like to play FIFA. I also hang out with my friends.

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

Kanso Ogbolu and Malika Favre

Who is that one creative you would love to work with or collaborate with?

Kanso

What brand would you love to work with?

CheckDC

What would you be doing if you were not a designer?

Something related to football; coaching or playing.

What advice do you have for someone who is at the early stage of their creative journey?

Have it at the back of your mind that design is one. No matter the field of design - graphic, motion, or product design - you choose to focus on, you can learn from other fields of design because the same design rule applies to all areas of design. Be open to learning, and find a way to incorporate what you learn into your work.

The second advice is for you to keep doing what you are doing. Don't stop. Just keep creating.

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

Like Ezra tweeted sometime back, “I want to be unbelievably liquid”.

Beyond that, it would be contributing to making people's lives better through my work.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Adxnna and EbubeRPG.

Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?

Check out and sign up on PiggyVest and PocketApp.

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Feel free to reach out and connect with Nonso on Twitter, and Instagram.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to like and share the interview.

Almost everyone is talking about AI these days. You almost cannot escape the conversation.
I am looking to speak with African creatives (artists, designers, filmmakers, and visual storytellers) who are open to sharing their thoughts on “AI and creativity for African creatives”.

What are your general thoughts on AI and creativity? How do you think AI will impact creatives and their work going forward? Do you think AI is going to take your job? Have you started incorporating AI in your work? (If yes, how? If no, why)

Please, reach out via thecreativesnote@gmail.com to share your thought. Thank you!

See you next time!!!

How Album Cover Bank is archiving, documenting, and preserving Nigerian album cover designs from 1950 to date

Tunmise Afape — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:20:29 GMT

“I was on sabbatical from work when I started working on the idea that led to Album Cover Bank,” Opemipo Aikomo, the producer of Album Cover Bank, a digital archive of 5300+ Nigerian album covers from 1950 to date, tells The Creatives Note.

At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, Opemipo decided to work on one of his many ideas while on a sabbatical from his full-time job as the Head of Design at Paystack, the Nigerian fintech company that was acquired by Stripe in 2020.

“I had a lot of ideas I wanted to work on. For example, I wanted to make a feature film, but I couldn’t pursue it at the time, so I decided to work on the idea that eventually led to the Album Cover Bank we have now,” Opemipo explains. “For this idea (originally called AfroMusic), I got two researchers—Tomiwa and Eseosa—to look into the history of Nigerian music from a unique perspective.”

“The project first began as an exploration of the relationship between graphic trends in Nigerian pop culture and their influence on Nigerian music throughout the years,” Tomiwa Ajiboye, one of the researchers Opemipo brought on at the onset of the project, wrote in a Medium post chronicling how Album Cover Bank was built.

“However, during our desk research, we realised that the initial idea was broader than anticipated. After conducting multiple interviews, writing numerous essay drafts, and iterating the idea, we ultimately decided to narrow our focus to curating a database of Nigerian album cover art.”

The Nigerian Album Cover Art Airtable Database

According to Opemipo, they curated about five databases before choosing to focus on the Album Cover Bank. “It wasn’t just album cover art we curated at first. We curated a database of independent creators, streetwear brands, comic books, and African animations as well,” he shares.

“After a while, I found the Album Cover Bank to be the most interesting to me because, one; I am a graphic designer at heart and the database had a lot of interesting graphic designs and graphic design history, and two; it was a different way to look at Nigerian music—beyond the lens of the musician and the people producing the music we’re used to. It was a way to look at Nigerian music from a design and visual perspective.”

He adds, “It also spoke a lot about how music has been marketed to people over the years.”

Cover Designer: Femi Dairo | Artiste: Ayinla Omowura & His Apala Group | Album Title: Vol. 5 - National Census 1973 | Year: 1973

Cover Designer: Idogho & Sons Graphic Services | Artiste: Chief Honourable Vincent Ugabi Dance Band of Agenebode | Album Title: Honourable Vincent Ugabi Dance Band Agenebode | Year: 1982

Cover Designer: Lynn Goldsmith | Artiste: King Sunny Ade & His African Beats | Album Title: Synchro System | Year: 1983

Cover Designer: Lemi Ghariokwu | Artiste: Oliver De Coque & His Expo 76 Ogene Sound Super of Africa | Album Title: Born Singer | Year: 1987

Cover Designer: Ibukunola Printers | Artiste: Alhaji (Chief) Wasiu Ayinde Marshal | Album Title: Fuji Collections | Year: 1991

Recognising and Celebrating Nigerian Album Cover Artists

Album Cover Bank set out to serve as an archive of Nigerian music album covers—including albums from as far back as the 1950s. It wants to establish the history and evolution of Nigerian graphic design in Nigerian music and also serve as an alternative lens to look at Nigerian music beyond the musician making the music, according to Opemipo.

For example, you can get an insight into Fela’s music through his album cover arts. Fela Anikulapo Kuti—the man credited with pioneering Afrobeat in the 1970s—was known for making political and social commentary through his songs. In addition to the commentary in his songs, his music cover arts were used to convey some of his messages. The cover art carried visual metaphors that helped communicate the stories in his songs. So, you can tell the subject of most of his songs by just looking at their cover art.

Cover Designer: Lemi Ghariokwu | Artiste: Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80 | Album Title: Beast of No Nation | Year: 1989

Cover Designer: Tunde Orimogunje | Artiste: Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80 | Album Title: Authority Stealing | Year: 1980

Cover Designer: Tunde Orimogunje | Artiste: Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80 | Album Title: Unknown Soldier | Year: 1979

Over the years, the artists/designers who design and create the album cover art of the songs we have come to enjoy are often overlooked and not recognised and celebrated. “We also want to celebrate the album cover artists as important cultural producers,” Opemipo said in a conversation with ItsNiceThat.

“The goal is for Album Cover Bank to become a valuable tool for artists, enthusiasts, educators, and researchers of all kinds.”

In 2023, Chinonso Wilfred, a digital artist and illustrator, wrote an open letter to Hip Hop World Magazine, the organisers of the Headies Awards - a music awards show established in 2006 to recognise outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry - to make a case for the inclusion and recognition of visual artists who create cover artworks for the music being awarded.

In his letter, he called for the introduction of a dedicated category to honour and celebrate the talented Nigerian artists who create cover artwork for songs. He argued that music cover artwork significantly impacts the reception and success of music releases and the introduction of this category would be a pioneering moment in African music awards history.

Cover Designer: Duro Arts | Artiste: Davido | Album Title: A Good Time | Year: 2019

Cover Designer: Ibra Ake | Artiste: Tiwa Savage | Album Title: Celia | Year: 2020

Cover Designer: Chuka Obi | Artiste: Burna Boy | Album Title: Twice As Tall | Year: 2020

Cover Designer: Abinibi | Artiste: Olamide | Album Title: Carpe Diem | Year: 2020

Cover Designer: Fawaz | Artiste: Wizkid | Album Title: Made in Lagos | Year: 2020

By creating a digital archive of album cover art, Album Cover Bank is playing an important role in documenting seven decades of work, and recognising the visual artists behind these works.

“The archive provides a unique view into the evolution of Nigerian music and hopes to establish the history of Nigerian graphic design through Nigerian music.”

Building and Maintaining the Album Cover Bank

While the 5300+ album covers that have been curated so far are now hosted on the website built by the team—made up of several contributors, the cover arts were initially hosted on an Airtable database. “We initially hosted the album covers on an Airtable database but over time, I realised that the Airtable database would not be good enough to share with the public,” Opemipo shares. “At the time, Tomiwa was trying to pick up web design. So, this served as a great opportunity for him to get practical experience.”

Working with the contributors—a team of researchers, engineers, a data analyst, and a designer—they were able to arrive at the current version of the archive which allows you to search and sort album covers by Year, Genre, Artist, and Designer.

“While it felt great to have over 5000 covers stored and displayed on the database, the Airtable website wasn’t intuitive or fun to browse through. It lacked informative content to guide visitors, and we were unable to track website activity effectively,” Tomiwa noted in his Medium post. “Additionally, the filter and sort options that would help visitors narrow down their search to specific factors posed some usability challenges.”

Album Cover Bank Website with the option to search and filter by Year, Artist, Genre, and Designer

Since launching the website in July (2023), the reception has been great, says Opemipo. He adds that the archive is being maintained by wuruwuru, a collective for independent creators he runs. “Samson and I have been updating and adding new covers to the archive,” Opemipo shares.

An Archival Tool for Design and Storytelling Inspiration

While working on the website, the team got writers to submit pitches for an essay centered around the covers in the database. This contest led to the essay by Immaculata Abba titled: Nigerian 1970s album covers reflected individual and national identities, an essay about the portraits that were used to sell music in the tumultuous, mercurial decade of the 1970s when Nigeria’s primary concern was the construction of national identity, the making and re-making of a country.

“The resulting piece from the contest was the first use case of the database as an archival tool,” Opemipo shares. “The archive provides a unique view into the evolution of Nigerian music and hopes to establish the history of Nigerian graphic design through Nigerian music.”

The Album Cover Bank is also a platform for design and storytelling inspiration. “The goal is for Album Cover Bank to become a valuable tool for artists, enthusiasts, educators, and researchers of all kinds,” says Opemipo.

Cover Designer: Lakin Ogunbanwo | Artiste: Tems | Album Title: For Broken Ears | Year: 2020

Cover Designer: Niyi Okeowo | Artiste: Fireboy DML | Album Title: Apollo | Year: 2020

Cover Designer: Funto Coker | Artiste: Lady Donli | Album Title: Rockstar Parole | Year: 2020

Cover Designer: Bolade Banjo | Artiste: Obongjayar | Album Title: Some Nights I Dream of Doors Year: 2022

Cover Designer: Kingurantatata | Artiste: Nonso Amadi | Album Title: When It Blooms | Year: 2023

“I envision the Album Cover Bank evolving into an online portfolio that prominently showcases the remarkable work of cover designers in Nigeria. The project is dedicated to preserving their artistic contributions, and we’re committed to refining our design and enhancing the website’s functionality with better engineering,” Tomiwa wrote in his post.

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Opemipo says he hopes it becomes a Wikipedia-like thing that people update and correct if need be. “I hope it becomes something that people enjoy checking out, updating, correcting, and making stories about,” he shares. “It would be great to see artists submit their works because they want to keep it there.”

Tunji Ogunoye: On finding design, leaving physiotherapy for design, paying attention to details, and the impact of teaching design and building a community on his career — #021

Tunmise Afape — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:14:49 GMT

Happy New Year! And welcome to 2024. Firstly, I would like to say a very big thank you to all existing subscribers/readers for reading and sharing our stories all through 2023.

The Creatives Note is officially back for the year and we’re ready to serve you amazing stories of African creatives and many more exciting stories, reports, and content on creativity in Africa.

In 2024, we will be bringing you more news, opportunities, creative resources, insights, opinions, and conversations around creativity (in art, design, and film) across Africa.

If you’re new here, subscribe now to get these stories and updates straight into your inbox.

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Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Tunji Ogunoye, a brand designer and design partner at FourthCanvas, a design agency based in Lagos.

Tunji, a trained physiotherapist, discovered design while on campus, and has gone on to design for some of the biggest startups in Nigeria and some global orgs—in the course of his decade-long design journey. Big on community and design education, Tunji is the founder of DearDesigner, a community for design and designers in Nigeria, and Africa.

In this interview, you will get to know what led him to design, how he got started, why he left physiotherapy for design, the challenges he faces as a designer and how he navigates them, his favourite projects, the people that inspire him, brands he would love to work with, and what drives him. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!

Tunji Ogunoye

Tell us about yourself

My name is Tunji Ogunoye. I am a brand designer.

I am a design partner at FourthCanvas, a strategy-led brand consultancy and design agency in Lagos. I contract for some global orgs as well.

I am also the founder of DearDesigner, a community for design and designers in Nigeria, and Africa.

Beyond design, I enjoy watching football and having football conversations. I am an Arsenal fan.

Interesting! How did you get started with design? What led you to design?

I got into design to feed my curiosity when I was at the University. I noticed that anytime I was on campus, I was drawn to the things I saw on signboards and noticeboards. So I decided to learn how to design. Also, I learnt design so I would be able to help my friends, my fellowship, and the people around me with their design needs. I didn’t know it was a big deal. To me, it was a nice-to-have skill.

During the ASUU strike in 2013, I went to the printing hub in Akure, Ondo state—where I was born, raised, and lived at the time—to learn CorelDraw (a popular design software). While I was learning, I would help them design things like flyers, event programmes, and all sorts. After 6 months of the strike, we resumed back to school and I continued designing—mostly helping my roommates, classmates, and church. Some paid and some didn’t pay.

