The Best Hyper-Realistic Artist - Zizo Ookame
Since he started working on his personal collection, people have wanted to commission him for their portraits because they saw talent in him. The 20 year old Goratamang Ookame has a good hand when it comes to artworks and it’s the reason why it has turned into a business. As good as he is with his artwork, he did not want to let his talent go into waste and he therefore chose to turn it into a business. It’s been 2 years now still working on his collection and right now he has made about 24 portraits on A2 size and 8 portraits drawings on A1 size. “I m a non-stop person this work takes me time and I’m passionate about my work,” so he said.
Goratamang who first discovered his talent at a tender age started at primary school where he drew integrated science diagrams and was the best student in class when it comes to drawing. After he proceeded to junior school, he realized his amazing skill and most of the teachers started to commission him for their self-portrait which they still do even nowadays. His skill was sharpened when he got to senior school and that’s where he did hyperealistic drawing. He never won any award at school but according to him, he had always remained the best in class.
I used graphite pencils at school and even now I’m still using graphite and charcoal to create an artwork. Then I started working on my personal collection after finishing my last paper at Lotsane senior secondary school on the year 2019.
Zizo Ookame, as he is affectionately known is a pencil artist who aims to be a cooperative international artist and dreams to exhibit his artworks outside the country.
Talking on the challenges that he experienced since the inception of his art business, Goratamang said, “Since I started, the business did well before the Covid-19 pandemic, now our industries keep on opening and closing because of corona but I hope it will be better as time goes on.”
On the selling strategies that he uses, Goratamang said, “When a customer commissions me for a work, it depends on if they need to see me first or what. Those that stay far from me are the ones that always order portrait drawings most.”
According to him, most of his clients are from social media. So far he has sold around 40 to 55 artworks since the inception of the business and he has started working on his personal collection at the moment.
Although Goratamang is good in holding a pencil on paper, he hasn’t received any award nor has he ever entered any art competitions but he hopes that one day he will receive one. He does hyperrealism Art, meaning the artwork that is like a photograph but it’s done with a hand. His business currently operates in Maun under the name, Zizo Ookame.
His last words to other young artists hoping to make it in the art industry, “Be patient with your work no matter how hard life may be, remember that the way we do things has completely changed. Learn from others. I’ve learnt a lot of things from other international artists even their words and quotes are still on my heart.”
Facebook Page: Zizo Ookame
Facebook Page: Zizo Ookame