3 CREATORS TELL US A BIT ABOUT THEMSELVES

For the latest 'In My Element' , we met up with 3 creators to get to know them better. Featuring BSO, BAN JIGGY and DANIEL AKANG

BSO

'Art is life' by Bolu Sowoolu

NV: What's your name?

BSO: I am Boluwatife Oluwafumbi Sowoolu ✌🏾

NV: Any Nickname(s)?

BSO: Everyone can call me BSO! For social media, I decided to normalize the abbreviation of my name because my first name is pretty common. It started as ‘biesoh’ years back when that was my go-to nametag on PC gaming platforms. That has since been replaced with my new tag ‘borudesu’, which my close friends call me sometimes. 🙂

NV: What is the hardest part about starting from scratch (when designing/illustrating/making art)?

BSO: I’ve faced lots of challenges beginning a new piece of art. Between generating ideas that aren’t repetitions of my previous ones and finding inspiration generally, I’d say the most difficult part is managing the doubt that comes with the initial process. Having ideas can be simple, however drafting a plan to execute these concepts as I imagined them is the hard part. I ask ‘how can I balance details and simplicity?’ or ‘will my viewers see the final piece as I do?’. So I guess it’s just a bit scary when I’m not a hundred percent sure if I can keep the flow going after starting, or how it will turn out in the end.

NV: Your favorite tool for designing /illustrating?

BSO: Definitely my iPad. I've been using it since 2018 and it's never left my side. A good chunk of my work is made with my iPad. It’s portable, works like a computer and has a lot of useful creative applications I use for my work- be it drawing, painting, sculpting or even photo and video edits. My favourite applications are Procreate and Adobe Fresco for my illustrations, and Nomad Sculpt when I’m exploring the 3D world.

NV: What/who inspires you?

BSO: I draw inspiration from various sources, including people and things. Gaming, animation, other artists, my emotions and my environment are all sources of inspiration for my creativity. First, video games and animation for their immersive worlds, characters and the storytelling. With my emotions, I like to express how I feel within my pieces. The world around me also influences my art in numerous ways. For instance, social media trends and pop culture tend to inspire the creation of pieces my audience can easily resonate with.

NV: Who’s your favorite artist/designer of all time?

BSO: It’s always been so hard to pick, but two artists I’ve always obsessed over are Ten Hundred and Zeke’s Lunchbox.

Ten Hun is a USA-based multidisciplinary artist and a brand in his own right. His work varies from digital illustrations and acrylic paintings to murals and merch. What truly captivates me about him is his innovative approach to his merchandise, where he delves into unique items like playing cards, puzzles, and toys. I aspire to follow a similar path, exploring various mediums and creating a unique artistic brand.

Zeke’s Lunchbox aka Julia, is from Australia. She holds a special place in my heart for her vibrantly surreal paintings. I first discovered her when she embarked on the ambitious project of creating a tarot deck series using acrylics. Julia’s approach to her art encourages me to embrace my wild imagination whenever I want to add elements of the bizarre in my pieces.

NV: Artists / designers you’re currently feeling?

BSO: I’m feeling a diverse range of artists right now but two who really stand out to me are Bumblebee (@bumbletheb33) and Tife (@7ifetheillustrator). Bumblebee’s use of vibrant colours and unique lighting techniques create immersive worlds. She consistently pushes artistic boundaries, encouraging me to experiment with depth and atmosphere in my own work. Tife's distinctive painterly style and versatility in logotypes, branding, and merch design inspires me to learn more about these subjects.

NV: Do you ever doubt yourself?

BSO: Strong yes for this. Doubt is part of the process. It comes with the package of being creative. As an artist, I often find myself questioning whether my ideas are good enough, if I can execute said ideas, or if anyone out there will actually like my work.

NV: (Re: previous question) if you do, how do you go about eventually trusting your creative spirit and continue to make your work despite the doubt?

BSO: I like to remind myself that doubt is absolutely normal and everyone experiences it. I also seek support from my close friends and fellow artists. They offer valuable feedback and encouragement, eventually helping me overcome that feeling of doubt. I’ve learned to embrace “failure” as a part of the process. I wouldn’t grow as an artist otherwise.

NV: What’s the best part about your process?

BSO: The best part of my process begins at that magical phase when my artwork starts to come to life, particularly during the detailing stage. I feel profound joy in watching my work gain depth and dimension as I add highlights and shadows. Everything between this detailing stage and the moment when I share my creations with my fellow art enthusiasts and audience is my favourite part of my process. It's in this in-between space that I feel a great sense of satisfaction and fulfilment.

