My name is Boffin and alongside flipping JPEGs for profit with the members of “The One” since day 1, I’ve also been collecting and connecting with these artists. The passion for their craft and the stories they have to share have been nothing but a treat to experience, and it’s with that intention, that this series is being started to share those stories with the wider NFT audience.

This week the spotlight is on the Scottish Artist; Billelis. He is a digital artist and I had the pleasure of chatting with him about religious iconography, balance & experimenting with multiple materials and working with Web2 giants, while also showcasing a small preview into his creative process. You can (and really should) browse his entire portfolio here

Join The One

Boffin (Boff): Can you please introduce yourself and what style of art you like to produce/specialise in?

Billelis (Bill): Hello there, I am Billelis and I’m a digital artist specialising in dark, decorative & romantic art. I’m fascinated by death and balance in life alongside baroque and classical sculpture and portraiture.

Boff: When was the first time you heard of NFTs and why did you decide to take a leap into this world?

Bill: It was a couple of years back, I was chatting to some artist friends of mine and they shared the concept of NFT. Although at first, I’ll admit I didn’t get it. I was brainwashed by physical art galleries to think art had to be physical to have value, it really opened my eyes to the possibilities of digital art adoption and especially animation.

Boff: While there isn't an overarching theme to all your works, there are a few topics that are prominent throughout all your works. In my eyes, they would be intricate mandalas, the fragility of life & time and a lot of contrast with "Gold" (Both as colour and texture). What was it about this mixture that made you really hone into this style and truly make it your own?

Bill: So many of these elements stem from my love for religious iconography in art, cathedral decoration and humanity’s obsession with precious metals. A very dark subject can be decorated, elevated and celebrated purely by the way it is presented and adorned almost eliminating the sense of fear and despair that exists around death.

B: I'm going to take this one step further and say that it's the texturing of the multiple elements in your pieces that really make them stand out, whether it's different kinds of metals, bone, stones or even cloth. As such, what is the "mental model" while you're designing a piece on what type of materials you could use in a particular condition vs what you actually end up using in that final edition?

Bill: Honestly, It all depends on what I feel the artwork needs to say. Darkness, time, celebration, divinity, life, and growth are all elements I work with and the balance of the sculpture and final artwork is a constant give and take of textures, lighting and feel either to soften the impact of death or elevate senses of wonder.

Boff: There is a heavy emphasis on Balance in your created pieces, whether between romanticism/dark subjects, textures and even IPs. As such, what does "Balance" mean to you on a day-to-day basis?

Bill: I am learning the true balance of life to work. For many years my life was consumed by my work without much room to live. I have been very fortunate and grateful that my career has allowed me to live the life I currently lead. Burnout is real but it’s key to balancing everything and that’s why I am taking active steps to travel and experience the world and wild nature.

Boff: Speaking of IPs, It's fair to say that your work portfolio is nothing short of stacked. This includes clients like Netflix, Nike, Valorant, LionsGate (With John Wick 3), Magic the Gathering and so so many more. Which of these collaborations has been your most memorable to work on and what was the process of mixing in your own take on these already established IPs.

Bill: I would have to say that John Wick 3 & Diablo were key moments in my career. What I treasure the most besides the final artwork is the client’s ability to release control and let me add my spin to these incoming IP’s . These projects are so much more than just commissions, they are length collaborations that I treat as I would treat my own art

Boff: You've been fortunate enough to work with some of the biggest IPs out there and that too in your own way (as you've said already). Having been involved in both Web2 and Web3 quite intimately, what would you say have been the key differences between the two "mediums"?

Bill: I feel what has changed a lot is the power that creators have. In the past, it always felt like a one-sided relationship in favour of the clients but with Web3 creators have come to the forefront. It has shown us the power that lies in true collaboration and respect. Further to that, it has freed so many artists to market their artwork as they dream without constraints from client’s expectations. We are free to create what we believe in and that’s nothing short of fantastic.

Boff: There is a fairly common question of "What you would tell your younger self that you know" but let's add a twist to it. What would you tell your web2.0 self to completely avoid doing and what would you tell your Web3.0 self about the NFT landscape if you could go back.

Bill: I hate to disappoint but I don’t think I would avoid anything as that is what made me who I am today. Even the bad experiences realigned my journey. Regarding the NFT landscape, I would say to value input and feedback but don’t get lost in others’ expectations. I am very fortunate and grateful for my collectors as so many of them offer valuable advice, that being said there are many people in the space purely here to make money so don’t get lost in expectations.