With time, I started getting gigs to design for events on campus and I became really popular because my signature—Sigma Brands—was on a lot of posters, banners, jotters, and journals at the time. I became a big name on campus and even got on a ‘Top 10 creative people’ list at the time.

Tunji focused on his laptop working (2018)

Over time, I discovered the power that design has and how it solves a big problem for people. Design began to make sense to me and I started missing classes and clinicals to work on design projects. I gradually stopped focusing on school because my attention had shifted to design. By the time I got to my final year, I was focused on design—I must have forgotten I was a student. I barely attended classes—I only read for exams to pass.

For context, I was in medical school; I studied physiotherapy. I initially applied to study medicine but didn’t get in so I was ‘given’ physiotherapy. Studying medicine or physiotherapy was not my decision, I did it because my Dad persuaded me. According to him, medical professionals could easily get jobs, so I should study something in that line.

Back to my story: After I wrote my final paper in March 2016, I didn’t go home. I stayed back and continued to design. I also held design training for students—through Campace, a design community we started at the time.

While I was designing actively during this period, I still didn’t think I was going to do design full-time. I saw it as a good side hustle outside of physiotherapy. I didn’t even think I could make more money in design than I would in a ‘professional’ career.

During the time I was waiting to go for my physiotherapy internship (a compulsory one-year program in a hospital), my friend, Tunde Ogunkunle (Ferricool), who had just finished his Bachelor’s in Architecture at the time, got a job in Ellae Creative, a design agency in Lagos. (I would like to mention that Ferricool has had one of the greatest influences on my design career). He went to Lagos and spent one month on the job before coming back to Ife. When he got back, he shared his experience with me. He spoke really well about working in an agency and it made me interested in working as a designer. When he was about to leave the job, they asked him to recommend someone and he recommended me but I didn’t take up the offer because I wasn’t ready to move to Lagos.

In July, I went back home—waiting to get a call to resume for my internship. On a fateful Saturday, Ferricool called me to tell me that Victor from FourthCanvas called him that they needed a designer in Akure to join them. They initially wanted him to join but he wouldn’t be able to join them because he had already started his Master’s program. But he had recommended me to Victor instead. That same day (July 16, 2016), Victor called me, we met and the rest as they say is history.

Funny story: I was supposed to meet with Victor the year before (December 31, 2015). But when I got to his office in Akure, it was locked. I called him, but he didn’t pick up. I messaged him, but he didn’t reply too. He had forgotten we were supposed to meet and had travelled home for the New Year celebration.

Tunji discussing design and branding (2020)

When did you decide to go full-time into design?

I decided to do design full-time after joining FourthCanvas. The internship I was waiting for didn’t happen until the next year (May 2017). By the time it happened, I had worked at FourthCanvas for 10 months.

I joined FourthCanvas as a design associate in July 2016 and by January 2017, I was already leading other designers on the team. At that point, I had seen the kind of clients we were working with and had seen the potential in pursuing a career in design.

The project I was brought in for at FourthCanvas was the Nana Akufo Ado campaign. Before then, Fourthcanvas had worked on the Buhari campaign with StateCraft. So, I could see the potential in doing this full-time.

Additionally, I was making progress on a personal level. I had gone from being a design associate to leading a design team so it made sense to take it as a career and build my life around it.

Also, Instagram had become a thing at the time and I was seeing a lot of creatives doing amazing things. So when I eventually started my internship and did my service year, design was the major thing I did. Most times, I was usually done at the hospital by 1 pm. I would then spend the rest of the day designing.

How would you describe the journey and your experience so far?

It has been exciting to see a skill I picked up lead me to where I am today.

How would describe what you do to a five-year-old?

I help people and organisations speak better to people using graphics and images.

What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

My day is dependent on the work I have to do. But on a typical day, I would get on a call with the team or a client in the morning. After that, I get to work on whatever I need to work on; could be a presentation, designing for an ongoing project, or working on a brand guideline. By noon, I take a break to eat and check social media to catch up on what’s going on. But on days when there’s a lot to do, I may not eat until I finish what I need to do.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

Picking a brand that is lifeless and almost obscure and giving life to it. Or working to help a business that has done a lot of business but hasn’t paid attention to their brand define who they are and express that in design.

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What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

Investing in paying attention to details. I believe my attention to detail is what makes me stand out and I got most of that in my early days at FourthCanvas. It was an investment because I was always working and getting work done. I learnt a lot in a short time.

The reason why I can do a lot of things effortlessly now is because of the things I have done in the past. I have invested time and effort in the past.

Another one will be investing in people—and community—by teaching design. I spent the first 5 years of my career designing and teaching. I would probably not have this level of influence I have now if I didn’t get into teaching design when I did.

There are a lot of people who I have taught who are now doing very well and that gives me a sense of fulfillment. My desire to teach led me to Campace.

Recently, I have started buying design books. I have a ‘relatively large’ design library. Reading these books exposes my mind to global standards and practice and also validates most of the things I have learnt and done throughout my career, so it feels good.

What are some of the challenges you face as a designer?

The number one challenge is design education. When collaborating with designers outside Nigeria, especially in the US and Europe, you will find out that at least 95% of them studied design or did a design-related course. But for Nigeria, the opposite is the case. To be fair to designers, it’s not just a design industry problem, I believe education itself in Nigeria is broken.

The problem with design education is that it affects how we see and approach design because most designers, like myself, are self-taught. We picked it up as a skill—learning here and there—and didn’t get to learn design the right way from the start. For professions like Law, Medicine, Accounting, and others with professional bodies that regulate them, it is easy to fish out quacks. But design is not like that.

Another challenge is dealing with client expectations. A lot of clients come to you to help them build a brand like Apple and Google but they don’t understand the work that is needed to grow and sustain a brand like the global brands they want to be like. Most of them are not aware of the financial implications, time, and human capital investment of sustaining a brand. They don’t know the price and sacrifice these brands have had to pay over the years to have what they have now.

How do you navigate this challenge?

For design education, I have had to learn on my own and with people to fill the learning gaps. It’s why I am big on people and communities. They have helped me a lot.

As for client expectations, I have come to understand that a lot of startups in this part of the world have to deal with economic factors and some are still trying to figure out their product market fit so they may need to pivot months later. I have come to accept that branding is a luxury for most.

Tell us what your workflow and creative process is like.

A lot of the work I do now is brand design. Before now, I used to do a lot of editorial and publication work.

The first part of my process for brand design is to try to understand what the client wants. If there’s a brand strategy that has been done, I read it to get a deeper understanding of the brand. I also have conversations with the client—mostly listening to them.

Design involves a lot of convergence and divergence. There’s a lot of information that needs to be summarised. From there, I begin my research. I research the client, their industry, their competitors, and collaborators to understand their positioning.

After this, I start conceptualising based on the information I have gotten so far. At this point, there’s usually a concept note. This is where most of the work is for me. I create a concept note and come up with metaphors. (Metaphors are the things that describe the concept note.)

Once I have nailed this, I begin to explore ideas for each metaphor and share them with the client to get their thoughts. At the point of exploration, I am not just exploring the design of the logo, I am also exploring how it will work and look in different systems.

The client gets to approve the final idea which will then be fully developed. Until this point, there must have been a lot of back and forth, and sharing with the client.

After approval, I create systems, templates, and brand guidelines to be handed over to the client.

All the work done is based on the strategy developed at the beginning. Brand design is defined by strategy.

What part of this process do you enjoy the most?

There are two parts I enjoy the most: creating the concept note and executing the logo idea—finding the right typeface, and refining the details of the logo.

I pride myself on executing ideas and bringing them to life. I always say, “Give me your ideas, and let me handle the execution.” When I am given an idea, I am looking for ways to improve and make it better. And I love working on the final details.

I also enjoy creating brand guidelines. It is the summary of all the work that has been done. It is the manual of how everything that has been created should be used. While I enjoy putting it together, I should mention that it is the most exhausting part for me because I always underestimate the work that needs to be done and the amount of time it requires.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

I use a MacBook and monitor for work. I also make use of a notebook and tab for sketching.

For software, I mostly use Adobe Illustrator for designing, Indesign for guidelines, Figma and Keynote for presentations, and Google Docs for documentation.

How did the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

The pandemic itself was quite terrible but the lockdown gave us proof that remote work was possible globally. The lockdown hastened the adoption of remote work because, while we couldn’t go anywhere, work had to be done.

The lockdown also allowed for creative adventures as people could work from anywhere, and work on multiple jobs at the same time.

How do you handle creative blocks and client pushbacks as a creative?

I see creative blocks as a call to rest and do something else away from design. So I talk to people. I talk to people and it helps. I like brainstorming with others.

For pushbacks, I see it as a part of the process. I believe we are working towards the same goal and the client is not doing it to frustrate me because, at the end of the day, they are the ones who will enjoy the reward for the work being done.

I acknowledge their pushback, ask why, and educate them when necessary. At the end of the day, we will arrive at a suitable solution.

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

I can’t think of any. I have learnt to do everything that needs to be done. It may not be convenient at first but once I start, I just keep going.

Brand Identity Design for Nomba

What are some of the most exciting projects you have worked on?

I love the Afriex project. I love the challenge it brought.

Another one is the Africa Challenger Brand (ACB) project. I designed the full report 24 hours before the launch. I did a marathon on it and it came out good.

The Youverify project is another project I love. I just love the entire conceptualisation and execution of the project. It was the first time I created a typeface.

There’s also the Nomba project, my most ‘popular’ project in Nigeria. It was a challenging one but we pulled it off.

How do you stay creative and motivated to keep creating?

Design is my career. It is what brings me money and how I make an impact and experience fulfillment. I chose to do it because ordinarily, it wasn’t on the radar of things I thought of doing when I was younger. For me, it is a life I chose for myself.

People also keep me going. I talk to people a lot. It is hard for me to work on a project in isolation. I love talking to people. I enjoy analysing and thinking things out loud with people—I talk through problems.

How do you relax and have fun?

I enjoy reading about and watching football. I listen to music too.

I also like to visit my friends—to gist and talk about everything.

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

Mostly my friends; Mary Afolabi, Tunde Ogunkunle, Victor Fatanmi, Samuel Obadina, Ageh Abiodun, Praise Philemon, and Seyi Olusanya, to name a few.

What brand would you love to work with?

Uber and Apple (Though I worked on an Apple account in 2020, I would still love to work on another project for them).

What would you be doing if you were not a designer?

Something in engineering; mechanical, electrical, or chemical.

What advice do you have for someone who is at the early stage of their creative journey?

Design has the potential to change your life. Give it time and attention to learn. Give it your all.

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

One will be that there’s a brand whose story can’t be told without mentioning my name. And the second will be that I have made a lot of money in design—and design has played a big part in whatever I am doing then.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Seyi Olusanya, Yadichinma, Oyinkan Karunwi and Coker Oluwafemi.

Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?

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Tunji putting on a DearDesigner Tshirt (2019)

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A conversation with Yewande Akinse, award-winning poet and storyteller, on making impact and finding expression and transcendence through poetry

Tunmise Afape — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:15:07 GMT

In a special edition of the interview series, I spoke with Yewande Akinse, an award-winning Poet from Nigeria. With over 110 published poems to her credit, Yewande, a Lawyer and gifted storyteller, is the author of two collections of poetry titled ‘A Tale of being, of green and of ing..’ (2019) and ‘Voices: A collection of poems that tell stories’ (2016).

Yewande, a poet who doggedly seeks to change the narrative one poem at a time, has won the World Bank YouthActonEDU spoken word prize and Project Knucklehead Prize for Creative Rebellion.

In this conversation, she shares what led her to poetry, how and when she got started, what poetry means to her, the journey and experience so far, her upcoming project and what drives her.

Yewande Akinse

In the beginning

While the journey to becoming a writer, poet and spoken word artist officially started for Yewande in 2009 during her undergraduate days at the University of Lagos, the story didn’t start there for her. For her, writing has always been that safe place where she goes to when things aren't going as well as they should.

“While growing up, I find myself alone most of the time and because of this, I battled with a lot of contradictions within me. I always couldn’t make sense of my emotions and feelings, but writing served as that go to place for me. It served as a medium of self-purgation and self-expression. It served as a harbour in the midst of turbulence,” Yewande tells The Creatives Note.

Yewande, a lawyer, says she has always loved language particularly the English Language. “Before gaining admission into the university for my first degree, I was exposed to literature, poetry, poems, and the works of African and European authors, poets and writers. So, I loved and was interested in the English language. I was interested in how it is used; both in speaking and in writing,” she shares.

“In my first year in the university, we were further exposed to the works of poets like Hope Eghagha, John Milton and many others. I realised that my talents and skills revolved around the spoken and written word. So, I began my journey into poetry (written and spoken poetry).”

