ABOUT US
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
- A. Einstein
The Creative Planet began with a small group of kids who met once a week to draw and exchange ideas. Under the direction of Comic Artist Xandor Nelmapius, the academy has grown to 40 students with 5 weekly classes. The success of the classes is attributed to Xandor's dedication to prepare the new generation of Comic Artists, Animators, Game Developers, Graphic Designers and Illustrators in South Africa.
Some current students have been with The Creative Planet's Cartoon Monster Academy program since the very beginning. These fun art classes are teaching kids a way of doing art that is still very new to SA. The lessons Xandor gives his students are designed to inspire kids to be creative in their own unique way, by learning how to draw anything they can think of.
Over the past two years, more than 100 students have attended the weekly drawing classes and holiday workshops. This year The Creative Planet will be expanding their classes with new class location in and around Pretoria like Centurion and PTA Moot, and is planning on releasing their first official Comic Art Book.
Xandor Nelmapius founded The Creative Planet in 2014 with the goal of creating a place where kids could do art in a different way than is usually taught in schools, and to explore their creativity without judgement.
Xandor inspires his students by always being encouraging and helping each kid develop their unique artistic style. Xandor creates a wonderful classroom environment by pushing kids to work hard but also by being funny and young at heart.
"I knew I wanted to become a comic book artist when I was 12," Xandor often tells his students. "I was terrible when I first started drawing, like all great comic artists. But I practiced everyday and learned from guys like Charles Schulz and Bruce Timm. Now I can show kids how important creativity is and encourage them to follow their own dreams. Because you can reach them if you work hard and never, ever, ever give up."
Meet the Teachers
Carissa van den Berg joined the Creative Planet in 2015. She works with the younger students and teaches colouring techniques and colour theory.
As someone with a background in fine art, graphic design, and photography, she is a walking testimony to the amazing way that Comic Art improves a person's overall creativity and artistic inventiveness.
"I would come up with an awesome idea for a drawing, but I always had to rely heavily on referece because I found it impossible to draw out of my head... Unless I was drawing a horse.
But Comic Art has taught me this:
• How to quickly memorize a subject matter,
• How to simplify what I then see in mind
by planning with basic shapes,
• Using non-sketchy pencil techniques to draw
lines with confidence.
And now I can draw anything I want."
