Like many people, Kenny Rukundo had career ambitions growing up. He however, is determined not to quit until his dreams are accomplished.

From a tender age, the 19-year-old’s passion has always been drawing. He drew anything he came across and has since been working hard to be one of the best pen artists in Rwanda. 

Looking back, he shares that although he spent much of his time sketching, he really had no idea that he was good enough until people, next to him, observed and persuaded him to continue because he was on the right path. He has not looked back since.

In 2019, the youngster graduated with a degree in Graphic Arts and Design at Ecole d’art de Nyundo (Nyundo school of arts) and is now an expert in mixed media art and illustrates children’s books digitally.

One of Rukundo’s digital illustrations. 

The senior six graduate is looking forward to pursuing a course in Animations at university.

Rukundo draws digitally using a pen tablet, whereas for mixed media art he uses a ball pen and acrylic paint on paper. He also uses visual art forms to combine a variety of media in a single artwork.

For book illustrations, he works with publishing houses where he is paid about Rwf10,000 per page, while his pen portraits range from Rwf45,000 and above.

"As a digital artist, I could even have done better but I encounter some challenges. For instance, the materials I use to draw are very expensive because they are imported. I usually buy them online,” he said.

To cut costs, Rukundo still works from his parents’ home in Kanombe, and cites lack of enough capital to rent his own workspace.

Kenny Rukundo is a digital and pen artist. Joan Mbabazi.

He also adds that earning from art is inconsistent, because whereas on a good a good day he will get a number of customers, he sometimes goes three to four days without a client—a challenge that has discouraged many potential young artists. 

The artist is inspired by Patrick Brown—an American self-taught comic artist who draws human figures in an exaggerated way that shows an epic movement within his comics.

He is also motivated by Tony Bakatubia—a comic artist based in Rwanda, whose art portrays black people as powerful.