Poetry: A way of life, expression and transcendence

Since Yewande began her journey as a poet, poetry has seeped deep into her essence. “Poetry has become a big part of me, and I do not see life without it. Poetry has really seeped deep into my essence and my being,” says Yewande. “For me, it goes beyond profit. It has become my voice. It has become a habit and a way of life for me because, like everything, it helps me to express myself.”

‘Numb Nimby’, an award-winning poem about the insecurity in Borno state, Nigeria, is a good example of how Yewande has used poetry to express herself and at the same time address a critical social issue. “To write the poem, I researched tribes in Borno, the state where the whole Boko Haram crisis started from,” she explains. “I really felt it when I was done writing it. The poem went on to win the Guardian Newspaper Prize for Poetry.”

Yewande Akinse

For Yewande, poetry is also how she has been able to document her life experiences and share her feelings. “Instead of just telling someone what I have in mind to them, I prefer to write it down so that no matter what happens, it will always be there for them to refer to,” she shares. “It has always been how I cope with life. It is how I react whenever something traumatic happens to me. I just go back to a blank page and begin to write.”

For her, poetry is legacy and transcendence. “Poetry is how you leave something of worth behind. It is how you leave behind a voice,” she shares. “One of the poems in my poetry collection ends with this quote; ‘This serves as a reminder that I lived, I loved and grew through stages’. For me, poetry is immortality.”

Driven by a sense of urgency, Yewande wants to register her presence in the world with poetry. “I am driven by the sense of urgency to register my presence in the world. Many years down the line, when I am asked how I spent my youth, I don’t want it to be said that I spent it afraid,” she shares. “I am driven by a need to capture what it means to have lived through poetry.”

“Through my collections, I can see a growth pattern. Every time I read my first collection, I remember the state of mind that I was in when I wrote it. I was in a very low emotional state and was close to depression when I wrote it. And you can see this in the things I chose to write about; I chose the saddest of things to write about.”

This progression continues onto the second and now the third collection she is working on. “Writing is how I register my presence and how I register the stages that I am in life.”

Navigating lack of funding and opportunities

While writing and poetry has become a big part of her life, Yewande still has to deal with the feeling of quitting—even though she won’t—because of how turbulent it can be sometimes. Like every career, there are challenges and one of the challenges she faces is the lack of funding opportunities for poets. She says there are limited opportunities available to poets. Unlike other creative fields, finding opportunities as a poet is a lot harder.

“If I was doing poetry just for money, I would have given up a long time ago,” she notes. “If you eventually find one opportunity, some will require you to pay to enter for consideration. They ask you to pay a reading fee for them to read your work.”

For the opportunities that are not paid, the competition is very high because of how limited they are. “For example, a publishing company in the US put up an open call for poetry books and within five minutes of the open call, they closed it because they reached their target—300 manuscripts—in 5 minutes,” she shares.

From Yewande’s experience, poets are seen as half-writers and underdogs in the industry. But she notes that notwithstanding these challenges, people have been able to build a career off poetry. Some established options include participating in slam poetry competitions or being a page poet. “I am still navigating the ropes and finding ways to make consistent income from it. But for now, I pursue other side hustles beyond poetry and invest my personal fund into my poetry projects,” she reveals.

Beyond the personal funds she invests into her projects, she also invests in reading and attending seminars and conferences. “One good book can change your life,” says Yewande. “Reading and being a part of communities help me expand my mind and the way I think about life.”

Finding true satisfaction

Despite the barriers faced by Yewande, she continues to pursue her interest in poetry because she finds true satisfaction in the impact her work has (and will have) on people. “For me, it is more about the impact made in people’s life. I would like to hear someone say, “I read your poem, and it literally changed my life”. I will be excited to hear people say my art changed their perspective towards life or made them hope, dream or pursue their passion.”

“Currently, my works have been used as inspiration for songs. It has been used in movies, but for me, meaning and true accomplishments will be when it makes meaning in life.”

Yewande Akinse

A collection of 100 poems

For her forthcoming project, which is set to be released next year (2024), Yewande reveals she is working on a collection of 100 poems inspired by her daughter. “My child (Sijuade) is my muse and inspiration for my forthcoming project. I just sat down and thought of what I would like to say to her when she grows. I don't know what life would be like then or if I'll still be here. So, I just want to leave something behind for her,” she explains.

“It’s the kind of collection that children will find relevant as they grow into adulthood. I set out to write a collection that my child can grow into as she grows and always find relevant. From my personal experience, the most impactful books that I have read were the books that I read as a child and still find application for even if I picked them up today.”

At the onset of the project, Yewande set a goal to write 100 poems that covers the whole life cycle of a human being, that is, from birth to death. “The first poem is about how a child is born and the last poem (the hundredth poem) is about passing, that is, death,” she explains.

“The other poems in the middle are about things I've seen and learnt about life that I want to pass on. These poems come from a place of emotion. They come from a place of experience. They cover things about friendship, the value of hard work, having value for intangible resources and a whole lot of other things.”

“It has been a mixture of my knowledge, experiences, and education, all mixed in a body of work.”

Currently completed and being proofed and edited by an editor, Yewande’s third collection of poems is expected to be published in 2024.

Yewande Akinse

It’s all about the journey

Yewande believes that poetry is a journey and it’s all about the journey. “One thing I have realised about poetry and art is that you don't arrive. You can always do better if you keep going,” she shares. “So as a poet, whenever you write a poem that you feel is either bad or great, you need to know that you can always do better.”

“I would encourage young poets—and creatives, generally—to not give up on themselves, their art, and their creative process. They should always be true to themselves.”

Ovie and Wale at 10: Richard Oboh, the brain behind the iconic characters, discusses the origin of the characters, their success so far and what next

Tunmise Afape — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 17:13:09 GMT

In 2013 when Richard Oboh released the ‘Eee don show video’, he didn’t know that Ovie and Wale, the main characters in the video, would go on to become one of the most iconic and beloved 3D characters in the animation industry in Nigeria and Africa at large.

The video which went viral on social media became a career-defining moment. Ten years on, Ovie and Wale, have brought good fortune to Richard and Orange VFX Studios, the digital content production company for 3D Animation, VFX, Motion graphics, and training, he founded and currently leads. Over the years, the two iconic characters have brought joy and laughter into the lives of many with their inspiring stories, entertaining dance moves, and hilarious jokes.

On the occasion of the ten years anniversary of Ovie and Wale, Richard, the man behind the iconic characters spoke with The Creatives Note on why and how he came about the idea and how it has evolved over the course of the last decade.

Richard Oboh, Creator of Ovie and Wale

The beginning

“The characters (Ovie and Wale) were just the figment of my imagination. I wanted to do something where the characters had contrasting features. For example, you will notice that Wale is short and Ovie is tall. Wale is fat and Ovie is slim. Basically, they have opposing features,” he said speaking about the inspiration behind the characters.

“When it was time to create the characters, I drew inspiration from a couple of caricatures I saw online. I just picked elements from each one and came up with my own characters,” he added. “We later introduced another character called Chichi whose look was inspired by a caricature of Rihanna I saw and liked.”

After working on the characters, he proceeded to work on the storyline and script for the ‘Eee don show video’ that went viral at the time. “I shared the idea I had with the people around me at the time and they helped me flesh it out. I just wanted to make them dance. And I was able to get the music I used from a friend.”

It proved to be a career-defining project

Going viral wasn’t Richard’s plan when he dropped the video. But to his surprise, the video went viral. “I felt it was a joke when people told me the video had gone viral. I didn't believe it until I started hearing it from people all over the place. It was surprising but it felt really good,” he shared. “People from different parts of the world sent us emails praising the work we did. I also got calls from different people about it.”

Richard attributes the success of Orange VFX Studios to Ovie and Wale going viral as it exposed them to a lot of clients and partners. “I always tell people Ovie and Wale is one of the main reasons we are where we are right now. It put us on the map and brought us a lot of attention,” he explained. “Ovie and Wale has played a very pivotal role in bringing us clients. It attracted brands to us. Some brands even reached out to us to buy the characters.”

Richard revealed that they got contacted by MTN who wanted to use the characters in their marketing. DSTV also contacted them because of the characters.

Beyond bringing clients, the Ovie and Wale show has continued to be a major part of their story as it has brought (and still brings) students to Orange Seed Academy, the training arm of the studio that trains people in 2D and 3D animation, visual effects, and motion design. “It has brought students to train at our academy. Some of the students mentioned that it was what made them consider animation as a possible career path,” he said.

Building on the success of ‘Eee don show video’, they developed and released other videos featuring the characters and Chichi, a new character they developed and added as part of the Ovie and Wale Show.

In 2019, the characters featured in the DSTV ‘Step and Boost campaign’ and have continued to feature in subsequent DSTV campaigns.

What to expect going forward

At the moment, there are less than 10 people working on the show. Because they have to work on other client projects, they don’t get to work on the show full-time. “We are trying to get to a point where the show is revenue-generating so that we can hire a dedicated team who will create content, develop more stories, introduce new characters, and work on it full-time,” he shared.

Speaking about his plans for the characters, Richard said, “Our plan is to turn them into influencers and celebrities. We want them to have a brand of their own. We want to grow their social following so that brands can use and leverage them as brand ambassadors for their products and services.”

“We also want to see them in films such as feature films, skits, and series on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime,” he added.

Yinkore: On using art as an escape from pain, transitioning from law to art to do what she loves, making her salary in a few days, and showing up consistently — #020

Tunmise Afape — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:10:17 GMT

Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Yinkore, a digital artist from Nigeria whose art focuses on the representation of black women. Yinkore, a trained lawyer, transitioned to pursue a career in art after being called to the bar and quitting her law job, made her salary in a few days from art, and continues to show up.

In this interview, you will get to know what led her to art and how she got started, why she transitioned from law to art, what she enjoys doing outside of art, the challenges of being an artist and how she navigates them, her favourite projects, the people that inspire her, and the people and brands she would love to work with. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!

Yinkore

Tell us about yourself

My name is Yinkore. I am a digital artist from Nigeria. My art focuses on the representation of black women.

I'm also a lawyer—people tend to find that interesting.

How did you get started with art? What led you to digital art?

In 2017, I got really sick and was in a lot of pain. The sickness came suddenly and the doctors told me it was something I had to deal with for the rest of my life because they didn't see any solution. It was really bad and I was in pain almost 24/7. I was also going through my first heartbreak at the time.

I started painting because I needed a distraction from the pain I was feeling from the sickness and the heartbreak. And art was a very grounding practice for me.

Also, I was just scared and thought to myself that if this thing was as bad as the doctors said, I would die without accomplishing a lot of the things I would have loved to accomplish at that age—I was about 19 or 20 years old.

I chose digital art because I was in too much pain to do traditional art. I couldn't stay up for long periods to paint. So I downloaded a couple of digital art apps on my iPod touch—a really small and tiny device—and started painting. And so far, digital art has given me a means to express myself.

How did you go from wanting to be a lawyer to transitioning into a career in art?

I really didn't make the conscious decision; at least not at first. I didn’t sit down and decide to pursue digital art as my full-time career. It just happened.

When I started drawing and painting in 2017, I would post my art online and a few months in, I started to get commissions from people.

I was in the university at the time and it was extra money for me so I just continued. But after I was done with school and got called to the bar in 2020, I started struggling with my mental health. I needed a break and didn't just want to be a lawyer at that point in time so I quit law and focused on digital art.

The interesting thing is that I got a job in a really good law firm in Abuja—they're quite well-known—straight out of law school. I resumed the job but I stopped a week or two after I resumed. I wasn’t mentally ready for the job so I stopped.

After I quit, I saw a random tweet where someone needed someone to work on a children's book. I posted my work in the thread and I got contacted for the project.

Before this time, a friend had told me about NFTs but I didn’t really pay attention to it. While I was working on the children’s book project, he messaged me again about it and went ahead to send me an invite for Foundation—these were hard to get at the time. He told me not to waste it because other people wanted it but he kept it for me. And I decided to give it a try and fortunately for me, within two days of joining and putting my work up on the platform, I made two sales—which were two pretty big sales.

I made my salary in a few days and never looked back.

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How did your parents react to you leaving your job as a lawyer to pursue art?

Only my mom knew. My dad probably still thinks I work at a law firm.

My mom has always been super supportive. When I told her I didn’t think I wanted to do law any longer because I was mentally stressed out, she was fine with me quitting for a bit to take a break even though she didn't really understand what I was doing—I still don't think she understands what I do till now. But she's okay with the fact that I am doing something I love. Since I also get paid for it and seem to be happy with it, she is fine with me. More so, she was down for me at a time when I was not making money from art.

An African Woman’s first name - Endurance (2019)

How would you describe what you do to a 5-year-old?

I make art.

What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

My day-to-day routine has changed drastically in the last few weeks because I recently moved—to get a Master’s in Law.

But before my relocation, I had a job in community management. I was no longer doing just NFTs. And I really recommend that other artists should try that too because I think it’s one thing that has gotten me so far.

