Passion, dedication, and many sleepless nights – these are the things that made Vhuthuhawe Nyathela the skilled self-taught graphic designer that he is today.
Known to his followers as Phyllcod, the 20-year-old boy from Thohoyandou M East is known all around Vhembe, but not only for his graphic-designing expertise. He is also an accomplished photographer. "I started doing graphic design in 2020 and have been passionate about it ever since. Because I never went to school to study graphic design, it took me a lot of hard work to be where I am today, and it makes me very happy that people love the work I do," he said.
When everyone was busy complaining about the Coronavirus and the negative effects of the lockdown, Phyllcod got busy, empowering himself by learning everything he could about graphic design. "I am not someone who likes to sit around and do nothing. I like to keep myself busy. I had to watch a few tutorials on YouTube on graphic designing before I started to get the hang of it, and from there on it was practise, practise, practise – sometimes through the night - until I got it right," he said.
This ambitious young man did not take long to find himself working with local business owners after that. "I got help from one of my family members, Gundo Netshia, who gave me a really good network of clients. Now I'm well established. I enjoy what I do and I'm very grateful for the support I've been getting from local clients. I want to see myself go far beyond my dreams with my designs. I want to work with big companies, celebrities, and people from all over the country. In the next two years, I see myself creating and producing animations to entertain people," he said enthusiastically.
People who might be interested in working with him can find him on his Facebook page ("Phylcod" or "Codeign Media And Projects"), Instagram (codsigns_mediaandprojects), or WhatsApp at 069 301 2133.