News Straits Times, 27 September 2010
By Rozana Sani
Popular cartoonist Raja Ahmad Kamil Raja Mokhtar, a.k.a. Ubi, left the print media at the peak of his career, but he’s come full circle by going digital, writes ROZANA SANI
CARTOONS have always been a prominent feature in Raja Ahmad Kamil Raja Mokhtar’s life.
His earliest memory of learning to read was picking up words from his mother’s massive collection of Gila Gila (hugely popular in the 80s, and dubbed the local version of Mad comic magazine).
“My mother used to bring Gila Gila home every month and my siblings and I had a gala time going through them. Mum was such a fan, she still keeps the inaugural Gila Gila edition released in 1978,” he says.
The favourite family past-time turned into a hobby for Raja Ahmad Kamil and he soon found himself drawing self-penned cartoons that he used to impress school friends with in Kuantan, Pahang.
After completing his SPM in 1992, Raja Ahmad Kamil was shipped off to the Malaysian Maritime Academy in Malacca for his tertiary education but he soon realised that it was not for him.
“I dropped out after a month and while on my way back to Kuantan, I stopped at the Kharisma Publications office in Kuala Lumpur. Kharisma was the publisher of Ujang magazine, an off-shoot of Gila Gila that catapulted cartoonist Ujang, (a.k.a. Ibrahim Anon) to fame. He had numerous cartoonists under him with pen names such as Petai, Ciku, Padi, etc.
“I wanted to have my creations published too, so I submitted my drawings,” says Raja Ahmad Kamil, 35.
Becoming Ubi
It was a turning point when his work, Lawak Antarabangsa, first saw print on Sept 1, 1994, in the Merdeka Bumper Edition of Ujang. He also assumed the pen-name Ubi around this time.
“The name was given to me by Ujang. He just changed my name on my first published work and has requested me to use that name ever since. I was still a freelancer then,” adds Raja Ahmad Kamil.
“Maybe they didn’t have the heart to say no as I had gone there personally to hand in my cartoon. I encountered some advice and criticism regarding my work, but my heart was set on being a cartoonist,” he says.
He soon began working full-time at Ujang magazine.
The debut of Lawak Antarabangsa was followed by the Budak Hostel comic series.
Raja Ahmad Kamil continued to gain a following with Aku, Dia & Volkswagen in 1997 and IN in 2000.
His style and themes of teenage angst struck a chord with readers, helping to make him one of the most prolific cartoonists/comic artists in the country.
His fans also acknowledged his achievements by voting him the Most Popular Cartoonist from Ujang magazine between 2000 and 2002.
The lure of the Web
In 1998, when the Internet made its presence in the country, Raja Ahmad Kamil took notice.
“I knew it was going to have a significant impact on our lives. But at that time, the masses were not there. I took the initiative to equip myself with the technology and began to learn what I could do on the platform,” he says.
He frequented Low Yat Plaza and picked up whatever he could from CDs that contained tutorials on website development.
When issues started to arise at his workplace over copyright and intellectual property controls, he made the decision to leave his comfort zone and go it on his own in 2002.
“By then I had produced literally thousands of cartoons and illustrations for magazines, comics and greeting cards.
“Fans wanted me to expand to areas like T-shirts, gifts, and advertising, but my hands were tied. It was then that I took the leap and ventured on my own,” he recalls.
Divorced, with two young daughters, Raja Ahmad Kamil was determined to make it. No longer confined to formal work hours, he worked late into the wee hours of the morning, developing websites and products that offered his talent to the world.
He is now a full-time freelance cartoonist, comic artist, caricaturist, cartoon pictures and logo designer.
Net Value
To keep in touch with existing fans and acquire new ones, he set up his blog, KartunisUbi.com.
The blog currently has 15,000 subscribers and on it, he shares his thoughts, activities and updates on his latest products on this site.
He also publicised the availability of his Raya cards package which is now in its third year.
The package contains humorous digital animated raya cards that are perfect for email and MMS.
“There is a one-off payment which can be paid online via e-banking. The package will be sent via email. Buyers will receive new packages each year for free. And each year, I try to come up with better and more interesting ideas,” says Raja Ahmad Kamil.
Registered blog readers can also read his online comic series Aku, Dia & Test for free.
He also posts cartoon strips and details on comic workshops which he organises on his blog.
Fans can also buy T-shirts and gifts adorned with his artwork at ubikartun.com.
He also offers cartoon designs and caricatures for overseas clients via the website.
“There is a huge demand for caricatures, especially from the US. Once, I was commissioned to do 50 caricatures of people attending a family reunion. I have also done a geek cartoon that is licensed to the University of Columbia in New York for their interactive science e-learning module for children,” says Raja Ahmad Kamil, adding that the caricatures were sent in digital format.
On the mobile front, Maxis subscribers can get to read his comics via MMS for he is also a content provider on the platform.
The future
Raja Ahmad Kamil is passionate about the development of the local creative industry and does his part to help new talents.
He has organised workshops for students as young as six years old (who learn to use simple geometric shapes and techniques to draw and create their own cartoon characters) to teenagers and adults. For the latter, the course covers the basics of creating comic art as practiced by working professionals.
“Each student is required to bring examples of his or her own artwork for assessing. Participants are taught a range of subjects, from creating characters to visual story telling and copyright protection.”
Raja Ahmad Kamil is currently working on an e-learning project for those interested to learn about these.
“I’m still working out the mechanics. However, interested individuals can go online and go through the tutorials via uploaded videos. They will be given weekly assignments. They will submit their works to me online. The good ones will be turned into case studies for others,” he says.
He hopes to make the service available in time for the year-end school holiday.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more one can do in the cyberworld. It also gives you better control over your intellectual property. And there is no limit to your creativity,” he adds.