When a lot of artists started reducing their reserve prices because things got hard—which was very valid—I was in a position where I didn't have to do that because I had a job. It has also allowed me to stay present during this bear market because regardless of whatever the market is doing, I get a salary at the end of the month.

So usually when I wake up, I like taking walks. I would take a walk to start my day. After that, I get some breakfast and then go ahead to plan what I'm to do for the day.

A lot of what I was doing as a Web 3 community manager involved creating content for Instagram and working on the content calendar. When I am done with that, I move on to working on my paintings or doing some community engagement.

In the company where I worked, we mostly had meetings on Tuesdays but depending on what we were doing, I would have to be talking to a brand or someone who we want to interview because a lot of what we do is put the spotlight on artists. So I would either have an interview with an artist, need to connect with an artist or meet with my coworkers.

I also had an internship with a brand in Canada for digital advocacy at the time as well so I was also doing that. I also had an art residency at some point as well. So my days were usually pretty busy. But that's kind of how it went.

Death to Purity Culture (2020)

What do you enjoy most about what you do? What is the most satisfying thing about it for you?

I get paid to do this full-time. This is something I hope and wish every creative gets to experience. Because it is validating to see people willing to pay you for your time and skill.

So I would say waking up every day, knowing I would be doing something I really want and love to do. No matter what the day brings even if it is something that would ordinarily frustrate me, I remember this is something I prayed for.

What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

As I mentioned earlier, I used to paint on a small iPod touch with my fingers. Trust me when I say having to paint with my fingers on a very small surface coupled with the mental state I was in at the time, was not a cute process. I was painting slower than most people. When I eventually saved up to buy a laptop and a tab, it really helped my workflow.

Now that I have an iPad, I'm able to paint faster and probably better quality. The brushes that are available to me are different. But looking back on what I was able to do without an iPad, with just my fingers, I am impressed. I didn't let not having the tools stop me. I started with what I had.

If there's anything career-wise, it's my ability to adapt. For example, when I moved from an iPod touch to a phone, I was a bit confused about how to work on this much bigger surface. And again, when I moved from my phone to my iPad, it was an entirely different experience. So I basically had to learn again how to figure that out.

If you look back on my paintings from 2021, you will see that I was still exploring textures. I was taking time to teach myself and relearn everything.

While a lot of things are similar when painting digitally, you still have to learn the basics when you change a device; which I did twice. The change to an iPad meant I wasn’t using my fingers anymore. I had to use a digital pen, something I had never done before in my life. It took me some time to master. I just kept going at it and I got better. So, if there's one thing, it’s my ability to keep doing what I want until I eventually figure it out.

Come and Be Going (2020)

What are the challenges you face as a creative?

There's a long list but one of them has to do with a challenge creatives generally face: money, that is, inconsistent income. One has to get used to that. I always tell people that the struggling artist is not a trope. If you are in the art industry to make money, you are probably in the wrong industry.

Sometimes you can be lucky and I find myself to be very lucky. But I understand that being able to continue doing art sometimes can require one to pick up an extra job to make sure one is able to continue making art.

Personally, I have an extra job that has helped me. But it can be stressful. I would like to note that picking up another job doesn't make one less an artist nor does it mean that one does not believe in one’s art, it’s just the reality. I see cases where people insinuate that getting a side job means you don’t believe in your art which is not true. We need to understand that money is a huge problem for creatives.

Another struggle would be being a black person and a woman in an industry like this. Even now that I have an international audience, I have to deal with a lot of ‘politics’ that I shouldn't have to deal with on such a regular basis, but one just gets used to it. I'm one of those people who tell other people to be outspoken and make sure they don’t make themselves easy targets.

Learning to manage and use one’s time properly is another challenge. There's also dealing with parents who don’t understand what you are doing so they are not supportive of what you do.

Another one is the period when it feels like nobody cares about what you are doing. Nobody is retweeting or liking your thread. You watch the numbers and it seems like nobody is fucking with your art. I have learned to stop caring. I started to get really confident when I stopped caring. Sometimes, it's just the algorithm doing its thing. It has nothing to do with you or your art.

How do you navigate these challenges?

Honestly, I don't have a lot of answers to the question. For me, it's either I deal with it or I stop making art. And I'm not going to stop making art. So I just deal with it. I feel like when you think about art in that way, it makes a lot of things easier for you. It also helps you find ways to get out of it because, at the end of the day, these are the two options you have; stop making art or find a way.

For example, a lot of people during the bear markets felt like it was the end of the road for them and that’s valid. But for me, it's like, where do I want to go? I'm going to be doing art regardless of whether the market is good or not.

Spirit or Wound? (2021)

In 2020, I tried to quit doing art but in a few weeks, I got back to it because it is such a big part of my life. Mind you, I was making close to nothing on my art at that point. I was making commissions here and there but ultimately, I wasn't making that much money. Now, it is easy for people to say I keep making art because I am making money (my blockchain earnings are open and public) and I am enjoying myself. But there was a point I was making nothing but I still showed up every day.

So I just find ways to navigate and deal with the challenges as they show up because every new challenge requires a new approach.

What is your creative process and workflow?

My process is very chaotic. My process for commissions and personal projects is different. For commissions, I have to do what the clients want, regardless of what my interpretation is. This is why I don't do commissions very often now that I can afford and choose not to.

When I was taking every commission that came my way, some clients would say they wanted this and that. Is their request my personal style? No. Will they get it? Yes. Because the client gets whatever the client wants.

So for such projects, I use the brief. Sometimes the client says things like, you have full creative control, but most of the time, it is not true. I think only one project I ever worked on gave me full creative control. And it was an amazing experience. The client didn’t give me any notes or brief, they just commissioned me to create whatever I wanted.

Check Out: 10 African digital products and platforms you should know and use as a creative/creator

With personal projects, the process is entirely different. A lot of the time, I just think about what I'm in the mood for and then go through Pinterest or Instagram to find similar references. But because I am a lawyer, I make sure not to copy stroke for stroke. I can get numerous references that look similar and by the time I am done mixing them together, it doesn’t look like I copied someone’s work.

Once I have gotten my references and a general idea of what I want, I open my tab and start to pick a colour palette and sometimes I don’t. As I mentioned earlier, my process is very chaotic.

I do a lot of pattern work. So I usually create a couple of patterns before I pick the colour. With the pattern, I get an idea of what the background will look like because If I don't figure out what the background will look like, I almost would never start a piece.

When I realised this, I started focusing more on nailing the backgrounds. Once I nail this and figure out the colour, I just wing the rest of the painting and hope for the best. Sometimes it works out exactly the way I want and sometimes I have to switch directions.

The Harvest (2023)

What part of the process do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy the entire process but if I have to choose I would say working on the pattern. I really enjoy making patterns.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

The only tool I use currently is the iPad while I use Procreate for my digital painting. And that's all

How did the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

For me, the pandemic just solidified how much I liked art. I tried to quit during the pandemic because I was mentally stressed out but I couldn't quit.

Also, the pandemic opened up the world for artists and made the world a global community. It opened me up to a global audience. It also made a lot of people to be more open to talking to people in other parts of the world.

On the mental side of things, the pandemic definitely screwed with a lot of people. I feel like people forget how bad it was and we don't talk about how bad it was enough.

How do you handle downtimes and creative blocks?

When I experience a creative block, I deal with it immediately. This means forcing myself to work through it and force inspiration. You have to realise that art is a job—even though some people take it as a hobby. Because it is a job, one has to clock in regardless. Having this kind of mentality helps.

When there's money in my bank account, I don't force it because I can afford to take time and space for myself. That’s just me. But when I am broke, the inspiration must come. That is just the reality of the world we live in.

If I have to force inspiration, I usually like going to an art gallery to look up other people’s work. I also check out Pinterest and Instagram to go through the works of all my favorite artists and different people. I watch movies and also love going out to places where I know I will see patterns that would spark something.

In summary, I just get really deliberate about getting back to that point of inspiration.

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

That has to be marketing. I don't enjoy creating content. I genuinely dislike content creation and marketing.

Placeholder (2023)

What are the projects and pieces of work you are most proud of?

One of my favourite pieces is titled; Spirit or Wound? It was one of the pieces I made after law school and it's probably one of my most meaningful pieces to me personally. I cried while making it and also cried while posting it. It was also the first piece I sold on the blockchain.

Another one is a piece I titled; Placeholder. I really like it because I feel like I explored a lot of different things with it. I don't know how else to explain this but I explored a lot of things that I enjoyed with that piece and I really like it.

There’s another one called “As Above, So Below”. It is a bold and powerful tapestry of 100 unique pieces, each portraying Black women in a vibrant array of environments and detailed clothing. I did it for an art residency. I didn't know I was capable of creating 100 pieces and to think I did it in less than six months. It's incredibly crazy because they all sold out in less than three days. I had never pushed myself as much as I did for the project.

How do you stay creative? What drives you and keeps going?

I really can’t say this is it because I just find myself doing it. In 2020, I really wanted to quit. I deleted the apps but somehow I found myself back. Something just pulls me back. I just enjoy it.

What do you do for fun? How do you relax when you are not working?

I live life; I touch grass. I go out with my friends and family. I read a book even though I stopped at some point but I'm working to fix that.

I also go swimming, eat, sleep, watch videos, and movies (mostly series), and generally consume content even though I don’t like creating content.

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

Lina Iras Viktor, Mickalene Thomas, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, Deborah Roberts, just to name a few.

Who are the people you would love to work with or collaborate with?

Adaeze Okaro and Bad Oats.

Check out: How To Build Meaningful Relationships As A Creative

What brand(s) would you love to work with?

Fenty Beauty

What would you be doing if you were not an artist?

I would probably be writing; I love writing. Or practicing law with a focus on the creative industry or on social justice and advocacy. I really love law but I had to take a break for a while but I am now back in school for a Master’s in Law.

What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out or is at the early stage of their creative journey?

The most important thing is to be consistent. So I would say, be consistent and show up every day for yourself and your art even if you have to force yourself to because the truth is that it won’t be easy. I believe that if you consistently show up, the universe will eventually align.

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

Having continued practicing art (even though I said I can’t stop but you know life can be unpredictable) and reached a high level of success with my art; doing some exhibitions around the world and getting representation from an art agency.

I want to have been more involved in the marketing and production of my art. Currently, I outsource all of this. At the moment, I am not involved in how my art is marketed, printed, or transported. I want to get to the level where I am more involved in the process and also have more control over my work.

Also, I want to have done something in fashion. I am not sure of what that will be yet but I know I want to do something in fashion.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Sylvia Innocent, Olutoyosi, and Freddie Jacob.

Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?

Check out my website for my work.

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Connect with Yinkore on Twitter and Instagram.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to like and share the interview.

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See you next time!!!

How Naija Comm, a global community of creatives and social enterprise, is empowering Nigerian creatives and professionals in the creative industry across the world

Tunmise Afape — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:00:29 GMT

For generations, people have prioritised traditional career fields such as medicine, law, and engineering over non-traditional fields such as art and design. The traditional career paths are seen as “more profitable” and “stable” while non-traditional career paths are seen as “unstable” and “unreliable”.

This prevalent school of thought created some sort of societal pressure to pursue a traditional career path thereby discouraging and swaying many people from pursuing their passion and following their dreams. In an attempt to appease their families, people pursue these known and accepted paths and conform to what society expects of them.

Observing this dilemma over the years, Eno Oduok, an award-winning multidisciplinary creative, in late 2020—a few days before #EndSARS protest went viral, founded Naija Comm (NC), a global space for Nigerian creatives and professionals in overlooked career fields—such as communications, design, music, fashion, and more—to challenge social and career stigmas, break barriers, and change narratives pertaining to these career fields.

Eno, an honoree of the 2022 Forbes 30 under 30 (Media category and Youngest category in Forbes America) says, “In our community (like a lot of other communities), creative career paths aren’t celebrated enough in comparison to traditional/STEM career paths. I created Naija Comm for the creatives in our community. I wanted a space to amplify and empower creatives along with their businesses and projects. A space where people can learn about different paths we haven’t been accustomed to growing up. We are here to challenge social and career stigmas, break barriers, and change narratives in our community.”

Naija Comm is an award-winning global brand and community-based media platform that emphasises the importance of diverse representation. It is a creative hub that empowers Nigerians in creative industries everywhere in the world, whether they’re in America, Canada, London, Kenya, Korea, India, or Germany.

A community + social enterprise

Naija Comm operates as a community and a social enterprise. It says it is “the first-ever online community to connect and empower Nigerian creatives and professionals in overlooked career fields – such as communications, design, music, fashion, and more.” Its platform features and promotes Nigerian creatives and professionals; it highlights them and their work. In addition, jobs and opportunities are shared with the community along with providing opportunities for them to make connections and network with each other.