Boff: Speaking of collectors, you reward your collectors regularly by offering them either collection-specific rewards or early access to your new collections. From a community-building tech perspective and you as a creator, where do you see NFTs in the future as a medium to facilitate interactions like yours between Creators and Collectors?

Bill: Rewards shouldn’t be expected, imo. But they should exist to truly reward respectful collectors. We grow through the support of our collectors and it is a mutual relationship. The future of NFT is very intriguing and I’m excited for artists to add their own elements to the medium away from what PFP and collectables promise. Overall I hope these distinctions become clearer and the medium evolves with all key uses while being unique to each one.

Boff: In your collection "In Memoriam", apart from offering a reward NFT for people that collected all 8 of the collection pieces, you also offered a physical collectors book for those that held on to them past the snapshot date. What has the experience been like to create your pieces digitally and then transform them into something tangible?

Bill: I really like diversity in mediums. I’m not a purist by all means and as an artist, It’s crucial for me to experiment. Creating this limited book was an amazing experience, especially from the physical craft aspect of the art. The Balance drop featured additional physical print rewards and I’m working on more tangible manifestations of my art. That being said I also appreciate raw digital creations, so who knows, a short film? Unreal experiences? VR? All is there to play with. I don’t have roadmaps or a clear structured schedule but I have that artistic hunger to explore and experience further.

I would firstly like to thank Billelis for giving me the time so this spotlight could be made possible! You can browse their entire portfolio here and follow them on Twitter @Billelis

Thank you to everyone for tuning in to read this. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have to craft this. Tune in next week when there will be a new artist spotlighted and new conversations to be shared.

My name is Boffin and alongside flipping JPEGs for profit with the members of “The One” since day 1, I’ve also been collecting and connecting with these artists. The passion for their craft and the stories they have to share have been nothing but a treat to experience, and it’s with that intention, that this series is being started to share those stories with the wider NFT audience.

This week the spotlight is on the Belgian Artist; benbauchau. He is primarily an illustrator and I had the pleasure of chatting with him about conveying mystery, long-term inspirations & experimenting with different mediums within Web3 while also showcasing a small preview into his creative process. You can (and really should) browse his entire portfolio here

Join The One

Boffin (Boff): Can you please introduce yourself and what style of art you like to produce/specialise in?

Benbauchau (Ben): I'm an artist from Belgium, I've been working as a freelance illustrator for about 6 years and have always been drawing personal artworks in parallel with my client projects. I would describe my work as surreal art mainly inspired by ukiyo-e and comics (although there are many other influences). These drawings are a way for me to explore my unconscious thoughts or visions and flesh those out into mysterious landscapes.

Boff: When was the first time you heard of NFTs and why did you decide to take a leap into this world?

Ben: I heard about NFTs first without making sense of it, in the course of 2021 through digital artists I was already following on Instagram. I kept on hearing about it and eventually had a friend as well as potential collaborators reaching out more and more often (I actually started working for an NFT p2e game without really knowing that was what it was), I started to be more curious about NFTs. I had no clue about crypto before this either, so it was all pretty new but really mind-blowing. In August 2021 I finally started my journey as a 1/1 artist and soon after started working on a PFP collection called Ascended. They were both amazing ways for me to create what I wanted the way I wanted it, which was a huge change from my last years of freelance work.

Boff: Looking at the types of works you've minted, they feel like a mixture of fantastical, the wear of time & with a touch of divinity. How would you describe it?

Ben: I'm obsessed with unanswered mystery I think that is the best way to put it. I like to draw things that are extraordinary, be it more or less subtle. I have a passion for tribal art and masks, as well as fantasy and sci-fi in general. I think one of the reasons for that is I love to reflect on time, a forgotten past and an unknown future, a perspective of life on a bigger scale, that's not only focused on our present time. I'm not sure how much my art shows that specifically, but it's something that is often on my mind.

Boff: How do you go to convey the mystery in the pieces? You’ve mentioned one aspect of it, which is time (Unknown future and forgotten past) but a lot of mystery is in the intrigue of not knowing the whole picture after all. How do you design the unseen and make it “seen”?

