Telling African stories through comic art

The clamour to tell African stories through music, books, has over the years gained prominence earning the eye of art movements and individual artists.

Whereas many employ music, written works and plays to voice the rich African experiences, one Kenyan artiste is using his pen in a unique way.

Movin Were is a Nairobi-based freelance illustrator and cartoonist of mostly comics, TV storyboards, caricatures and other illustrations.

He uses his platform to visualise African stories.

“Illustrations are a powerful and rare medium that places illustrators on a pedestal enabling them to communicate in ways other art forms cannot,” he said.

Trained professionally in art and design from Kenyatta University, Mr Were’s first professional work as a cartoonist was a weekly adventure strip for a children’s newspaper.

The 32-year-old knew he was called to be an artist from an early age.

“I would draw cartoons every day in my high school years and pin then on the notice board and everyone in the school would relish them,” he said.

He would later much to the chagrin of his parents turn down an offer by Kenyatta University to study engineering for art.

“It sent them crazy at first but they have come to embrace my passion later and urge me on,” he said.

He was one of the artists that helped launch the Shujaaz comic book published by Well Told Story.

Since then his work has only even bloomed further giving him an opportunity to work on various projects.

They include a comic book known as Shore Wanda and based on a superheroine character living in Nairobi city.

As-you-wait caricatures

He has also worked as a storyboard artist for advertising agencies as well as drawn cartoons and other illustrations for various clients both local and overseas.

He famously does as-you-wait caricatures for guests at corporate events. He has also illustrated Kenyan celebrities for a fee.

So much sought after is his artwork that he charges Sh12,000 per page for illustrating and visualising stories comic books.

“I have just finished doing a series of 12 comic books which I charged Sh170,000 per book,” he says.
His aim is to illustrate the African experience.

His latest work commissioned by a Somalia-based company tells the story of Rajo— a fictitious typical village in the conflict prone country.

“I try to bring life in my characters. Illustrations beat photography as we have the power to extend imaginations whereas a photographer can only reorganise their subjects too much,” says Mr Were.

10 years

He recently marked 10 years in the industry and he points to his relative longevity as a testament to the fact the career is “well paying” and could be an opportunity for young people to make a living.

He nurtures the next crop of artists, by mentoring a class of young comic illustrators in what he hopes will create the next pool of talent to take over the industry.