“Naija Comm is an online platform where Nigerian creatives are highlighted as a means to build a community, but also inspire others,” says Joann Njeri, Director of Content Strategy at Naija Comm.

On the social enterprise side, it partners with brands (and has partnered with impactful brands such as HBO and WhatsApp) to create content for their campaigns and amplify diverse communities – whether it pertains to the Nigerian community specifically, the African diaspora in general, multicultural immigrants, or other groups.

In its bid to help people in Nigeria who have been impacted by SARS, COVID-19, and other social issues, Naija Comm donated to ProjectProtectNG, a project that caters to that.

To celebrate and honour Nigeria’s independence, Naija Comm partnered with Africa-based company, Primedia, to create billboard campaigns around Nigeria.

Naija Comm has collaborated with HBO for a campaign to amplify their Nigerian documentary called, "The Legend of the Underground," and to spread awareness and resources for Nigerian non-conformists. It has also partnered with WhatsApp for a campaign to amplify its film about NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo called, “Naija Odyssey”.

A collective effort

The Naija Comm team is made up of Eno Oduok (Founder and Creative Director), Llewella Odigie (Director of Community Outreach), Joann Njeri (Director of Content Strategy), Ni’A Landon (Brand Strategist), and Azhané Rowe (Content Intern). Known as the NCrew, they are an extraordinary group of Black women passionate about amplifying the community. They specialise in marketing/advertising, social media, community service, and more.

From left to right: Llewella Odigie (Director of Community Outreach), Ni'A Landon (Brand Strategist), Azhané Rowe (Content Intern), Eno Oduok (Founder and Creative Director), Joann Njeri (Director of Content Strategy)

“Through Naija Comm, the team has made a difference by raising awareness about causes, creating and contributing to initiatives that impact diverse communities and representation, while creating and sharing opportunities/ resources with the community,” says Eno.

Since its inception, Naija Comm has been featured on Forbes, Forbes Africa, Adweek, BellaNaija, Business Insider, AfroTech, and other global platforms.

Building a community for all

According to Joann Njeri, Director of Content Strategy, what makes Naija Comm so unique is the accessibility and exposure. “We don’t only look for ‘big’ creatives, we uplift and amplify everyone. You can reach out to us, message us, and soon you’ll be able to meet the team in person. We pride ourselves on being for the community and to do this, we ensure that we’re accessible to our community,” she explains.

“We love using our platform to help other creatives when it comes to helping them with their missions or just amplifying their art. We empower you to continue seeing that vision through, and allow you to connect with like-minded individuals who are doing the same,” she adds.

For Llewella Odigie, Director of Community Outreach, what makes Naija Comm so unique and different is that they connect with everyone who follows and engages with them. “We have over 4,500 followers and we’re about supporting and uplifting every single person that connects with our platform. The content—from doing interviews to creating posts that highlight the goods that are happening in and out of our community nationally or internationally—isn’t just for us, they’re truly for everyone.”

Llewella adds: “We’ve had wonderful opportunities to interview amazing Nigerians who are doing big, big things in their careers ranging from people in photography (Tayo Kuku Jr.), to acting (Olly Sholotan who played Carlton in Bel-Air), and even entrepreneurs like Olamide Olowe who is the youngest Black woman to receive ten million dollars in funding and the founder of Topicals.”

Other notable guest speakers include Toyosi Etim-Effiong (Creator of Nigeria Day at Essence Fest), Bisi Akins (Presenter & founder of All Things Africa), Erica Ogwumike (Olympian), Enitan Bereola II (NAACP-nominated & 3x bestselling author; cofounder of FLOURYSH - partnered with The Shade Room).

Some of Naija Comm’s past guests

Championing diversity and inclusivity by connecting, highlighting, empowering, and uplifting creatives

For Azhané Rowe, Content Intern, being a part of Naija Comm means she gets the opportunity to connect with and uplift underrepresented voices. “I enjoy interacting with innovative creatives and also enjoy the satisfaction that comes with contributing to a platform that champions diversity.”

“We are dedicated to thinking outside of the box and breaking down barriers to amplify creatives. Naija Comm stands out for its commitment to diversity, its vibrant community, and its role in showcasing unique stories and perspectives,” she adds.

Ni’A Landon, Brand Strategist, enjoys the collective brainstorming and passion everyone on the team has for creating a unique space that reveres the role of Black creativity across the Diaspora. “The impact of this is found in Naija Comm's ability to find room for underrepresented voices in the creative field to become seen and heard,” she explains.

“I enjoy the way we work together on the team. Our ability to brainstorm every time is so magical,” says Joann Njeri, Director of Content Strategy. “We have a community within each other and it really shows.”

Joann also likes that the team dreams big. “When we come up with ideas, the sky's the limit. No one thinks ‘we can’t’. The response is usually, ‘Cool, how do we make it happen?’ and I LOVE that,” she adds.

Llewella Odigie, Director of Community Outreach, enjoys doing the interviews because it’s really inspiring and exciting getting to speak with the creatives who are doing bigger and better things in their careers. “Our paths are all similar and we’re all here for the sole purpose of helping and uplifting our community in any way we can. Whether it be connecting you to resources to help you in your path, highlighting creatives, or simply shouting you out as a thank you,” she says.

Operating a nontraditional model and what lies ahead

While it has been an exciting journey, one challenge still remains; having to explain what Naija Comm is to certain people and companies. “We are incredibly nontraditional and niche. Not everyone will understand who we are and what we do,” says Eno.

“We know it will not get easier the more we grow but we understand that it comes with the territory. We aren’t changing to fit people’s expectations. We aren’t shrinking ourselves or fitting into one box either. We are who we are. The real ones get it,” she adds.

“I’m looking forward to us growing more and making a bigger splash in culture,” says Joann. “I love this platform and what it does for the African community. I think it’s vital to have a space where we can celebrate Nigerian/African creatives and uplift each other.”

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Azhané says her future goals for Naija Comm will involve expanding its reach, hosting more collaborations with creatives, and continuing to promote diversity within the creative industry.

Ni’A looks forward to Naija Comm increasing exposure in the creative field for creatives of Nigerian and African descent to gain community. “I look forward to us making a tangible difference and also supporting creative side hustles and ambitions brought forth by creatives,” she adds.

Bukola Onwordi: On discovering design while managing a social media page, getting an internship opportunity to kickstart her design career, and moving in-house from the agency — #019

Tunmise Afape — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 11:20:17 GMT

Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Bukola Onwordi, a senior digital designer at BudgIT Foundation. While managing a social media page, she stumbled into design and went on to intern at a digital marketing agency as a designer where she grew to become a senior art director. After years of working in the agency setting and an opportunity to work in-house, she made the switch to an in-house design role in the civic advocacy space.

If you are interested to know how managing a social media page led her to design, how she made the switch from agency to in-house, what drives and keeps her going, her favourite projects, the people that inspire her, and the people and brands she would love to work with, you should continue reading. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!

Bukola Onwordi

Tell us about yourself

My name is Bukola Onwordi. I am currently a senior digital designer at BudgIT Foundation, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) focused on civic advocacy using tech solutions to help laymen understand budgeting and spending by the government. My role entails visual design for projects such as designing reports, infographics, and art-directing campaigns.

Beyond design, I love reading fiction, watching movies, listening to music, eating, and cooking.

How did you get started with design? What led you to design?

After I finished NYSC, I started working with a family friend because I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do. This family friend had a lot of business so I picked up a lot of things working with him as he would often throw a new task at me. Eventually, he threw me into social media management. This was 2014 and social media management wasn’t as big and established as it is now.

When I started managing the social media page, I began to look at the kind of content that the pages of similar businesses posted and I noticed that they posted more than just pictures. They sometimes post graphics to make things more interesting. This realisation led me to find out about Adobe Photoshop.

I started learning Photoshop using tutorials I found online. Looking back now, the designs I made were really poor. But I don't know where I got the confidence from, one day, I updated my LinkedIn profile to say I am a graphic designer. I got my first graphic design opportunity through this LinkedIn update.

Brand identity design for Ryno Automotive

The CEO of Wild Fusion, a digital marketing agency in Lagos, reached out to me that they had an opening and asked me to come in for an interview. After the interview, they saw that I didn't really know anything but noticed that I was open to learning so they encouraged me to intern with them.

This was where my creative and design journey started. 2014 was a really pivotal year for me. I learnt on the job and got to work on a lot of brands creating their marketing materials. It was a really great place to learn, exercise my creativity, and grow.

When did you decide to fully pursue a career in design?

I think it was during the interview. I went to the interview with an open mind and just wanted to see what it was like. During the interview, they helped me see what was possible with a career in design. Uzo, who was the creative lead at the time, showed me some of his work which got me excited and made me see the possibilities of a career in design. Also, design was one task I enjoyed doing while I was managing the social media page and the possibility of making money from doing this got me excited.

Eid Ad for Lipton Nigeria

How has the journey been so far?

It has been interesting. I have enjoyed exploring different design fields and areas. I have enjoyed learning things that piqued my interest. It has been fun.

I went from an intern to a senior art director at Wild Fusion. After that, I was briefly with Deloitte as a design specialist. I also worked with One Wild Card, another marketing agency. It was while I took a break to figure out what next that a colleague told me about the opening at BudgIT and I decided to give it a shot. I joined BudgIT in March 2022.

Infographics and report design for BudgIT

What would you say about your experience working in-house versus your time at the agency?

One difference is that in the agency, you will work on multiple brands while as an in-house designer, you work on one brand. The agency allows you to flex your creative muscle as you have to work across different brands. In-house can also be challenging because you have to find a way to keep things interesting even though you have a brand identity to maintain. But one thing is that in-house is a bit calmer compared to the chaos in the agency.

I have had to do some interesting work since I got in-house. I have done a lot of infographics which allows me to break down things visually, that is, making a bulk of data into visual chunks that people can easily understand.

How would you describe what you do to a 5-year-old?

I create pictures that help people understand things better.

Bukola facilitating a data visualisation workshop

What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

As a member of the media communication and creative department, I get briefs from the head of the department. It can be to design a report or infographics for a project. Whatever the brief is, it goes through him. So I am either working on a project or getting a brief for the next project.

At BudgIT, we operate a hybrid work arrangement, so I work from home on some days. On days I have to work in the office, I like to get in very early about 2 hours - it is something I started doing recently because it allows me to ease into the day and get a headstart into the day.

On days I work from home, I try to work out before I start work. But I am usually at my desk by 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. I work for a bit before I get some food. After eating, I get back to work and continue working.

When there's a meeting, I get notified and attend. Some weeks, I attend about 3-4 meetings and some weeks are quiet depending on the projects we are working on.

We also have weekly team meetings for the media team that I often attend.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? What is the most satisfying thing about your job?

I enjoy bringing ideas to life. I love the process of going from ideas to creating visuals that we get to see at the end of the day.

What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

I would say investing in courses, that is, constantly investing in self-development. I am always learning something and looking at the next skill I want to improve on. The latest course I finished is an interaction design course.

Related Interview

What are some of the challenges you face as a designer?

Getting inspiration sometimes can be challenging. I have noticed that I can spend a day or two just trying to figure out the direction to take. I can be frozen on what to do next for a long time until I figure things out but once I figure that out, the speed of execution is faster. This is usually a problem when I am working on a fast-paced project and there's no time so I won't be able to take as much time as needed and just do the next thing that comes to mind.

How do you usually navigate this challenge?

If nothing is clicking after research and doing things by myself, I talk to people to bounce ideas off them. It usually helps. They may just say something that makes everything click.

What is your workflow and creative process?

After getting the brief, I do some research on the topic and theme of the brief. If it’s an infographic, I try to understand the data shared, that is, I try to know what they are trying to communicate. After that, I research imagery and visual references that I can use to represent the subject matter. Sometimes I use pen and paper to draft what it will look like or I just jump straight to my computer to visually represent the final output.

What part of this process do you enjoy the most?

The execution. Because at this point, I have figured out what I am doing. I have crafted the story and just need to execute and implement the idea.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

I use a pen and paper, my phone, and my laptop.

For software, I use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I am also exploring AI tools like Midjourney.

Bukola’s work desk

How did the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

The lockdown made me realise I love working from home. It was the time a lot of people really started exploring working from home. I was in the agency at the time and it was tricky because we were used to working with people and getting feedback in person unlike now where you work in isolation from home and just jump on calls for meetings.

At first, working from home was a struggle. I would find myself working late into the night and waking up the next day early to continue working. Because it was the pandemic, a lot of our clients were trying to push out content based on the situation which meant more work for us.

But over time, I adjusted and realised that I like working alone because it allowed me to be able to control a lot of things. Now, I even enjoy the hybrid arrangement of going into the office to touch base with the team and spending the rest of the time at home. I like the balance.

Cine 21 Eid campaign

How do you handle creative blocks and pushback as a creative?

