Growing up around the age of 7, I fell in love with drawing well-known comic characters like Batman, superman, and some other cartoon characters. I have always wondered how artists created these visuals so well to tell their stories. For me, this was the moment I was enlightened to the world of art. I drew all that interested me in books using any medium I could lay my hands on plus, watching and reading more comic books simply to seek for more information that kept me abreast with common trends.

I attended my basic education at Datus Complex School Ghana, after which I was privileged to enroll in Tema Secondary School (High School) to pursue business administration courses as my elective along with my core subjects; Science, Math, and English. My first week in class was not pleasant at all, I knew this course was not meant for me even before major lessons started.  so I had my course changed to Visual Art. The course had Graphic Design, Textiles, and General Knowledge in Art as my major including the three core subjects English, Math, and basic Science. I felt at ease knowing I made the right choice with no regret. 

You see, I had two things in mind concerning my future career, it is either to become a Doctor or a Visual Artist. A doctor, because I love to empathize and help others survive from their pains, and an artist because I simply love to create. Looking at the satisfaction in the eyes of people who view my artwork gives me some form of joy and purpose.

The first tool I used in designing artwork was the 1998 Windows Paint program. I was good at it and was actually one of the best in my computer class until I was introduced to creating traditional Graphic Design artwork at age 18 using  CorelDraw. This tool was introduced to me by a friend for a day’s tutorials. I fell in love with the tool and used it in creating logos, flyers, business cards, magazines, and any design that calls for it as a freelancer. I had the privilege to design school magazines for schools and small businesses including corporate businesses like Meridien Seed Ghana, Scienceworld Senior Secondary School in Sierra Leone. I made money using this skill back home in Ghana and built acquaintances with other designers in the field.

Adobe Photoshop was introduced to me in my second year in College where I pursued Textile Design at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Ghana. We used Photoshop to create African Textile patterns, which were later printed out on cotton fabrics. It was fun learning this skill though I had my passion geared towards Graphic Design. Once again I was part of the best in class using this tool to create African Print Design.

After college, I taught Art and Design in two different private International schools in Ghana, Dodi International and Int.Community College for a period of 7 years. The experience was challenging at the same time It was an honor to give back the very thing I learned in school to my students who had little or no clue about the art world. I gained teamwork and worked to meet deadlines. At the same time, It was at this point I ‘exploded’ painting on canvas as a hobby.

I came to understand more about User Experience Design and User Interface Design (UX/UI) after moving to the United States, wanting to continue what I did best. I researched how I could be employed as a Graphic Designer and noticed that the majority of employers were looking out for  UX/UI designers as criteria. As curious as I am, I researched and realized I have been practicing some bit of the user experience journey unconsciously through my freelancing experience. Nonetheless, the difference was that now, I needed to consciously understand the user journey and apply it to my design. Immediately I enrolled in online courses on Coursera and Udemy. The first program on Coursera was in UX/UI Design with a certificate presented by the California Institute of Art which I did for 3 months. The Second was a Google Certification Program in UX Design with a Certificate presented by Google for a 6-month program. Then I personally learned a new tool called Figma on YouTube for creating the user experience. Learning this tool has spiked up my zeal for creating mobile apps. Prior to learning this new skill, I had already learned and knew how to create websites using WordPress. I created websites for schools and individuals. I am currently learning  Python in addition to boosting my confidence in the field. In the next ten years, I am aiming to create my personal mobile app that is responsive and helps for the general good of users.

I am a team player and always ready to learn. I accept constructive criticism and hope to get better through the process. I am ever willing to work with you. Let’s Do This!