By Sophia Afolayan
Storytelling shapes cultures, challenges perspectives, and immortalizes legends, and Danbrown the Artiste is mastering this craft. Through his Webtoon series Deity and the animated project Brother Pig, he blends mythology, introspection, and social commentary, creating worlds that captivate and provoke thought. His distinct art has also made its way into the Afrobeats industry, with visuals for releases by several artistes, including Ajebo Hustlers & Victony’s Ave Maria, Ajebo Hustlers & Odumodublvck’s Celine Dion, and album cover art for many more.
Fresh off winning his first animation award at the IPA Awards 2024, he joins us to discuss his creative journey, the struggles of animating in Nigeria, and the future of African storytelling. Enjoy!
Your series Deity on Webtoon has garnered attention. Can you share the inspiration behind it and the themes you aim to explore?
Danbrown The Artist: I think I get my inspiration for Deity from modern day mythological epics and African stories I hope to explore themes of duty and destiny and if these themes are things that can be altered or should be accepted.
Brother Pig as a series is another intriguing project of yours. What message or experience do you hope to convey through this animation?
Danbrown The Artist: As for Brother Pig, I aim to bring the watchers into the world of the animals and to see things from their perspectives, joining Brother Pig in his quest for freedom and introspection.
As a Nigerian artist, how does your cultural background influence your art and storytelling?
Danbrown, The Artist: My culture influences my arts and storytelling because my work mirrors my experiences and cultural environment. So, just as Deity reflects my cultural customs, Brother Pig also reflects the political climate that I live in.
You recently received your first animation award at the IPA Awards 2024. How has this recognition impacted your career and future projects?
Danbrown The Artist: Receiving my first animation award has definitely pushed and encouraged me to work harder and do better because it gives me a sense of assurance that my work and art are being appreciated not just only on the online community but in the entertainment World around me.
Your work spans various platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. How do you adapt your content for these different audiences?
Danbrown The Artist: Besides differences in formats, I believe I share the same audience. They just exist on their own preferred platform.
Can you discuss your creative process when starting a new animation or illustration?
Danbrown The Artist: Every good animation starts with a good script. After that is done, I proceed to storyboard sketching and audio production before finally animating and adding preferred effects to the final work. Each step is completed before proceeding to the next.
The animation industry is continually evolving. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and technologies?
Danbrown The Artist: I think constantly being informed and experimenting with new ideas and technologies as they come out is the only way to keep up in a continuously evolving environment like the animation industry.
Collaboration often brings fresh perspectives. Are there any artists or animators you aspire to work with in the future?
Danbrown The Artist: If I’m picking from a pool of artists I would love to work with I will definitely choose Rema not just because I’m a fan of his music but because of the experimental nature of his music, which I aspire to do the same in my animations.
What challenges have you faced as a visual artist and animator in Nigeria, and how have you overcome them?
Danbrown The Artist: Besides the physical challenges of the country like power, affordable internet and infrastructures another common challenge that are faced as a Nigerian is the value of art and animation not being given the respect it deserves due to lack or understanding and support.
What advice would you give to aspiring African animators looking to break into the industry?
Danbrown The Artist: I will advise aspiring African animators to stay consistent and constantly experiment with their works. And to also not be afraid to challenge themselves constantly.
If your art style had a theme song, what would it be?
Danbrown The Artist: Addicted by Rema because it’s addicting to look at.
What’s the weirdest or funniest reaction you’ve ever gotten to one of your pieces?
I wouldn’t call this weird or funny, but it was a unique experience. It was having somebody make almost a three-page comment analysing the themes and storytelling in an episode of my animated series, complete with timestamps and notes. It took me a while to read that, but I liked it, too.
Art is more than just images on a screen- it’s a revolution. Danbrown the Artist is at the forefront of this movement, challenging norms, weaving culture into fantasy, and pushing African animation onto the global stage. With an unrelenting drive and a vision that dares to dream beyond limitations, his story is still being written, one frame at a time. We’ll be watching, and so will the world.