When it comes to pushback, I try to listen in order to understand what is not working and why. I try to understand their point of view because they may be seeing something I am not seeing. But if from my professional point of view, what they are asking for won't work, I will let them know it's not the best way to go. But first, I always try to listen to understand what they are saying.

As for creative block, I spend a lot of time on Pinterest these days. It's my go-to platform for inspiration. I go online and try to absorb as much as I can and try to see if the direction works or not. I sometimes have to go back to the beginning of the whole process to review what I have done so far in order to find what is not working.

Check out: African Flags and Who Designed Them (Part 1)

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

That would be mundane and repetitive tasks that do not require creativity like copying and pasting stuff such as tables in a report design that is about 500 pages or more.

Cine21 Eid campaign

What are some of the most exciting projects you have worked on?

The creative direction, content management, and product package design for The Vegan Oils.

Another one is the brand identity design for Ryno Automotives.

There’s also the art direction for Cine21’s Eid Campaign.

I handled the creative direction and brand identity design for Budgit’s Active Citizen’s Awards. I love the way it came out and people's reactions to it.

I also worked on the 2023 FG Budget Review and State of States 2022 report with the BudgIT Team.

What drives you and keeps you motivated to keep creating?

I look at where I am coming from and how far I have come and grown. I often look at the projects I have done to see how much I have grown and this makes me excited about what is possible.

How do you relax and have fun?

I love movies, food, and reading fiction.

Bukola at the Budgit’s Active Citizen’s Awards Launch

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

All the creatives I’ve had a chance to work with have inspired me in one way or the other. Shout out to Uzo Azuonye, Justice Anaba, and Kayode Olowu.

Who are the creatives you would love to work with or collaborate with?

Julien Tabet and Daniel Schifano.

Check out: How To Build Meaningful Relationships As A Creative

What brands would you love to work with?

Disney, Google, and the United Nations.

What would you be doing if you were not a designer?

I would probably have furthered my study of Mathematics because it was something that was just easy for me.

What advice do you have for someone who is at the early stage of their creative journey?

Trust the process and keep doing stuff. The best thing you have to show for your work is your portfolio because if you try to apply for anything that's what they will ask for. People want to see what you have done. Keep creating stuff because that is what will get you in the door.

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

To have played important roles in the creation of brands and products that are recognised for impacting lives.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Damilola Alade

Bukola Alade

Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?

Check out my portfolio. Also, check out Veganoil (I manage it with my friend Dirichi Phillips who is the founder).

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Connect with Bukola on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to like and share the interview.

See you next time!!!

A conversation with Jabulani Sigege and Roderick Laka of Machine_ on using creativity and insights to create solutions for businesses

Tunmise Afape — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 11:20:25 GMT

In a new interview series, I will be having conversations with people from creative teams, agencies, and studios across Africa on the work they do, how they go about it, and its impact.

If you have seen Spotify South Africa’s ‘Como Esta It’ or Spotify Nigeria’s ‘Loudly Nigerian?’ TVCs. Were you caught up in the obsession of watching “Jack Ryan”? Then you have seen and interacted with the work of my guests for today.

For this debut edition, I spoke with two creative leaders from South Africa: Jabulani Sigege (Executive Creative Director at Machine_) and Roderick Laka (Creative Group Head - Art at Machine_).

With a roster of global and local clients such as Spotify, Prime Video, Heineken, PepsiCo, Nutun, DirectAxis and Sanlam and Sanlam Reality, Machine_ is an award-winning creative-solutions agency with over 100 people based in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Jabulani tells me: “We call ourselves a creative-solutions agency, not just an advertising agency. We create solutions to problems that brands and businesses may have and it doesn't always come in the form of an ad. For example, in our work for Gangs of Lagos, we created a title treatment to reflect what the show is about.”

Though Machine_ is a purely South African agency, it has an international connection and access because it is a part of Publicis Groupe, the fastest-growing global network. “While we have got our feet in South Africa, we have got a view of the continent and world as well,” Jabulani says.

The Machine_ Philosophy and Ethos

It all starts with an Insight

Creating solutions for clients often requires intuition and gut feelings, but for them at Machine_, everything starts with an insight. “One of the biggest things we try to leverage is insights. We're big on insights because this helps us to effectively reach our target audience, so that we’re speaking to the right people,” Roderick says. “We need to know what they are feeling, what their experiences are, and where we can meet them in their daily lives.”

Finding the pivotal points where to intercept consumers in their daily lives is important and helps the people working on a brief include the brand they are working on in the consumers’ lives. For them at Machine_, mining these insights is how they are able to create impactful and creative solutions that solve the client’s problem and touch the consumers at every point in their connected world.

Never Afraid

The culture at Machine_ is underpinned by a strong mantra: Never Afraid. “We have an internal philosophy; we're never afraid. This translates to never being afraid to solve problems. It also means that we are never afraid to say no in order to make better solutions. We are never afraid to say yes to challenges,” Jabulani says. “Never be afraid to push yourself because that's how you get better each and every day. You will only grow when you do something that scares you, frightens you, and pushes you.”

Solving unique challenges for global and local brands

Choosing a favourite project is usually a tough one for creatives, so for Roderick, it is easier to talk about brands he enjoys working with. “Our work for Spotify and Prime Videos are some of my favourite projects because they came with unique challenges that were not only situated in South Africa but touched on a global challenge with an African context to it,” Roderick says.

For Jabulani, his favourite project is an ongoing project for a local company. “We're still cultivating the name and sorting out the contracts but we've been doing some work for it. It's a local non-alcoholic beverage company and the challenge we're trying to solve is how to make it a relevant and relatable brand in a market that has established brands like Coca-Cola,” he says. “Because it is South African does not mean people will automatically care about it. We've to make them care about it and make them feel like it's a part of their life and journey.”

Getting into advertising and using creativity to touch people's lives

Advertising is about using creativity to create solutions to problems. “I got into advertising because my brain was always on the go. I enjoy the fact that no two days are ever the same even though it can be both a blessing and a curse because sometimes it can get really crazy,” Jabulani says.

“I have to think of things in a way, shape, or form that didn't exist before, that is, making them manifest from a thought in my head and seeing other people react to it.”

He also added, “I am constantly curious because the moment you start to think you know it all is the day you start to stagnate. I am also interested in people because what we create is for people.”

Roderick is obsessed with creating solutions that can help someone in some way. “For me, it’s people first. I wake up every day with one mission: to change someone's life through creativity and it’s the thing that makes me relentless and obsessed with creativity because I don't think I have achieved that goal or will ever until I leave this earth,” he says.

Touching people’s lives doesn’t always require doing something grand. It can be in a small way. “Someone can be having a rough day and get their mood lifted by interacting with something I was a part of creating. This can set them up for the rest of the day or week,” he explains. “It can also be in the form of the brands we work with giving people access to something they would not have had access to without the project.”

Obsessing with people and creating solutions for them

Obsession with people and creating solutions for people is something Roderick looks out for in other creatives. “You need to have an interest in humanity and how your creativity can change it. You need to be selfless and aware of people and what's going on. You should not be so caught up in your own world. You need to be able to live outside your world and bring yourself into it. It's a tough line to walk but once you find your balance, that's where the magic happens,” Roderick says.

Jabulani tells me having a never ceasing hunger; the hunger to be better, the hunger to learn more, and the hunger to make a difference in people's lives irrespective of the number of people is something he looks out for. “We underestimate the impact that a thought or single action can create. A single action can create a ripple effect. Every individual has a different perspective/view of the world and if you're able to impact or influence someone else's view for the better, you've done an amazing thing,” he explains.

Share your thoughts and believe in yourself

Roderick says he struggled with saying his mind while starting out but over the years he has learnt that “there's no wrong answer when it comes to creativity.” As a creative, you should never be afraid to share your thoughts. “Never be afraid to bring your voice to the table. Your unique view can impact or spark a change in someone else’s life,” he explains. Roderick believes that “A lot of creatives have themselves as a barrier to their greatness.” For him, sharing your thoughts is being selfless and how you bring yourself to the work you do each day.

Jabulani advises creatives to believe in themselves and trust their guts but they should also be open to collaboration. “Question everything because only then will you be able to do the things that are deep which allow you to make connections with other people,” he says. It is also important to always ask for help and bounce ideas off people when necessary.

As creatives, it is okay to face self-doubt or imposter syndrome. “You will find that a lot of the people who did great works had points where they battled imposter syndrome. The people who don't have imposter syndrome are the actual imposters.”

He believes that anyone who hasn’t dealt with imposter syndrome is not really good at what they do because they are not questioning whether what they do is good enough.

Tapping into our unique identity and cultures as Africans

When working for global organisations, it is important to tap into our unique history and culture. Jabulani says “Something South Americans and Asians have done over the years with their work is that they tap into their identity and culture, which make their work very distinctive. They don't allow a multinational brand to come in and change that. They don't let the brand dictate their culture, that is, they don’t try to ‘Westernise’ their culture. They dictate how the brand fits into their own world. They let the brand know how they can talk to their people, and that's how success happens.”

The problem with how we approach this in Africa is that we end up creating poorer versions of Western views instead of embracing what we know. “Some of our cultures get appropriated by the West because they know that they are unique and are not like anything else in the world. For example, African patterns get used by multinational fashion brands and carry really expensive price tags because of how unique the patterns are,” Jabulani says.

“We forget that it’s not only minerals we have. We also have cultures and we have got to utilise them, own them, and not change them.”

Roderick says we underestimate ourselves a lot. “In Africa, we have so much going on for us but we underestimate ourselves. We have different things and nuances we can tap into that no one except Africans understands. We are so diverse. Asians, Americans, Europeans, and other cultures have theirs and they tap into theirs so we need to tap into ours too. We underestimate ourselves a lot.”

Creating work with purpose and changing lives

When asked what brand(s) he would love to work with in the near future, Roderick says, “I want to work with a lot of non-profit organisations across Africa because that's where I can realise my goal to change people's lives. I like doing work with purpose and non-profit organisations allow me to do that.”

As for Jabulani, he wants to work for brands in the sporting category like football or wrestling. “I think a local sports team like Orlando Pirates or an international one like PSG. It will also be fun to do some work for WWE too.”

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Getting seen, getting positive responses, and the day-to-day experiences

While awards and recognition are great, Jabulani says he finds satisfaction in the ordinary stuff. “I work from the Cape Town office and it has been interesting to see how things have changed over the years. The culture is still there but everything - the kind of work we do for brands and how we go about it- is now refined.”

“It is exciting to see our work get mentioned alongside the works of other international brands. Our work doesn’t just get seen, people actually like them and respond positively to them,” he adds.

For Roderick, awards come and go, so he’s excited about the day-to-day experiences, the work the teams do, hearing people talk about it, and how it can change someone's life.

Mary Afolabi: On early influences, her knack for colour, managing teams and clients, and how learning integrity has shaped her career — #018

Tunmise Afape — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:00:28 GMT

Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Mary Afolabi, a design partner at FourthCanvas with a knack for colours. With a career that has spanned over a decade, she has done works that cut across fintech, banking, governance, fashion, entertainment, causes, and a lot more industries.

If you are interested to know how she got started, what drives her, how she manages the relationship between her team and the client, the challenges she faces as a designer and how she navigates them, her favourite projects, the people who inspire her, and the people and brands she would love to work with, you should continue reading. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!

Mary Afolabi

Tell us about yourself

My name is Mary Afolabi. I am a designer with a speciality in brand design and art direction. I have done works that cut across fintech, banking, governance, fashion, entertainment, NGO, and a lot more over the last 10 years.

I am a partner at FourthCanvas, a strategy-led design agency partnering with good businesses on their journey to becoming great brands, from across the globe. On the side, I particularly enjoy doing some art direction for music covers and designing posters.

I have a B.A. in Fine Arts with a major in Painting from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). I enjoy singing and making music and I am married to a musician who also paints.

I enjoy dealing with and talking about issues that people face in their use of colour. I have a knack for solving problems that creatives face in their use of colours and recently published a book on colour. I believe in following through the creative process to find the magic and give it visual expressions.

I am a mum of two cute kids; a boy and a girl. I was born in Athens, Greece but grew up in Nigeria. I can speak, read and understand Yoruba, as well as Greek (been a bit out of practice on this though).

How did you get started with design? What led you to design?

As a kid, I used to enjoy drawing, illustrating and trying out creative things. Must be from my dad, who enjoyed creating stuff. I remember that he would make birthday cards for my mum, and I found it interesting. So I would also make birthday gifts and create a treasure hunt for whomever I was gifting.

Fast forward to when I got to JSS1, I had this fine art teacher, Mr. Badmus, who looked different from the ‘typical artist’ I knew. He was always clean-shaven, well-tailored, clothes ironed. He was probably the neatest teacher. Beyond his well-groomed appearance, he was also well-spoken. He made me admire and realise that one could be creative and ‘look normal’. He understood art and it was easy for him to teach and communicate. I always aced his subject.

