Self-taught pencil artist Dr Sketch, the Dandora creative whose lifelike portraits once won praise from Hollywood star Morgan Freeman, will be buried in Nakuru County on Friday, 6 November. His family has announced the date as Kenyans continue to mourn him.

The artist, known on X as @pencilartsam, died last week. His family confirmed his death in reports published on 30 October, days after his last post on social media. K24 Digital reported on Monday that the family has fixed the burial for Friday in Nakuru County, but the exact venue and other funeral arrangements have not yet been made public.

Questions over how he died

The circumstances of his death have not been officially established. Claims that he was attacked have circulated on social media, but K24 Digital noted that these claims have not been independently verified. No police statement on the matter had been made public by Monday.

The 'most peaceful tweep'

Dr Sketch built a loyal following online with detailed pencil drawings of celebrities, politicians, friends and ordinary Kenyans. He often shared the work in progress, from the first faint outline to the finished portrait. His gentle manner online earned him the nickname "the most peaceful tweep".

His big moment came in 2023, when Morgan Freeman came across one of his portraits and called it an "awesome sketch". The endorsement spread widely and made the Dandora artist a source of pride for many young creatives from Nairobi's Eastlands.

Mpasho reported that news of his death left fans in shock, with many recalling portraits he had drawn for them or for people they admired.

Tributes and a fundraiser

Actress Idah Alisha was among the public figures who paid tribute on Monday. "I'm still making peace with this Sam! Rest well my friend! Glad to have known you and loved you in this lifetime," she wrote. She also shared an M-Pesa number for contributions towards the funeral.

  • A fundraiser poster has been circulating on Instagram as friends and fans raise money for burial costs.
  • Fellow artists have shared his drawings in his memory, celebrating a body of work that captured hundreds of faces.

His death has also renewed conversations online about the pressures young creatives face and the need to support artists while they are still alive.

Photos: Idah Alisha/Instagram via K24 Digital; Mpasho. Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.