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| Mona (by Aiko) |
#GODisgreat! My Biggest Childhood Dream was not to become a Cartoonist (I wanted to be a Zone 14 Footballer like Romario in 1992 or Medical Doctor like many of my Primary School Friends or Trucker so that I could go wherever and meet whoever, then gave up on my Football Dreams in 1996 because of academic Canes and played for Fun especially in Midfield like Arsenal's Wildman at Highbury Patrick Vieira from 1998), but when you possess Vision and Technique, there is no Reason to bury your GOD-given Art Talents, no matter how hard the Journey: I dribble with Ballpoint Pens such as BiC and Nice instead in a Sport called Penball. I've been drawing since I was 5 years old (in 1989) - my Oldest Art Memory is drawing a Car with an Aerial during Nursery; Mrs. Achere showed us how to draw Stick-humans and Stick-animals in Primary 1 - the Basics needed to draw Stickfigures like Annie Valloton (1960s Illustrator of the Good News Bible) or Toby Bridson; by P3 I was adding Flesh to my Figures as I copied Comics; taught myself Newspaper and Paperback Novel Fonts in 1994 (Spire Road, Jinja) plus Calligraphy in 1997 (Kyebando) after my Mother beat me for "Poor Handwriting" in the early 90s; discovered how Newspapers are made in a Textbook borrowed from Dorothy Amuron (1996); started drawing with tiresome but mental-slavery-emancipation Focus using Ballpoint Pens only (No initial Pencil Sketches) in Y2K at SMACK, chalked UEFA Euro 2000 Match Reports on a Side Blackboard in my Stream and illustrated Highlights using Stickfigures; dropped out of the Fine Art Class in Senior 5 at Macos (2001) because of deteriorating Grades that dropped by exactly 7 percent every Year from an Average of 83 percent in Senior 1 (I must have operated at 90 percent in Primary 7 though Art had last been examined in P6 where the Class-teacher Agnes Kibone thought I wrote "like a Computer") and was blocked from joining the Technical Drawing (TD) Class leaving me teary-eyed: Teacher told me I cannot start climbing a Tree from the Stem. Dejected because I loved Art with all my Heart, I stubbornly started writing the Name "GOD" in All Caps and taught myself how to draw Cartoons by studying Comics privately; renamed my Art Label as "AikoGraphics" in 2003 after Atelier (French for "Studio") in 2001 and Imitari (Italian for "Portrait") in 2002; got some Gigs on Campus from various Scholars, published my first Letters in Sunday Vision Newspaper during 2005 thanks to my debonair Lecturer Stephen Apedel who I told about my Cartooning Plan when hilarious Mass Communication Dean of Faculty Ben Bella Ilakut recommended me for 2nd Year Newswriting Internship to Vision Group (though I was not hired), secretly created a brand new Editorial Cartoon Portfolio instead which I used successfully for a Job Application two Years later like "No Excuses!", painstakingly drew my first Storyboard within two Weeks at St. Michael Royale Hostel in Bugujju for Daniel Kyazze - a commuting Campus Classmate's Film entitled "Corroborate 2"; graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communication (Specialising in Print Journalism) at Uganda Christian University in 2006; was hired for my first Editorial Cartooning Job at UCU Mukono and Theatrical Backdrop Set Design for KADS at Uganda National Theatre (My first 1 Million UgX Oil Painting courtesy of Jennifer Hengstenberg) plus redesigned the Uganda Clearing Industry & Forwarders Association Logo for my Uncle Jad Johnsons Tabule (UCIFA Secretary General) in 2007; started blogging in 2008 inspired by Sharpe Cole Nimusiima - one of my Favourite Campus Fellows after he invited me to check out his Blog, my improvised handwritten Calligraphy (There's nothing like free lunch!) featured in The Casual (2008 Maisha Filmlab short film) which I also drew a Storyboard for and production managed; applied to draw Cartoons for NTV's Minibuzz Show but failed and instead congratulated the Guy who got the Nod; worked at New Vision for one Month (26th December 2010 - 16th January 2011) a 2005-Wish-come-true, thanks to my 1st Standard Newspaper Supervisor Wanyama Wangah's Recommendation (He used to call me Lapiz [Translated from Spanish: Pencil] like Pablo Picasso and told me to use "less Words" in my Toons); created Illustrations for WWF in Kasese and Bundibugyo plus drew my first Ugandanised multi-page