Honiball attended the well known high school for boys in Stellenbosch, Paul Roos Gymnasium.

However, he needed a less structured way to express his artistic capabilities and from 1927 to 1930 he lived in Chicago where he studied commercial art.

In 1941 he became the political cartoonist for a major Afrikaans newspaper group, and quickly became one of the best known South African cartoon artists.

"Oom" is used as a form of address informally denoting (possibly affectionate) respect for any older male, whether a relative or stranger.

He loved to portray animals as having human personalities and qualities, and he produced two series to that effect.