While I was trying to get into the university, I had this fine art textbook that I got from somewhere I can't remember. I would read through it and try out everything I read from it. I had enough time on my hands so I would source for crayons, watercolours (secondary school grade) and tried out painting, paper mache, clay sculpture, drawing, and all sorts.

Around this time, I started learning design from my goddad. He could paint, draw, design and was a fine photographer. He was as techy and creative as you could get back then. He got me started on my journey as a designer by teaching me to use the design softwares (Photoshop, CorelDraw 9, 11, etc). He’d give me his printed designs to replicate and I would hack at them for days!

When I was leaving for Uni, he gave me two boxes of pastels and I was over the moon. Before then I tried to study Geology (out of pressure just to get started on my University journey) but I had this inclination toward art and my parents supported it. At first though, there was a little bit of a misalignment with my mum because of the wrong impressions that people had about art and what you could make out of it at the time.

What finally made me pursue design as a career would be getting into OAU to study fine art. This experience reinforced all my learnings about design and the creative path. I learnt the principles of art and design and it all made sense to me on a deeper level. As a student, I taught design and mentored amazing creative designers via a platform, The Campace OAU. After school, I pursued design further by joining the team at FourthCanvas.

This and the support I've had from the best humans around me have led me to where I am now.

How would you describe what you do to a 5-year-old?

I make it easier for people to choose a (or my) product in a supermarket when they have plenty of options to choose from.

What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

I attend a lot of meetings because most of my work now involves leading and collaborating with amazing people who make good work happen. It also involves working with clients to help them make sense of the good work we're doing (for them), so it’s easier for them to make better judgements, and create endlessly from where we stop. A typical day would involve me attending project team meetings to have conversations about ongoing projects.

I always have an early start with my family, preparing for the day with my husband and dropping off the kids at school.

When I'm done, I would have project-elevating conversations in a cluster of sections (brand strategy team and I, visual design team and I) sometimes. Other times, I'd meet with the full project team, depending on what stage the project is. The span of the meeting is determined by what we're working on.

After the team-based meetings, I attend to emails and take client meetings or calls to align on timelines, deliverables, and other things. For my project team, we are either working on a brand strategy project or discussing visual direction, sketching, and planning design sprints where I get to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty doing some design.

I take a nap early in the afternoon to catch up on my rest, then wake up to check in on project updates and send reviews, take more sectioned team meetings on projects, and also discuss the next steps.

I love to find time to still get my hands dirty, depending on project needs and to help the designers make sense of client feedback.

I get my kids from school then enter mom zone back to feed and spend time with the fam.

Later at night, when the fam is resting, I get back to my side projects for a bit.

Then, I start prepping for the next day and retire for the day.

Mary working on her laptop

What do you enjoy most about what you do? What is the most satisfying thing about your job?

Seeing people experience and figure out the thinking behind the good work we do and sharing feedback in real-time like they were a part of the process. Other than that, I enjoy the conversations in the discovery phase a lot! There, we're seeking out gems about the client that help us make sense of who they are, what exact problem to solve and how to communicate what we're doing with them, to them.

I have found that creatives tend to think hard about the project they are working on and have less consideration for the person they are working on the project with/for. They often forget that they have their own biases and experiences, and this colours how they make sense of the problems they're trying to solve.

Discovering essence is so important to be able to create magic with your clients. The discovery is as important as the partnership, and sometimes, the stories they share, and the comments they make about a random situation help in the translation of their essence into usable elements; from strategy to visuals.

When we share the resultant work, the best feedback is the one that probes the results based on the clarity I've brought to them.

It's interesting to also help clients make sense of the work we’re doing with/for them. It is a very important part of the work I do. I help them make sense of the work, then they can defend what we're doing (from a purpose perspective) as opposed to just dumping the project on them when we’re done.

What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

I would like to start with what someone invested in me that made the difference. Earlier, I mentioned that I learnt to design from my god-dad before I resumed university. These were the days when you would find design resources in people’s hard disk drives, not like now when you can easily find resources online without physical contact or interaction. During my time at his place, I learnt a lot of life lessons beyond just design from him. One important lesson I learnt from him was integrity. I particularly remember an event that solidified this lesson for me.

I had just started learning the use of CorelDraw 11, the OG design software and some guys came into the office requesting that I manipulate a document. On the surface, it was just an OND result that needed a slight edit, because they couldn’t reach the HOD or something, to correct the error. I was young and fresh and it felt like a challenge so I was eager to do it because I wanted to flex what I had learnt. During the conversation, my boss, Ayobami Oke, walked in and asked me what was happening and I told him what they wanted. He turned to them and told them, “We don't do that here”, sternly. After they left, he spoke with me about it and said something that struck me, “Just because you have the skills to do something does not mean you have to do it”. Some years later, the same thing happened when a junior colleague was about to do the same thing and I had to share my story and it was such a teachable moment on discretion. I also learned to take responsibility when he was not around. His investment in me has been pivotal in how I make decisions, deal with people, and have grown over the years.

Mary, at 4C Studio in Akure, 2017

Second huge investment would be me joining Fourthcanvas at the time that I did. Before then, I had been teaching design and understood it to a good extent. I had also worked on a number of live projects too but joining FourthCanvas exposed me to projects that were of greater consequence so I had to be more intentional about the output, and learnt to pay more attention to details. A lot more investments have been from this pivotal move. My learning became accelerated because every one of us was hungry to learn and rub off on each other.

On understanding branding, I would say investing time to read ‘Brand Identity’ by Alina Wheeler. I championed the team reading the book at Fourthcanvas then and it opened us up to how we thought about branding and we got to understand it better and in depth.

On colour, meeting Karen Haller and taking her course on colour. She’s made a huge impact on the depth of my understanding of colour psychology.

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What are some of the challenges you face as a designer?

The biggest challenge is translation– that is, converting their stories and essence into actionable frameworks, and a distinctive visual language. Also, the communication of what we're doing internally for the client to the client and making sure we understand what they are saying to us. This is to ensure we're not just making nice things or just dumping nice catchphrases on the clients– they came to us for clarity.

Finding clarity in the midst of a beautiful yet sometimes chaotic mix of stories, values and ideas is quite challenging. You gain new knowledge per project, yet it’s day one for the next new project.

A part of my (and 4C’s) design process involves clarifying creative direction. We craft the Creative Story/Direction internally, then share it with the client. We come to an agreement that the Direction is a great translation of their essence and we then proceed to the actual creative work.

This way, we make sure to make things that are meaningful and useful to them. It's not enough to create a brand strategy document but it's important that they understand and remember what we have created and the process it took us to get there. Sometimes we create something we know will work for a brand but it's not enough to know it will work, it is also important to let them see how and why it will work and the implications of them sticking to it.

How do you usually navigate this challenge?

Aside from following the process as mentioned earlier, it is important to understand the people I work with and for. From the people I am working with on my side, to the team on the client’s end. Internally, I ensure we stay objective and ask questions because there's a possibility of mixing emotions/assumptions with logic. For our clients, doing research (about them) and holding conversations beyond the immediate work on ground helps me know how to best communicate in a manner that they can relate with.

Understanding the people we’re working for and the team I am working with makes it easier for me to translate and communicate the translations.

The whole process involves a lot of conversations and getting to know people beyond the work we're doing and the skills they have.

What is your workflow and creative process?

Preproject would include planning the workflow, adding timelines and deliverables and scheduling weekly meetings with the client’s team.

The project itself starts with the backstories, and the audience: Client Understanding. It will typically involve sessions to explore the brand purpose and clarify the stories from different angles. The brand story is important because it is where we're creating from, no matter the type of project. Beyond brand visual identity, if it's a music cover art, I have to listen to it. If it's a book cover art, I try to read a good chunk of it to get context for what I am working on.

This then leads us to create the Conceptual Directions (for visuals) or strategy documents (for strategy), which we review till we’re on the same page. Mostly for visuals, Conceptual Direction is like designing the visual strategy for a project, containing contextual or thematic statements, some keywords, moodboard for the different assets, etc. Think of this like a visual sketch of what the end may look like, to create a sense of direction.

We agree with the client that the direction works, and get into the next phase; sketch. We get into innumerable sketches, trim to the best, explore and show a few examples of how it might be used. The sketches can be redone, depending on how well it aligns with the CD. After an agreement on the sketch, we explore and craft the visual system as an extension of the CD and Identity; loosely, the logo.

I like to create a principle, as inspired by Paula Scher; like the foundation from which all the elements can evolve.

When the design is done and approved, we go on to create guidelines that contain details on why we created what we created and how to use what we have created so that anyone can take it up after we deliver.

There are always a lot of conversations with the client about the possible directions to help them get familiar with the potential end results. Involving them in the whole process helps give them context when they are shown the end results as they were a part of the process that led to it.

Next, we onboard clients into the newly designed identity, website, etc. This is done so they know how to continue to build and create magic off the created assets.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

For software, I use Figma, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.

My must-use gadgets are my MacBook, Phone, and headphones. Also, my Power Bank and Ring Light; for meetings.

How did the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

It made me conscious that I would not be seeing a lot of people and need to work with them more effectively so I had to listen with deep intent when we have meetings. It also meant that I had to be more time-conscious.

Interestingly, around that time I was already phasing into working from home so not a lot of things changed for me in a sense. But I couldn't just visit someone's office to have a conversation with them about projects. I had to take a lot of virtual meetings and calls.

Not being able to see my team members physically took its own toll too, as we were used to an agency setting where we were all in the same place working. We had to transition to having very long calls at the beginning of the pandemic and try to simulate the physical office experience by meeting physically once in a while.

I was also expecting my first child at the time so it was stressful. I decided to keep working because I didn't want to be docile. I had to find a way to keep my mind working.

I still made magic during that period.

How do you handle creative blocks and pushback as a creative?

For creative blocks, I don't stop working. Pablo Picasso said something about good artists waiting for inspiration while great artists keep working, and then inspiration catches up with them. This doesn't mean that one can't be stressed, it just means that when you're stressed you can pause but you never really stop working.

It’s not sustainable to work long hours on a thing without breaks and pauses. If there's a time crunch, I let the client know ahead that we may need an extension. I allow the team to take this time to brood on the project while creating an environment for sprint sessions outside of the typical serious environment. Could be a beach session or something.

As for pushbacks, they should be expected. Not because we didn't have points of agreement earlier, but because there's always room for improvement where there's partnership. Improvements will only happen when we challenge the status quo. Pushbacks can be due to personal bias or internal misalignment from the clients' end. So understanding where it's coming from and listening to what they are really saying helps deal with the situation. It is a game of negotiations with the purpose to make good progress.

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

I don't enjoy ‘overplanning’ - planning the tiny details- but I have to do it to be successful at what I do. Most of the time, when a project I am working on is failing, all I need to do is go back to the planning boards.

I also don't enjoy confrontations. But for growth and team progress, I have to do this once in a blue moon, when diplomacy doesn't fix the issue.

Brand design for Pennee

What are some of the most exciting projects you have worked on?

Every next project is exciting for me.

My book project on colours. I had fun writing, designing, and illustrating the entire thing!

Art direction for my husband's album cover art and launch campaign.

The work we did at FourthCanvas for foodlama and Pennee

The painting I did at a private listening party.

I'm having some fun collaborating with the Innovation Team at the Nigerian Breweries on a new product yet to hit the market.

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How do you stay creative and motivated to keep creating?

I expose myself to things beyond design. I have a hallowed appreciation for beauty and systems that work! I watch food or music-related shows, explore making music with my husband, and enjoy quality time with my family.

I’m learning to take better care of myself; I’m learning to be more aware of what fuels my highs and depletes my energy. Motivation to keep creating is a tad easy, with the kind of people and things I'm surrounded with.

How do you relax and have fun?

I watch movies with my husband and play with my kids. Sometimes, I have deep and lighthearted conversations with my husband or friends. I enjoy listening to and making music. Another thing I enjoy is cooking and trying out new "safe" things.

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

In Nigeria, Victor Fatanmi, Tunji Ogunoye and the 4C Team, Bolanle Banwo, Debbie Bashorun, Shutabug, Peace Itimi, Okunade Goodman, and Taiwo Adeyemi.

On a global level; Neri Oxman, Karen Haller, Mariner Willer and Paula Scher.
The host of 'em.

Who is that one creative you would love to work with or collaborate with?

Ibe Ananaba.

What brand would you love to work with?

Oraimo; to collaborate with them to paint some of their headphones.

What would you be doing if you were not a designer?

I would be painting, hosting conversations, or collecting antique pieces or art and sculptures.

What advice do you have for someone who is at the early stage of their creative journey?