Comic Adaptation for HEPS (Health Promotion and Social Development) Uganda about "Generic Drugs" in 2012; then left KLA City in December 2013 to chase my personal "AruaCartoons" Goals. Through GOD's Providence, I created Book lIlustrations for an old Boss named Monex (2015); painted my Hugest Mural in Arua for Emmyways (by 2017); was called back to draw Editorial Cartoons for UCU after a four Year Hiatus plus drew the superhigh Logo for Lugbara Translate (2019); was surprisingly mentioned on a Facebook List at the Beginning of September 2020 by a very stylish Old Girl from UCU named Rachael Nakanwagi Nsamba in Seeta (Mukono) as one of the Best Cartoonists she knew plus received a special Artmedia Bag from my Big Brother (Victor Draman Afayo who sometimes finds Gigs for me), then got a very unreal Epiphany a few Weeks later to draw Cartoon Portraits using multiple Old School Skills and New School Tools (through a Process I refer to as Tra-digital Inktooning). Despite wanting to give up drawing as a Profession, I was emboldened when the cute and super-calm Emily (Ampaire) told me that there is "no Reason to stop"; Face Art is not easy especially when you lack Inspiration, but skilful Tricks, Superfocus, Practice, Perseverance plus Money, Money, Money give you the Hope, Determination, Morale and Interest (HDMI) to keep on drawing even when mentally burnt out. Caricature or Editorial Cartooning for Newspapers was my Escape Route. Talent, Intelligence, Motivation, Endurance (TIME) is Money; Recognition, Clout or Fame is not the only Target for drawing. This is a Life of Sweat, Ink and Cheers: you turn the Pain of low Sales (no Pay for Months, no NSSF Pension, no paid Sick Leave, no Holiday Package, no Royalties) into improved Pain-tings like the new Sunrise every Morning. Convert the Hurt of slow Progress into more skilful Art and an Inventory, Artwork Archive or Portfolio for getting other rewarding Gigs! When a Ball falls down, either it goes underground like in Golf or up like a Football and Basketball. Motivation is parallel to Fuel for a Stove; you have to work like an Energy Saver that needs little Input, otherwise you run out of Gas, Kerosene or Charcoal. When Charcoal burns to Ash, the only Way to reuse it is turning it into Brickets; which means reusing Motivation from the Past and mashing it up with shredded Papers plus Anthill Soil to give it Longevity. Feeling reborn like Leonardo da Vinci thanks to an Assignment from Mona (aka Maureen Nankya) - Director of Top Television's The Office (TV Series) who I first met at the 4th Maisha Filmmakers Lab, I coined the Portmanteau "Ugatoons" from Ugandan Cartoons meaning Cartoon Art, Logos, Illustrations (Paperprint or Webtoon Advertisements), CGI, Line Pictures, Video Games, Infographics, Pencil Art, Charcoal Sketches, Murals, Graffiti, Acrylic Paintings, Ink Drawings, Graphic Novels, Comics and Animations (both Film and TV Commercials) made in the Pearl of Africa. Japanese Comics are called Manga (My first Campus Roommate - Kenyan Sidney Bwire taught me that), Filipinos call their own Genre Pinoy while Manhua is the Chinese Word for "Cartoon" though Chinese Anime which keeps expanding as an Industry is also referred to as Donghua. But how about my own Country that has over 61 different Tribes? Ugatoons is an Art Movement of Renewal; Maize ripens for People without Teeth too. At the Y-Corner, you either go left or go right...
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| Joseph (by Aiko) |
Decades pass, but Talent remains...
GOD's Destiny is unavoidable...
Never forget the Genesis, because it gets you to the Revelation...
One by one makes a Kyebando...
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| Onion Skin Mojo... |
Epiphany will locate you even if you are 600 Kilometres away...
Reproducing exact Faces is not easy...
Pray to the Face Creator before you copy HIS Art...
From KLA to Arua with Zest...
Lugbara Art has Spice and Swagger, just like the Language...
SWAGA [She Wore A Green Attire]...
Artists treasure Motivation...
Manifest your own Destiny...
Lugbara Translate...
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| Lindsay (2020 Freehand Ink Portrait that changed my Views about using Layers in Computer Colouring)... |
Birds fly, Crickets chirp, Poets rhyme, but Cartoonists draw...
Focus is very very very important...
Pencil first, Ink next and Computer last...
