Eleven-year-old, Onyamaechi Christian Yobo and ten-year-old Tiffany Obasohan from Nigeria have been announced overall winners in the drawing and storyboard categories respectively in the first Cartoon Network Imagination Studios competition, while Nyasha Mazarura, an eleven-year-old from South Africa was the overall winner in the movie category.
The new initiative from Cartoon Network (DStv channel 301) is a specially-crafted, creative online platform, created to inspire, motivate and celebrate the wild imaginations of children. In its first year, the competition drew a total of 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” Cartoon Network Studios and the initiative encouraged children aged nine to 14 years-old to explore their artistic talents via an online website, giving children insight into the making of their favourite cartoons, encouraging imaginative, unfiltered, creative thinking and providing the perfect constructive entertainment to combat boredom, while also having lots of fun!
“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, Vice President, Southern Europe and Africa for Turner International. “With Cartoon Network Imagination Studios, Cartoon Network would like to provide children with the unique opportunity to express their creativity through whichever medium they like best.”
After finding inspiration on the Cartoon Network Imagination Studios website, children had the opportunity to enter their very own original, unique creations following a comedy and humour theme – be it a new character drawing, storyboard or animation into the Cartoon Network Imagination Studios competition, which had three different categories: Drawings, Stories or Films.
“I found the inspiration to draw my character called Natallie Gelato from the Gelato store near my house where I love to eat”, says Tiffany Obasohan, winner in the drawing category. “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.”
Nyasha Mazarura, winner in the movie category, 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 over win them by making them sneeze!
The storyboard winner, Onyemaechi Christian 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.
The winners in each of the categories walked away with some amazing prizes, some of which are a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. As part of their prize package the winner’s 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, DStv channel 301 across Africa mid-August
To catch a glimpse of the winning artwork, please be sure to visit the Cartoon Network Imagination Studios microsite, which is currently live across Africa region and can be visited at http://www.imaginationstudios-competition.cartoonnetworkhq.com/
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