Focus on your journey because we sometimes look up to people to figure out the inner workings of our journeys. You're bound to find out that there's no template. You can learn from someone's journey, but you are creating your own story so follow through and stay true to your path.

There are going to be distractions and you may even make mistakes but that's part of life and the journey. Build on the most important thing beyond the skills. Things like tenacity and most importantly, being a good human.

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

I’d love to look back and see the heavy global footprint of my mentees and the people I have inspired. On a personal level, I’d love to have collaborated with industry leaders in different sectors to drive change in the reception of great design and brands.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Debbie Bashorun, Uche Ugo, Tunji Ogunoye, and Taiwo Adeyemi.

Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?

Check out my recently released book on colour. Visit the website to get a copy.

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Connect with Mary on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to like and share the interview.

See you next time!!!

Viola Dodoo: On discovering her love for painting, returning to school to pursue a degree in graphic design, documenting food spots in Accra, and doing what she loves — #017

Tunmise Afape — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 13:03:34 GMT

Hi, thank you for joining us for another edition of our interview with African Creatives. In this edition, I spoke with Viola Dodoo, a self-taught Visual Artist, Illustrator and Muralist from Ghana. After graduating from Law school in 2021, she’s back in school studying Graphic Design after discovering her love and passion for Art while she was in Law school.

If you are interested to know how she discovered her love for art and what drives her, the challenges she faces and how she navigates them, her favourite projects, the people that inspire her, and the people and brands she would love to work with, you should continue reading. You will definitely love and enjoy reading this!

Viola Dodoo

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Viola Dodoo. I’m a Ghanaian self-taught Visual Artist, Illustrator and Muralist. I started painting and taking commissions for my work in 2020, during the pandemic. I was really just learning on the job and feel like I still am.

A year into painting, I realised I wanted to be a full-time artist. I was in Law school at the time but I had no interest in law. As interesting as studying law was, I never truly felt like I belonged in the legal world. I started Law school in 2017 and graduated in 2021 but I am back in school studying Graphic Design at Radford University.

Looking back, I have always been creative. In high school, I learnt to play the clarinet and even taught clarinet lessons for some time. I also used to doodle in high school. People loved my doodles and I soon started doodling on other people’s high school letters to other schools for a small fee.

Interesting!!! How did you get started? What led you to pursue a career in art?

During the pandemic, a friend of mine came over with acrylic paint and some canvases so we could paint for fun. I quickly realised how good I was at painting and how much I enjoyed it. I started posting my work on social media and it took off from there.

People started to express interest in buying my work. I was pleasantly surprised by the support I got from social media once I started posting my work. Looking back at the pieces now, they were not that good (in my opinion) considering I had just started painting.

Afterwards, I developed a great interest in exploring and using different mediums to create my art. Now, aside from painting on canvas, I paint digitally and on walls. I also paint on paper with acrylic and watercolour. I have painted on clothes in the past as well. I like to think that I can paint on almost any medium. I also dabble in creative and experimental makeup. I have done face painting at quite a few events and I intend to add tattooing to my portfolio.

What has the journey been like? How would you describe your experience and journey so far?

It has been a great experience for me and I’m grateful I get to do what I love. I have experienced great opportunities that align with my work and most of my clients give me creative freedom. Every career comes with its setbacks but navigating them has helped me grow into the person I am now.

My journey as an artist and a creative has been a surreal experience for me especially because about five years ago, I would never have imagined that I would start my journey into becoming a full-time artist. It’s truly a path that I feel was made for me. I fit into the creative world as seamlessly as the last jigsaw piece fits into a puzzle.

How would you describe what you do to a 5-year-old?

I see something in my mind and I try to paint it as best as I can.

What is your day-to-day routine? What does a typical day look like for you?

I’m pursuing a degree in Graphic Design at Radford University currently so most of the days of the week, I’m in classes. I juggle my school and work, which can be difficult. I can’t say I have a consistent schedule for my art but I paint whenever I can and/or find inspiration to.

A ‘typical art day’ for me starts when I wake up, usually around 9 am (on days I don’t have classes). I paint in my room so I lay out my supplies, pick a painting to work on and then I get to work. I would paint till about 3 pm, with short breaks in between.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? What is the most satisfying thing about what you do?

The art process itself can be discouraging when what I have in my head doesn’t manifest on my canvas but I enjoy the end results. A lot of my work has strayed from its original vision and I have ended up loving it all the same. I also enjoy other people’s reactions and/or interpretations of my work.

What is the best career investment you have made as a creative?

Investing my time in showing my work on social media has been instrumental to my progress as a growing artist. 80% of my clientele come across my work on social media.

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What are the challenges you face as a creative?

One of them is funding. It is capital-intensive to be a (traditional) artist.

Another one is not having my own iPad at the moment.

Working from my room is also challenging, considering the fact that I am easily distracted and I barely have space to store my numerous art supplies.

Pricing my work has also been a big challenge for me and in the past, I have ended up undercharging what my work is worth. However, I have grown a lot from that and I understand my worth a lot better now.

Acrylic on canvas by Viola

Although social media is my main resource, having to package my art as content is something I'm not really great at. I prefer to just post my art and maybe photos of my progress and just move on but social media requires a high level of consistency in posting. A platform like Instagram requires you to post things like reels to make your content more appealing and engaging to your audience and also to reach more people. But I don’t post consistently. I only post whenever I have a new work to showcase or I need to inform my audience of something. I feel like I'd excel more if I was a great content creator.

How do you navigate these challenges?

As for funding, I buy my art supplies in bits whenever I can afford them, instead of waiting to buy them in bulk.

To navigate the lack of an iPad at the moment, I am fortunate to have friends who allow me to use their iPads when I have to work on digital art commissions.

For space, I am content working from my room at the moment till I can facilitate a workspace to work from.

To deal with pricing, I am in quite a few artist groups and spaces containing artists from around the world who I go to for insight when I need advice on pricing my work. Different artists price their work differently so it’s still left to me to decide the final prices anyway, but it helps to have a guide.

When it comes to posting art consistently, I try to post whenever I can and try not to put pressure on myself to perform for an audience. I tend to burn out easily so I prefer to prioritise my sanity over posting consistently.

What is your creative process and workflow?

I love to play music when I'm working and the music I pick depends on my mood and/or what I’m working on. I would describe my creative process as chaotic which may sound counterintuitive but I thrive in chaos. I’m sometimes fueled by the uncertainty of where a piece is going. It makes me feel like there’s a surprise at the end of my process.

I usually have a concept, or maybe even a phrase that inspires a painting. Then I have to figure out how to execute it. Most times, I figure it out up to a point and then I wing it as I go. Other times, I have a clear vision for my piece but it ends up going in a different direction. A lot of my favourite work was born out of last-minute ideas and additions.

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What do you enjoy most about your process?

I enjoy seeing my visions come to life.

What are the essential gadgets, tools, and software you use for work daily?

For my traditional work, I use acrylic paint on canvas. I am also skilled in watercolour and markers, however, those do not feature very much in my daily work.

For my digital work, I use Procreate on an iPad.

How did the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown impact you and the work you do as a creative?

I started painting during the pandemic which was initially fueled by boredom until it became my whole life.

Also, the pandemic made people very active on social media, so I had engagement and commissions coming in much more than they do now.

How do you handle rejections and creative blocks as a creative?

I see rejection as something everyone would experience so I just acknowledge it, feel my feelings and move on.

For me, creative blocks are harder to work through because it’s hard to force your brain to cooperate when you feel uninspired or burnt out. I try to do more art for fun as opposed to work. I look for prompts or just draw anything around me to kickstart my mind and get the inspiration flowing. Sometimes I just try to relax and do things unrelated to art for a little bit and then I come back to my work with fresh eyes.

Acrylic on canvas and art supplies

What is the task you don't enjoy doing but you have to do?

It’s hard for me to do pieces that I have no creative freedom in because then, it feels less like me and I like my paintings to reflect me and everything I stand for.

Commissions can be stressful as well so I prefer doing original work.

The business side of art - marketing, contracts, invoices, presentations, and so on - is something I don't enjoy doing but I absolutely have to. I do art because I have a huge passion for it but in the end, it is also my career and my whole life, so I have to do them.

What are the projects and pieces of work you are most proud of?

I have done quite a few exhibitions in the 3 years I’ve been painting which I feel is a good accomplishment for a self-taught artist. I also started doing original paintings a year ago (I used to do only custom paintings) and they’re like my babies. I love and enjoy my original work and I refuse to sell some of it.

Some brands I have worked with include Dove, House of Akomah, the Gold Coast Report, the MadWoman Agency, the Gyandu Place, Untamed Empire and ID Rcrds. These are all Ghanaian brands.

I was commissioned to make 5 paintings about motherhood for Dove’s Mother’s Day exhibition early last year. It was a group exhibition with a few other amazing Ghanaian female traditional artists.

I collaborated with House of Akomah, a budding handmade bag business to hand paint bags for their Valentine’s Day collection this year.

I was commissioned to paint murals at The Gold Coast Report Office, a podcast and media company in Osu, Accra; and at ID Rcrds, a recording studio in Tesano, Accra. Both this year.

I also exhibited my paintings at group exhibitions at the Gyandu Place, at a MadWoman Agency event and at Untamed Empire; all in Accra between late last year and the beginning of this year.

My art is also on display and for sale at Art Haus in Osu.

I'm proud of each of these projects individually. Also, I have an exhibition I’m currently working towards in October.

Acrylic on canvas by Viola

How do you stay creative?

I look for inspiration everywhere. I look at a face and I study its contours and how the lights and shadows hit the face. I try to sketch and paint whenever I can. I like to think that creativity runs through my veins because anything is a potential inspiration. Creativity resides within me.

What keeps you motivated to keep creating?

Creating art genuinely makes me happy and it’s one of the things I excel at. Creating art comes relatively easy to me and I like the experience.

Looking at my previous work inspires me to look forward to the next because I usually cannot predict what’s coming.

Viola

What do you do for fun? How do you relax when you are not working?

I love solo dates and dates in general. I have an Instagram account (@violaeats) dedicated to my interest in documenting food spots I visit in Accra.

I like to sit by the beach or lounge by a pool. I also like activity dates like paintballing, bowling, and the like. I like to bar-hop on occasion.

Who are the creatives that inspire you?

I follow a lot of amazing creatives on social media that inspire my work in one way or the other. I’m inspired by Pypah Santos, Hashim, Araba Opoku, Uzo Art, Yinkore among other amazing artists.

I love Pypah Santos’ Art style. Her YouTube channel and social media platforms helped me learn how to use the Procreate app.

Hashim is a friend of mine who just happens to be extremely talented. He’s a digital artist whose work I really love because of his distinct art style and his use of colour.

Araba makes really cool abstract art that speaks to real-world and environmental issues and her previous exhibitions have been inspiring.

I love Uzo’s work because of her use of colour and how she’s able to make her art into bags, clothes, and even wallpaper. Her wearable art pieces are just must-haves.

Yinkore is also a friend of mine whose work I have really come to love. Her depiction of women really speaks to me and the way she merges abstract digital art, painting and sometimes even photography to create her work is nothing short of an inspiration.

Collage of Viola and her artwork

Who would you love to work with or collaborate with?

I would love to collaborate with the Female Painter. She’s an amazing Ghanaian muralist. I love how colourful and impactful her work is and her work ethic is commendable.

Check out: How To Build Meaningful Relationships As A Creative

What brand(s) would you love to work with?

I’d love to work with fashion brands as a fashion illustrator. It is a side of my art I'd like to explore more of.

I’d also love to collaborate with tattoo artists on tattoo designs and even maybe, be an apprentice to a tattoo artist in the future.

What would you be doing if you were not an artist?

I genuinely cannot see my life beyond art. Everything I’m interested in revolves around art in some way.

Gun to my head? I’d be a lawyer.

Viola

What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out or is at the early stage of their creative journey?

Don’t be scared to post your art on social media at any stage. Even if you just started and you think your work isn’t where you want it to be yet? Share it. You don't have to be a pro right away. The journey of an artist is just learning nonstop. You can evolve a thousand times. Embrace it.

Also, draw a lot if you can. Draw anything and everything. The more you practise, the easier it becomes.

Make sure you’re doing what feels like you and what makes you happy as well. Your audience will find you.

What would you consider success and fulfilment in your career when you look back in the next 20 years?

When I'm paying my bills, travelling and just living my best life out of money I make from my art.

When I feel like I’ve reached the point where you can spot a ‘Viola Original’ from a mile away.

When I feel like my art fully represents me and everything I stand for.

Whose story would you love to read about?

Hashim.

Do you have anything you would like to plug in or promote?

My art, of course. You can find more of my work on Instagram. Also, check out my New Comma profile as well.

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Connect with Viola on Instagram and Twitter. You should also check out her New Comma Profile.

Thank you for reading. To support us, please like and share this interview.

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See you next time!!!

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