Ben: There is no special process behind the mystery aspect of my drawings, it's actually the process of sketching landscapes that come to my mind and discovering them as I lay them on paper that makes it a process I love. Drawing these is a way for me to explore these places, without having answers. Sometimes they might evoke a more specific idea or feeling, but I tend to overthink too much in my daily life and that's exactly why these drawings are like that, because when I create art, I go through an experience without trying to make sense out of it. I will feed on art (visual, literature, movies, music) that broadly inspires me to come up with visions of these landscapes, so I have these artists and artworks to thank for triggering my creativity and conveying that mystery.

Boff: Looking at your works prior to joining the NFT space, what was the experience of working on the TV show "American Gods"? The world created by Gaiman is rife with creativity and inspiration sources. That is very close to your style of art, is it not?

Ben: Working on American Gods was an amazing experience, still today, prior to NFTs, by far one of my favourite projects I've worked on. I think it had the perfect ingredients of what I like to work on. But in addition to that, it was one of those projects where I'm having the most fun sketching and fleshing out ideas and designs, letting thoughts from my mind lay down on paper (or screen).

Boff: Looking back at your core inspirations, how much would you say about the art of comics and the genre of Ukiyo-e having had an impact on your work as a whole? Translated from Japanese, ‘ukiyo-e’ means “picture[s] of the floating world” (which I'm sure you already know). I'm sure there are parallels you can draw from your experience as an artist over the years

Ben: Comic books (from Europe US and Japan mainly, and animated tv shows at a younger age) are what made me want to draw when I was a kid. I would go to the library and discover all types of comics and look at one drawing for a long time (I have had the habit to look at the frames or pages I liked, as if looking at art, more then actually reading the stories). My fondest memory is when I was about 10 years old and discovered Mother Sarah from Otomo and Nagayasu, I can't say why that one more then others but I can still remember the drawings as if it was yesterday. From there when I grew older Ukiyo-e felt like the perfect kind of art similar to what attracted me with comics visually in the first place. There are different themes but contemplative landscapes and mystical folklore are often at the center of Ukiyo-e, and as you point out, the name itself says something about the delicate touch these Japanese artists had. That and the focus on drawing (each artist's gesture and style of strokes is visible in the final woodprints) is what attracts me the most.

Boff: If we look at the theming of your work and just look at it as a collection of colours, each of your pieces has a gradient to them and more so than that, they are slightly muted. You won't find any bright popping colours (even if a scene is inherently bright). Simple question (though also not) Why is that?

Ben: I’m actually colorblind and I think I've always used muted colors for that reason (to avoid ending up with too much of a mess). Now my partner in life Elsa (Who is a former compositing artist) does the colors of the illustrations and she has kept that intention on the colors while adding something to it that makes the details pop out more and have a cohesive composition. The gradient aspect and muted colors also come from the Ukiyo-e inspiration, although they would often use bright colors, the actual prints usually have a washed out feel which we love to take inspiration from. I personally find that to add to an otherworldly feel I look for in both art I like and want to create.

I would firstly like to thank Ben for giving me the time so this spotlight could be made possible! You can browse their entire portfolio here and follow them on Twitter @benbauchau

Thank you to everyone for tuning in to read this. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have to craft this. Tune in next week when there will be a new artist spotlighted and new conversations to be shared.

My name is Boffin and alongside flipping JPEGs for profit with the members of “The One” since day 1, I’ve also been collecting and connecting with these artists. The passion for their craft and the stories they have to share have been nothing but a treat to experience, and it’s with that intention, that this series is being started to share those stories with the wider NFT audience.

This week the spotlight is on the American/Indian Artist; Vidya, also known as “Vabyvel”. She is primarily a 3D animator and I had the pleasure of chatting with her about the topic of diversity in Web 3, being featured in a physical NFT gallery and inspirations from her heritage, while also showcasing a small preview into her creative process. You can (and really should) browse her entire portfolio here

Join The One

Boffin (B): Can you please introduce yourself and what style of art you like to produce/specialise in?

Vabyvel (V): Hello, I am Vidya ( a.k.a @vabyvel). I am an artist living in San Francisco. I primarily create 3D animations and sometimes dabble in other art forms. As a digital artist, I spent years refining my style while representing my culture with a modern lens attributing to the highly popular ”Crypto Ranis” Series on Super Rare. This is an ongoing collection of fearless, incredible queens living on the blockchain.
Rani = "Queen": The collection plays on sensual, feminist imagery and the goal to create more representation for women in this space and see the beautiful, sexy side of them we can sometimes be afraid to show. This collection aims to empower women and bring up more uncomfortable topics. I want more women to feel freer and talk about their sexuality, their desires, identities, menstruation, and normalize those things.

