Spotlight: How Digital Artist/Illustrator Feoisugly Went From Paying His Dues to Getting Paid His Dues

Spotlight: How Digital Artist/Illustrator Feoisugly Went From Paying His Dues to Getting Paid His Dues

 
‘Time and communication, those are the major keys. It sounds obvious but if you slip up on those fronts, everything else crumbles’.

For most illustrators or digital artists, comic strips are usually the fire that sparks their interest- their minds become the gun powder. But, for Prince Ampofo Bonsu, known as FeoIsUgly, his interest was sparked by watching cartoons as a kid. ‘’I was already a big fan of cartoons growing up. My mom recalls how I used to be glued to the TV whenever GTV had shows from The Cartoon Network on’’.
He turned to the reading of German comics late, courtesy his grandfather and uncle after discovering his drawing talent. ‘I got exposed to some German comics from my grandpa and uncle a little later. But I had started making some myself. So I was introduced to comics way later’’
The son of a procurement officer at KNUST and an entrepreneurial mother and pastor, FeoIsUgly knew what he wanted to pursue as a career at a young age. His parents, especially his dad, however, weren’t enthused by his choice. There was, however, one sure bet to unlock this situation. He had to keep his grades up. ‘’My dad was concerned that it may affect my grades, and the closer I got to B.E.C.E the more intense it was. But I managed to pass well to get into my first choice so he just let me be’’, he indicates.
Whereas his dad had apprehensions about his career choice, his mother has always been extremely supportive. ‘My mom has always been supportive though, but she made sure I was balanced’’. That consciousness for balance between academics and life has served him well. As he indicates, his interest in comic illustrations affected his academics resulting his becoming ‘a shadow of myself…but I think it’s alright at this point as long as I’m putting in effort where it matters’.
Now in his third year at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) studying Communication Design, FeoIsUgly, was born and raised in Amakom in Kumasi. The first of three kids, he studied visual arts in Kumasi Anglican High School (KAHS), where his Junior High School teacher, who introduced him to graphic design was his visual art tutor. Despite nurturing plans to go fully professional with his art, FeoIsUgly,, recognizes how school would hinder that. This didn’t stop him from taking his first step towards becoming a professional illustrator/graphic designer.
In December, 2017, he set up an art page on Instagram. ‘I had been making covers here and there before but I was more of a hobbyist or someone “paying dues “. His friend, VectorbyKwesi, an artist himself, kept whispering in FeoIsUgly,’s ears the need to be serious and take that step. ‘Fast forward, I’m here now’.
The friendship with VectorByKwesi resulted in them founding ‘’Two Tired’’, an independent art collective ‘mainly doing independent stuff’. Their work aside, the relationship has resulted in a healthy competitive sport between them. ‘’We have been low key pushing each other to get to the pinnacle’, he points out.

FeoIsUgly,’s remarkable talent has earned him recognition from some incredible artists in Ghana, Nigeria, US and Europe. Some of the artists he has worked with or for include AYAT, CJ Biggerman, Zarion Uti, Wavy The Creator. ‘Recently I made one (artwork) for Wizkid. It was a collaboration between me and Fawaz Concepts’, adding, ‘I’ve been making covers for artists based in the US, Denmark and Nigeria lately’.
He was part of the team, along with Kazaam and VectorbyKwesi –that designed Amaarae ’s ‘Passionfruit Summers’ cover; an experience he describes as ‘’a huge thing’’. Elaborating further, FeoIsUgly point to how the project offered him great exposure and marked his growth. ‘It was a major challenge and it took quite a while. I’m glad Amaarae was patient enough to see to it till the end’. The success of the project notwithstanding, designing the cover art for ‘Passionfruit Summers’ had both its highs and lows.
The cover took three (3) months to finish.  ‘’I lost vim (enthusiasm) in the middle stages because I wasn’t able to grasp the main vibe of the project’, he reveals. In his view, one of the highs was how the lounge scene came together. ‘I learned a lot from that project. It really changed everything; from colour to composition to even communication’, he confesses.

Sometimes being given a concept beforehand makes me feel a bit restricted in a box. Other times being given the freedom to create one leads to getting shot down quite a number of times, which drains some energy and eventually gets me back in the box.