Covid-19 cannot lock-down Art...
To be a Belter, you must be different from the rest...
Follow your Goals...
You are the Chief of your Ship, no Pirates...
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| Ma onyere [Translated from Lugbara: My sister-in-law] (by Aiko) |
Art is about refining old Sketches...
There are two Sides to every Portrait: Lines and Colours...
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| Jhosa (by Aiko) |
Colour Mixing is Fun...
Arua Ink...
From the Philippines to United Arab Emirates and beyond, Art thrills...
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| Moses (by Aiko) |
Work diligently...
Cross the Line of Impossibility...
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| Lillydove (by Aiko) |
Art has no Time Limit...
It's all about Pen and Paper...
Beauty is undeniable...
Who do you tell when you love someone?
Talent on Cloud 10 or 14 or past 20 like 27...
Art is like Love with three Layers of Colours...
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| Emily (by Aiko) |
No Reason to stop...
Art is cute...
You keep the Art you give...
Just draw it...
Artfriend...
Draw at Sunrise while feeling refreshed...
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| Humura (by Aiko) |
Old Campus Friends remind you to keep drawing...
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| Ugandan Actress (by Aiko) |
When you draw strikingly beautiful Women, you beautify your Portfolio...
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| Khloe (by Aiko) |
Beauty is Peace...
Secure your Future...
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| Tumusiime Family - Threshold before flatting (Chris + Tumi, First Daughter Cae & Chara)... |
Like Love, Art never ends...
Talent is as infectious as a Virus...
Do what you are passionate about...
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| Brown and Grey |
United Gombololas (UG) is the Funniest Country on Earth...
Humour is the Best Antibiotic...
Laughter heals...
There is Art in every Subcounty, from Tara (and Ajira) to Arua Hill to Kawempe Division...
Giggle...
What's the Behaviour upheld in Jinja? People who wear Glasses must not throw Stones...
Why did the Omusheshe cross the Road? She was going to visit her Double at the Milk Parlour...
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| Remah Kulabako aka Mama Kinene (by Aiko) |
Cartooning is efficient if someone can recognise the Face drawn without you mentioning it first...
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| Ugandan Actor (by Aiko) |
Thin Lines look great...
Freedom to make Art that never expires...
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| Belgian Professor (by Aiko) |
Art is cross-cultural and without Borders...
Democratic Republic of Cartoons...
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| Prynce (by Aiko) |
Black is valuable...
Arua Boys forever...
At the Heart of Africa...
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| Omusheshe (by Aiko) |
Tech is smart...
Like Milk, Art is a very balanced and wholesome Field, the Science of Beauty...
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| Chris (by Aiko) |
Every Art Gig teaches me something I wanted to learn...
From Ukraine to America to West Nile, multiply your Skills and Energy...
I'm in M-Mode...
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| Namesake aka Jhene (by Aiko, 090121) |
Love is the Greatest Thing on Earth...
Visual Art is Music for your Eyes...
Happy-iness over everything...
Art Jam...
Where am from, we live and die for the Art...
Be the Best Version of yourself...
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| (Freehand) Self Portrait before the Batvirus Pandemic... |
You have to believe in GOD, the Alpha and Omega! Either you go left, or go right (at the Y-Corner) like Lionel Messi!
Pencils, Rubbers and Ballpoint Pens...
If you want Cartoon Portraits drawn for yourself or someone else, then just contact Mr. Aiko (Cartoonist)!
Telegram: t.me/aikographics...
100 percent Arsenal...
Welcome to my Ugatoons Box!
Arua Brickets
For clean-tech, environmentally-friendly, smokeless, sootless, non-volatile, heat-retaining, combustion-efficient, cost-effective, charcoal-supplementing, volcanic lava rock-replacing, wastepaper-recycling, anthill-utilising, sparkless, longburning, fan-able, well-compressed, economical, reliable, longlasting, reuseable Fuel, try Papersoil Arua Brickets! To learn how to make them, you can call, SMS or Telegram +256-781-345712 (MTN) or +256-751-650276 (Airtel)! Some can be cylindrical in shape, brown-grey in colour because of a Paper Pulp + Anthill Soil Mashup plus measure 4 cm in diameter and 6 in length as you choose. ABs are good for cooking, camping, baking and heating Leftovers. Although a Firestarter Fuel is required for Ignition, Arua Brickets remain hot after the firestarting Fuel burns out...
