Kevin Bongang

Artist Kevin Bongang’s style features uplifting colors, swirling lines, and whimsical imagery. He was born in Cameroon, West Africa and raised in Savannah, Georgia, where he majored in Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). He acquired his B.F.A. and M.F.A. (Illustration) in 2009 and 2013 respectively. Today, you can find him painting murals, creating graphics for commercial brands, and engaging in his local community. Over the course of his career, he’s worked with clients like Jamba Juice, Google, and Starbucks.

Hi Kevin! Tell us about yourself, how did you get to where you are today? When did you first become interested in art and design?

I am Kevin Bongang, an artist and Illustrator working full time and spreading positivity and good vibes by using bright colors, whimsical characters, and shapes.  As an avid doodler from a young age I never imagined I would be a full time artist, but as I got older and got more confident in my artistic expression, it became all I wanted to do! I was born in Cameroon, West Africa and came to the U.S. at the age of 12.  Back then, I really wanted to be a bird watcher, but came to the realization that drawing was a more intense passion of mine, so I worked even harder to hone a style that made me stand out and that could be relatable to many.  I soon came to realize that color is a language that speaks to everyone and anyone, from kids to adults of different cultures globally.  I got my bachelors and masters in Illustration from Savannah College of Art (Atlanta campus).

Artist and Designer Kevin Bongang

How would you describe your aesthetic and how has it changed over time?

I stay pretty busy doing murals for a living and when I am not on a wall, I am most likely working from home on something digital on the computer.  My style and process is playful. I enjoy working organically, especially on murals, letting the surrounding community and people inspire the piece as it develops.  I believe there are no mistakes in making art and try not to overthink when creating, making marks and random doodles which eventually develop into narratives the viewer can relate to whether it be a mural in a community, corporate office, or even a private collector.  I believe over time my art has changed and matured.  Back in college, my color palette was more on the dark side and I attribute that to just being in college, away from family, and slightly rebellious.  As I got older and got exposed to more art and different artists from around the world, I began to fall in love with bright colors and how happy they made me feel.  These days, my works are bright and usually with murals I try to always include a positive word or phrase to uplift whomever comes across it on their daily commute or just haphazardly.

What’s your favorite medium to work in? Are there particular themes you like to explore through your work? 

Spray paint is my favorite medium to use on murals, although lately I have had a few projects which required me to hand paint. I’m really enjoying the process and it is less toxic.  A constant theme in my work is color exploration and being inspired by the cubism movement.  I enjoy the imagery of African masks and draw from their forms and geometry.

What’s your creative process like when you’re working on a mural vs. digital?

I love working organically, I personally feel my best murals were executed that way.  Being able to have a conversation with the client were they tell me their vision and let me have total artistic freedom on the mural being created without a sketched out concept.  A lot of times in these cases I am able to be more expressive and the end result is just something I could not have sketched out on paper.

More often, with murals and digital work, I would usually turn in a few pencil sketches to the client after they have briefed me on their vision for the art to be created.  The client then reviews them and lets me know which idea they want to develop (a lot of times they are content with their selection and no revisions are needed).  I then ink up the sketch and turn it into a digital vector in Adobe Illustrator.  From this point, it is already digital and in the case of a mural I would print the image and refer to it as I painted the mural.

Your pieces feature beautiful, bright colors and layered elements - what’s your approach to working with color? 

I am fortunate that color comes naturally to me, I love bright and saturated colors a lot of times using Lego pieces to come up with a color palette for any given project, making sure the colors compliment the clients existing brand identity.  Colors are feelings to me, so I try to stay away from dark colors which I feel carry heavier sentiments, rather dealing with those colors in my daily life as I make sure to capture the happier ones in my Art.

You’ve worked with a wide range of clients including Jamba Juice, Adobe, Mellow Mushroom, and more. How do you approach creative collaboration with your clients? 

It is all about good communication as I stated before,  making sure I am clear on their vision and project goal and doing my due diligence in researching the brand to ensure I not only represent their ideas but deliver something unique, different, but most importantly artwork they are proud of and will cherish for a long time!

Do you work on personal projects in addition to client work? If so, why are personal projects so important to pursue? 

I try to always work on something personal, especially in between projects. It helps me try out new approaches and is just a good way to keep the creative juices flowing. My sketchbook is very important and as an avid doodler, sketching everyday is something I strive for and still work on.

Where do you find inspiration? 

Inspiration comes in many forms for me.  Being happy inspires me to be creative, so does good music. I draw inspiration from nature, the colors, the wildlife, and all the different life forms that surround us in this world.  Birds appear a lot in my murals, as I used to want to be a bird watcher for a living before my passion for art grew fonder. Birdwatching is still something I do with my wife these days and I also love going to the beach.  A lot of my inspiration also comes from my childhood growing up in Cameroon.  African masks always fascinated me and all the rich color in my culture's fashion and architecture.  All these experiences have given me abundant elements and colors to pull from as I create daily.

Do you have any favorite design resources? 

I enjoy going to the bookstore and perusing books of birds and Art.  Magazines like Juxtapoz are always fun to read, learning about different artists around the world and how various mediums are explored.

What advice would you give to new artists just starting out?

My advice to any new artists, regardless of medium, is to never give up and fuel your passion by being consistent in practicing everyday! Explore and find different artists that are inspiring. Learn their stories and about how they may have overcome obstacles they faced.  The artist community is a welcoming group for the most part. I have reached out directly to other creatives for advice in areas I wasn't familiar with but they had mastered.  Finally, stay humble, don't be hard on yourself - there is no wrong in Art.

Thank you for sharing with us Kevin! To view more of Kevin’s work, visit his website and follow him on Instagram.

Kevin was nominated by Noun Project. All art courtesy of Kevin Bongang.