Having the freedom to work as an illustrator or graphic designer is crucial to the final work that would be produced. In FeoIsUgly’s world, trading concept ideas is one of the ways to get a desired outcome. According to him, the artists ‘sometimes have a concept in mind and I just get to play with it or vice versa. Either way, I like to get their feedback through the process.’

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On which process he prefers, his response was succinct: ‘I can’t say. They give varying results in the end most of the time. Sometimes being given a concept beforehand makes me feel a bit restricted in a box. Other times being given the freedom to create one leads to getting shot down quite a number of times, which drains some energy and eventually gets me back in the box’. FeoIsUgly explains again that, he generally ‘come up with at least two ideas. I discuss it with the artist and depending on their feedback I either scrap both or develop one. Sometimes I even merge ideas’.

One thing FeoIsUgly, likes to do-when he gets the opportunity- in order to achieve a desired result is to listen to the songs on the album to inspire an angle. ‘I have to listen to the song beforehand’. In his estimation, they ‘could’ve come up with something trippier if ‘we had heard some songs off Passionfruit Summers’, adding ‘there are some vibes you just cannot communicate with words. Some projects like the ones for Tinúké, Richie Benson and Zarion Uti were made after listening to the song and I felt much more confident making those (art covers)’.
My decision to talk with FeoIsUgly, was off the back of the artwork he created for AYAT’s ‘Di Asa’ single. According to him, AYAT wanted something ‘mundane and was specific about the average Ghanaian setting with kids playing’, hence the orange coloured, compound house setting with tenants indulging in various activities.

‘Time and communication, those are the major keys. It sounds obvious but if you slip up on those fronts, everything else crumbles’.

Within this short period working as a digital artist and illustrator, Feoisugly has become a believer in exploring and experimenting with other mediums of design like 3D and animation. ‘I’ve pulled off a number of portraits in the past as well, but I prefer to do stylized versions and not just replicate stuff or make them hyper realistic’. He has other dreams for the future including ‘hoping to start a comic series before the end of the year. I just need a solid writer and some time’.

To improve one’s craft is to be open to learning. This isn’t lost on FeoIsUgly who is planning to take up an internship gig at Mhoseenu, which he describes as an ‘exciting design studio (in Accra) during the upcoming vacation’, in his hopes to ‘get better, not just at art but living as well’. But first, he is determined to finish university before jumping whole hog into the artistic world.

‘Exposure is fine but as I keep saying, you can’t walk up to a shop and buy sneakers with exposure. So I decided if my art isn’t worth your money, it’s not worthy of my time either’.

For Feoisugly, the future of his industry is promising, despite some people being clueless about the value of art. ‘There is a section of people who are clueless about the value of art, those who will ask you for free stuff because it’s just a talent God gave you so it’s nothing major’. On the flip side, he acknowledges those who actually understand the value of art, indicating that ‘art is very important and it is everywhere, from education to entertainment. It’s just about finding what you can do and putting yourself out there. With festivals like Chale Wote and a number of art exhibitions, art is becoming a significant part of our culture. Not just portraits or commercial stuff but fine arts as well’.

Like any other artist on the come-up, he has experienced the ‘do- it- for- exposure’ mantra. He feels that ‘as long as the art is good, you’d be getting something valuable and I’ll get my exposure. Exposure is fine but as I keep saying, you can’t walk up to a shop and buy sneakers with exposure. So I decided if my art isn’t worth your money, it’s not worthy of my time either’.
On the question of which other illustrators inspire him, Feoisugly has a long list on which names like Kazaam! (@kaz_xix ), Bidemitata! VectorbyKwesi! (@Kwesiism) Otk Comic House! Christianity Daily (on IG is mighty trippy as well). Lwbv2001 (on IG), ilya Kuvshinov, Kim Jung Gi, Loish, King Spiff, Jeremy Decent, Kentaro Muira, Picolo, Hideaki Anno, Guweiz and Stephen Ward, Hanson Akatti and others’ feature.
Despite being involved in the digital art space for just a few years, Feoisugly, who describes himself as a ‘shy guy’ has picked up valuable lessons about the power of building relationships. ‘Time and communication, those are the major keys. It sounds obvious but if you slip up on those fronts, everything else crumbles. Also it’s important to network and build relationships, not just with potential clients but other artists as well. I’ve always been a shy guy and withdrawn to a degree but I’m learning how important that is’.
Find Feoisugly on IG: @feoisugly
On twitter: @SKRMNisFEO