Richard musinguzi in plain simpliscity is an artist, his artistic creations range from architectural design, character animation to fine art. Most of you might have experienced his work on TV animated commercials such as MTN, Nomi white,or bank of africa!…His also famous for an animation skit called KATOTO that went viral over social media… Richard’s fascination is drawings that come to life that he exemplifies  in his paintings and in his animations.

Read what he had to say.

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What are the first things people say about you when they meet you for the first time and are they true?

Majority of the people who meet me the first time find me funny, confused & forgetful, do i believe
them? Yes! those who know me a lot better find me obsessive about art!

How would you describe yourself?

I’m a Mukiga by origin. I’m also a professional artist specializing in fine art, animation and architectural design. I come from a family of a single mum 4 kids, a cat and a dog. Anything under the sun that makes me laugh i like. I’m an animal fanatic and i skateboard with my friends every once in a while.

What was your dream profession while growing up and who can you site as your mentors or icons?

Growing up i wanted to be a magician enjoying the work of Paul Daniels. At this time i had also developed a love cartoons. I soon realized there are people who get paid to make cartoons. When time came to university i wanted to join the top Animation school, i immediately realized i couldn’t afford doing it at my dream university CALARTS. By this time i had developed my drawing and design skills a great deal. So i decided to go for architecture at UMU instead! I enjoyed and learned every step of the way. i had no problem with most course units at school and always worked towards being the best . I graduated in november after 3years. But while at school i maintained my focus on animation ,studying and practicing as much as i could. 

My Mentors: My mother, I’ve seen her improve both financially and spiritually right before my eyes. I always listen to her advice. As an artist,renown artist Taga is the greatest.I always think of  him as a great example that you can leave a very successful rich career as an artist right here in uganda. The  lives of the masters Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Vincent van goh. lastly i always watch youtube videos of  disney legend Glen Keane he is my driving force. and lastly reading the life of disney legend Ward Kimball!

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Observing people hanging out with them. Learning and dissecting the work of fellow artists and masters looking at student work worldwide and watching animated films especially from disney pixar and warner bros.

What schools did you attend and did they in any way direct you towards your current profession and speaking of professions, does being an electronic artist/animator pay off?

I attended St Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) and went to Uganda matyrs university(UMU) thats it. 

What makes an artist great, worth appreciating, unforgettable and worth giving more business?

Thats a very interesting question. When you set out to make a work of art your intension is to capture the viewers imagination. Vincent Van Goh was quoted saying “a painter desires the viewer to enter into the painting, and once there, to make them want to dwell a while”.  and how does the artist do this? by aid of imagination tricks, skill, principles and all their knowledge about their craft! But When the artpiece is completed, The technique is so skill fill,and unnoticeable like an great actor who makes the audience forget that he or she is acting.   and after a while of public viewing the artists work creates mystery and everyone who sees it has their own interpretation of the piece. in my opinion this is when the artist is considered GREAT!

Why do you think many Ugandans don’t employ the services of architects and what should be done to have the Ugandan population appreciate their services?

firstly.i think, the prices of architects are of such nature that it would be almost insane to use registered architects to design your home! second I’ve met clients also who complain that registered architects dont give them enough attention compared to young upcoming architects. Third there has been a general notion that the registered architects are older and the ideas are not as fresh and new! all in all theres a million reasons to why.  

How do you spend your non work hours?

I hang out with my friends a lot but the bulk of my time is spent in my studio doing research upgrading my skills following online tutorials mostly, sketching people a lot, oil painting and studying classical animation work. recently I’ve developed a special love for animals and I’ve found my self spending substantial time with my feral cat and maltese dog! I’ve also started spending more time in the zoo than the animals!

What’s your most memorable moment?

Bad: the moment i directed a play back in high school! i sacrificed everything in an effort to be the best but ended up 3/4 i was devastated because everyone knew how much i had put in and all round the school everyone was talking about it! theres a great quote by mohammed ali” falling is not bad! the problem is staying down when you fall” i was soon back at it this time with more skill than ever! i had greater achievements at school after that fail!

Good: i started the first art club in SMACK(secondary school) and we held the first ever art exhibition showcasing student work! this is my most memorable moment because i felt like people loved it attendance was full and many younger artists were inspired and became more confident!

Where do you envision yourself in five years?

I’ve always felt i was born to be an artist. so five years from now i think my skills will be great enough and ill most likely be entirely focused on making entertaining animated shows for all kinds of audience and probably having my first solo exhibition as an artist in various mediums. i also know that life is really short, so I’m working harder now more than ever to do what i need to as an artist! Life is short so

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