Illustration is a profound visual languaging; and it is one such medium I often find myself most enamoured by. To describe the likeness of one’s inner-world – characters, world-building, motifs and mood – stands at the highest level of artistic expression. Sinalo Ngcaba is one of the leading illustrators in South Africa; and with her work, I get the overt sense that drawing has perhaps always been a method with which she has interpreted reality. Sinalo’s visual languaging is a deep, vivid expression of the Black, South African experience; punctuated by colour, characters and a mood so tangibly relevant in creating narratives of creative nourishment. Working closely with client collaborations from Nike to Sindiso Khumalo, Sinalo was featured this year in Volume 2 of ‘By Way of Illustration’, a book series highlighting the formidable illustrators in South Africa in the past few years. An artist like Sinalo is shaping the creative symbols of culture; unique, and so directly from her heart and mind. 

“I’ve always been interested in art, from a very young age. I was an only child, so being creative was part of play for me, growing up. I was raised by my grandparents, and my grandmother worked with kids her whole career – so she would give me these activities that really inspired me, and nurtured my abilities. Even in primary school, I was drawing my classmates – and then in high school, I chose creative subjects like design, focusing on textile designs. Most of what I do today is self-taught.” Sinalo says, on where her artistic beginnings emerged. As a self-taught artist, Sinalo is constantly playing with varying styles and methods – and her development has been outside of ‘traditional’ or constricted ways of drawing. On her process, Sinalo explains, “It’s taken me a long time to build these characters. My art has transitioned a lot and I’ve tried so many styles. I’m at a point now where I combine all the things I’ve enjoyed trying, and I love things that awaken me. I use my art to motivate myself – the use of bold colours, and humorous motifs – these come from me wanting to see and feel better. I see now how this has touched other people’s hearts, and I always believe that the heart reaches the heart. I am having fun with what I create, and I think that’s the single most important purpose I can maintain in my work. I’m really into exaggerating lips, or eyes – there is a lot of freedom in being able to take what I’m inspired by, and then create it through different ways. That’s what makes me feel alive.”

 A critical topic among illustrators and in drawing as a practice, is the hybridisation of the art-form; today, the pressure has never been greater to transition to digital methods of creating, with many artists translating their tangible mediums through technological tools and programs. Sinalo comments on what this has meant for her rich world-creating, “Pen and paper is my first medium – I really honed it in high school, and after school I learned some Photoshop and Illustrator. I’ve found that merging the two brings together a really beautiful experience of what both mediums have to offer. I draw, and then take an image and colour it on Illustrator – and now, I’m using Procreate more. It gives me the best of both worlds. Now, I sometimes sketch digitally – but the traditional way will always be what I return to.” A key element woven tenderly into Sinalo’s work are her ‘squigglies’ – “I call them squigglies, and I include them in all of my work, someway or somehow. That’s my finger-print – every time they take form in my work, it’s in a  different or new way.”

Sinalo’s work effortlessly retains the authenticity of analog expression; it is clearly and precisely art, over perhaps graphic design. Right now, she is a resident of Bubblegum Club’s Bubblegum Gallery Program – a month-long studio experience, culminating in a final showcase. Sinalo explains the challenge she has set for herself within this space, “I’m using oil-pastels for these works. I only started with oil-pastels earlier this year, so it’s a challenge – a new frontier – but I’m going really big too, with the pieces. I’m excited to see myself push this hard in a short amount of time, it’s bringing through a new sense of routine. It’s adding another layer of being a professional artist – I think previously, it’s been such an intuitive process to make work, but now I am doing it within a specific framework.” Emerging as an artist has happened primarily on social media or through word-of-mouth – with the internet being Sinalo’s foremost home for her work, “I have relied on social media for my work to be showcased. It’s a really exciting space to be in, to see new possibilities of my work existing in other forms, like in exhibitions or on products. Now, I’m trying to learn the business side – pricing and costing are still uncomfortable things to talk about, but we have to be able to value ourselves and our creativity. I’m leaning on other artists and friends to navigate the more ‘career’ aspects of being an artist.”

Sinalo is taking root as an essential artistic figure in South Africa. As this happens, Sinalo’s commitment to community continues to form part of her purpose. Perfect Weather Skate Foundation was started by her partner, and together they run this hugely important space consisting of competitions, workshops and events – teaching kids life-skills through skateboarding, and providing safe spaces for growth and creativity. Sinalo says, “There are small groups of people driving skateboarding in the country, but there is no government intervention or support. With it being an Olympic sport now, and with how much talent we have in South Africa, we really aim to foster kids to grow. We get help from Puma, Sportscene and BOS Ice-Tea. It’s almost two years old – and my dream is to incorporate art into it more. A lot of young skaters are into art, so we are hoping to create spaces where the two can intersect.” 

With a bright and beautiful road ahead – Sinalo tells me there are exciting things to be announced at the end of the year. We cannot wait to see how much joy it will bring to fans of her work, and the future for so many around her. 

Written by: Holly Beaton

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