African winners of Cartoon Network Imagination Studios competition

The winners are 10-year-old Tiffany Obasohan from Nigeria in the drawing category, Nyasha Mazarura, an 11-year-old from South Africa, in the movie category and 11-year-old Onyamaechi Christian Yobo from Nigeria, in the storyboard category.

The initiative, a creative online platform, was created to inspire, motivate and celebrate the wild imaginations of children. In its first year, the competition drew 5,159 entries, with activations implemented in over 200 schools in Nigeria, which resulted in inspiring the creativity of 18,056 learners.

Cartoon Network Imagination Studios provided a sneak-peek into the ‘real’ studios and the initiative encouraged children, aged 9-14, to explore their artistic talents via an online website, by giving them insight into the making of their favourite cartoons, encouraging imaginative, unfiltered, creative thinking and providing the perfect constructive entertainment to combat boredom, while having fun.

After finding inspiration on the website, children had the opportunity to enter their own original, unique creations following a comedy and humour theme – be it a new character drawing, storyboard or animation into the competition.

“The website is an important milestone in the network’s commitment to helping children learn and develop their skills online – using the channel’s affinity with young audiences to do so,” says Pierre Branco, VP, Southern Europe and Africa for Turner International. “With Cartoon Network Imagination Studios, the channel would like to provide children with the unique opportunity to express their creativity through whichever medium they like best.”

Winners’ inspiration

“I found the inspiration to draw my character called Natalie Gelato from the Gelato store near my house where I love to eat,” says Obasohan. “Natalie is a villain, with super brain powers and drawn in the shape of an ice cream cone. She comes across as a very sweet girl, who is friends with Gumball’s sister Anais, but all the while she wants to take over Elmore with her evil powers.”

Mazarura says that her characters called ‘PB and J’, two peanut butter and jelly superhero toasties, try to keep the evil, bad guy, Mr Pepper-shaker, at bay in Veggie-ville, whilst he profusely tries to win them over by making them sneeze.

Yobo illustrated a Spider Monkey vs Lion Lord, two extravagant characters fighting in a boxing ring, whilst Ben10 is in the audience watching the fight.

As part of their prize package, the winners’ illustrations will be fully transformed, while getting the opportunity to see their creations come to life, as each winning project will be aired on Cartoon Network across Africa in mid August. To view the winning ideas, click here.