Viral designs are every designer’s dream—a simple creation that spreads like wildfire, extending your reach to thousands of users, boosting your perceived value, and attracting clients without you even asking.
The NGD universe, thanks to its talented designers, is no stranger to fame. Designers like Dapo Omotosho have been regularly featured on CorelDRAW for amazing creativity, and illustrators like Julie Chiemeri once caught the attention of presidential hopefuls.
But this week, something extraordinary happened in the simplest way: one of our own NGD designers has gained massive attention with a brilliant illustration showcasing the various hairstyles of popular musician Asake.
Izeek’s artwork has wowed everyone by visually chronicling Asake’s journey—from his early days to his signature “Lunguboy” look. The creativity and uniqueness behind the design have left us in awe.
In this quick post, Izeek himself shares his inspiration behind this viral sensation, walks us through his creative process, and hints at what he has in store for his next attention-grabbing designs.
- What inspired the idea behind the Asake illustration?
“I was privileged to be on set with director Jyde Ajala and creative director Jamila. They followed me on Instagram and invited me to watch the creation process of Joeboy’s music video Osadebe. After Stubborn came out, I drew a poster of one of the scenes, and while doing that, I became fascinated by how Asake constantly changes his look. His transformation reminded me of his early days, back when I first saw him on the album cover for Lady. I pieced together his most iconic moments—hairstyles, outfits, everything—and created a tribute to his evolution. That man is on a different lane and is one of the driving forces that made me resign from my 9 to 5 work after consistently watching his music videos.
I wanted to work with him. So in a nutshell, Asake is one of my inspirations. His growth is remarkable and his sound is unique.
- Can you describe your creative process?
“It started as a random idea while working on the Stubborn artwork. I sketched it on Procreate and gradually fleshed it out. Once Asake announced Lunguboy, I added that to my collection. I actually finished the piece at 1 a.m., the same day Lunguboy dropped.” - How did your illustration journey begin?
“I started illustration professionally as a fashion design intern in 2017, right after secondary school. Before that, I was drawing and posting online, making comic books and illustrations on makeshift sketchbooks. Later, I joined a Nigerian animation studio, Vortex, where I met people making comics and animations, which further honed my skills.”
- Did you expect the recognition? How has the response been?
“Not at all! I simply wanted to showcase my work on the Naija Graphic Designers group. I had already shared it across my social media platforms but didn’t expect much. The next morning, I woke up to an explosion of notifications. The exposure was incredible, though someone tried to take credit for it. Thankfully, the community rallied around me, and it felt great seeing people acknowledge the hard work.”
- What’s next for you?
“This moment has fueled my energy for future projects. I have a lot of ideas lined up, and I’m excited to continue evolving. The future looks bright, so I’m gearing up for what’s next.”
Execute Your Passion Project Without Delay!
Fame is a byproduct of doing what you love. Designers like Izzeek followed their passion, breaking away from traditional job titles to chase their dreams.
What’s your next creative project? It just might be the next viral sensation.
Quick tip : Don’t pursue virality for the thrill alone—chase the joy of executing your vision.
It’s a personal project meaning you can design without cares about chasing clients endlessly for payments or using a design contract.
Try it now.
Some skills you’ll need for your next project:
- Color psychology hacks to boost empathy
- The smart AI tools for picking instant color combos to dazzle client
- Photoshop AI for amazing images