NV: Dream collaboration?

BSO: I dream of working with artists like Rihanna and Melanie Martinez. They’ve been huge sources of inspiration for me. I adore Rihanna’s multifaceted talent, from her music to her fashion and beauty. With her iconic sense of style and empowerment, we could create some really special artwork for any of her lines that will resonate with a global audience. Meanwhile, Melanie’s whimsical and surreal aesthetics have always been so appealing to me. I think collaborating with her would allow us to explore dark, yet playful aspects of both our imaginations. With her, I imagine creating emotional pieces that tell amazing stories. Could be for her music, or something just as amazing.

NV: What’s the most important work of art you’ve ever come across?

BSO: I'd have to say that some of the most important works of art I've ever come across are the surreal creations of Salvador Dali and Edvard Munch. I was first introduced to surrealism through cartoons when I was a kid, and those early encounters left a lasting impression on me. The references to Dali’s iconic melting clocks from his piece, ‘The Persistence of Memory’ and Edvard Munch's 'The Scream,' became etched in my mind as I grew up. These pieces have greatly influenced my perspective as an artist and continue to inspire my creative journey.

BAN JIGGY

'Michel Pieta Virgin' by Daniel Banjoko

NV: What's your name?

JIGGY: Daniel Ayodele Banjoko

NV: Any Nickname(s)?

JIGGY: Jiggy/Banjiggy

NV: What is the hardest part about starting from scratch (when designing/illustrating)?

JIGGY: For me it’s getting an idea and sticking with it. I’ve always wanted to make step by step tutorials or time lapses of my work but I go through so many ideas when creating that it wouldn’t even look cohesive.

NV: Your favorite tool for designing /illustrating?

JIGGY: Photoshop is a beautiful program and you can virtually do anything with it. There’s almost no restrictions with the tools and they are relatively easy to use and understand plus there’s plenty of resources out there to work with it.

NV: What/who inspires you?

JIGGY: I get my inspiration from a lot of places; movies, anime, music, sports and books. So more or less the things I consume on a daily basis influence my work. I could be listening to an album from a particular artist and decide to do an artwork inspired by it. The who is a bit more personal 😅

NV: Who’s your favorite artist/designer of all time?

JIGGY: I’m not sure I have an all time fave but I have a few like CJ Hendry, Salvador Dali & M.C Escher.

NV: Artists / designers you’re currently feeling?

JIGGY: @manuch1m on instagram. I came across his page a few months ago and I’d urge anyone who’s into design to look him up he’s currently doing a design challenge where he posts every day of the year and he’s been doing some impressive work.

NV: Do you ever doubt yourself?

JIGGY: A lot more than people would think. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve almost not put up some of my work cause I thought it didn’t look good enough. I have some days where I do feel like the sh*t though but I mean who doesn’t right?

NV: What’s the best part about your process?

JIGGY: The evolution of it cause like I said earlier I start with an idea and could end up with something completely different. Most times I’m not even sure of the end product and just keep working until I see something that’s definitively good.

NV: Dream collaboration?

JIGGY: I think anyone who knows me would know how much I admire Tyler the Creator as an artiste and a designer. If I ever get to work with him in any way, shape or form it would be a dream come true.

NV: What’s the most important work of art you’ve ever come across?

JIGGY: I’ve always been fascinated by Dalis' “The Persistence of Memory” , the surrealism and dream like state are so mind bending. I really hope to make something as good as that one day.

DANIEL AKANG

NV: What's your name?

AKANG: Daniel Akang

NV: What is the hardest part about starting from scratch (when designing/illustrating)?

AKANG: designing is the easy part. getting the idea tho…

NV: Your favorite tool for designing /illustrating?

AKANG: Photoshop all day everyday.

NV: What/who inspires you?

AKANG: I’d say music. I started my career designing cover art (s/o oma, mahmud and wavythecreator).

NV: Who’s your favorite artist/designer of all time?

AKANG: Yves Klein.

NV: Artists / designers you’re currently feeling?

AKANG: the list is long but off the top of my head - emekacka, artbyosima, fallofmichael, sdq, goodphill, z4, kinguranta, bidemi… I could go on for a while ngl.

NV: Do you ever doubt yourself?

AKANG: there’s ups and downs always.

NV: (Re: previous question) if you do, how do you go about eventually trusting your creative spirit and continuing to make your work despite the doubt?

AKANG: talking always helps. people always need some sort of reassurance from time to time and I have people I talk to whenever I’m in that type of headspace (s/o rylie).

NV: What’s the best part about your process?

AKANG: I don’t really have a process tbh i just fuck around until something sticks.