*In my travels to cartoon exhibitions and festivals, I have had the opportunity of meeting African Comic artists. I have also been inspired by their incredible works. I first met Toh Bright Izuwanne who goes simply by the name Toh Bright in the West African city of Yaoundé in Cameroon at one of the annual Fescarhy cartoon festivals.
Toh was a teenager when I first met him at Camp Artistiqe, a summer camp centre, based in the village of Lada-Nkoabang. I was there with other great local and international cartoonists and we had the opportunity to critique, discuss, assess, view and encourage works of young and gifted artists at the camp. Camp Artistiqe is a holiday camp dedicated to the formation and developing of young aspiring artists.
Toh was there and he with others showed keen interest drawing and in my drawings skills, styles and techniques and shadowed me while there asking, how he could break into the comic art world. Now grown up into a young adult, Toh has developed his skills so much and draws naturally and maturely. His drawings are captivating and rivals the West. He could easily be drawing for Marvel or DC comics or other independent comic publishers. His style also suits Graphic novel formats.
I have been able to work closely with Toh from time to time and has learnt from me. Let’s just say by going to the Kubert school, I have helped pass on my acquired training that has been rewarding to me as well as to many. I remember helping out the legendary comic artist and educator, Joe Kubert on Saturdays at the Saturday Sketch classes at the Kubert school in Dover.
This has been helpful over the years. For those who may not know, Art originated from Africa and the more reason why I salute Toh Bright, as the United Kingdom marks 30 years of establishing Black History Month celebration. Africa is blessed with wonderful cartoonists, artists, comic artists, painters, designers and illustrators. Without Africa, there will not be Black History month either in the U.S. or in the U.K.
Toh is a university graduate, the second born of his parents and bilingual, fluent in both French and English. He has produced commissioned storyboards, sketches and comics for Mbakop films based in Atlanta. His latest completed project is Devilreaux Genesis, a Cameroon comic book which he illustrated from script, creating characters visually and settings for an animation project. Toh is a visual communicator who has worked on UNICEF’s Cholera project in Cameroon. He has created characters from scripts also for an animation project. Toh has also worked with Jozef Fusung. Studio Director, Graphic Designer Illustration and animation character design OneF studios – Buea – Cameroon. Toh‘s art has a future and his future has began.
Email Toh Bright for enquiries – [email protected]
EURweb.com contributor, TAYO Fatunla is an award winning Nigerian Comic Artist, writer and illustrator and Editorial cartoonist. He is a graduate of the prestigious U.S. Art school, The Kubert School, New Jersey. His cartoons are used for educational purposes in school books, Newsletters, journals and for presentations and has produced digital comic art for the BBC – www.tayofatunla.com
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