B: When was the first time you heard of NFTs and why did you decide to take a leap into this world?

V: I first heard of NFTs from a close friend. He had been following crypto markets for a while and heard of NFTs in January of 2021 and thought I could put some of my art on the blockchain. I loved how there was a recognition for individual artists in the space. That’s something that wasn’t really as common before with digital art. I definitely was intrigued by the money I saw people making as well, mainly because it has always been a dream of mine to support myself with my own art. The idea of the ability to create something meaningful to me and make a living off of it is so fulfilling to me. I also realized that I could create more work that represents my culture. I really feel like south Asians are some of the least represented in western entertainment and I think it’s important to change that so people growing up can feel more comfortable in their own skin.

B: Let’s delve into the culture a bit more. While you have already explored a lot of different themes and topics in your pieces, are there any themes that you have tried to explore earlier but couldn’t do “bring it justice” so you didn’t pursue them further? and if so, what do you think you need to do to finish the creation this time around? (You already could have had this done with an existing piece now, so that could be that)

V: I am continuing to explore more difficult themes as I go further along with my Crypto Rani series. I have quite some ideas lined up including, portraying more inclusive body shapes and imperfections and hoping to bring some more stigmatized topics into this space. I am also hoping to expand the world of Crypto Ranis also known as “Raniverse” and create collections of worlds inspired by the future and the architecture of ancient Indian temples, & palaces and dig deeper into the beauty of our culture.

B: On the topic of Ranis specifically, all the Ranis don not only Indian clothing but are also accessorised with intricate jewellery. As much as the clothing is important, I’d argue that the jewellery on each rani is what gives them their personality. There is a lot of importance given to Gold by South Indians and traditional south Indian jewellery shows this by being very gold-heavy and intricate. As such, when designing these Ranis, what is the rationale/methodology/philosophy while you accessorize them? and how do you feel your heritage/culture plays a role in this?

V: When I think of the word “Rani”, I immediately imagine a female figure adorned in gold. I think gold is such an essential part of our south Indian culture and I grew up wearing gold jewellery to temples and ceremonies, which were inspired by India’s classical dance form also known as “Bharatnatyam”. The gold signifies the beauty and confidence of these powerful Rani figures. For Instance. The Jhumka (“The Bell Shaped Earrings”) are quite prevalent across all the Crypto Ranis, this is an iconic piece of jewellery originating from Southern India and I grew up wearing my own set of gold Jhumkas as a kid. They come in many different styles, but I kept to a more traditional representation of “Juhmkas” with an all-gold regal look for these Ranis. Crypto Ranis embrace both the modern and traditional so it is important for me to include elements like these that are important to me and my culture.

B: Taking a step back from culture, There is a general consensus that there arent enough female creators in NFTs and Web3.0 in general. Apart from being a female creator in the space, you also have a South Asian heritage. As such, what has the experience around the creation of "Crypto Ranis" been for you? The things that surprised you, some things that you didn't expect, etc?

V: When I got accepted to SuperRare I knew I wanted to create something original just for that. My main goal for the series is to uplift women of colour in the NFT space and spread the representation we don't see enough of. I am really proud of my Crypto Ranis series. Honestly, I am still in awe of all the support and people that connect with my work.

I can’t believe how much it’s grown since I started it and I am so grateful that I have had the chance to work with so many great projects and artists. I just can’t believe how many great people I have met and I am really looking forward to collaborating with even more artists. I know that there are statistics that there are fewer women than men on Web3 but there are still so so many amazing women creating to support in the space. I knew that was the case but I was almost a little surprised to hear how big the gap is because my Twitter timeline is filled with so many inspiring female artists from all different backgrounds. The positivity and support in the space is just always refreshing. I have met so many awesome people and was able to collaborate with World of Woman and had my art airdropped to their holders. Recently, Steve Aoki bought my "Kinky Ranis" piece and that has been quite eye-opening and still is quite a shock. An achievement that really takes it home is being able to donate a portion of my sales to "The Pad Project" which is such an important cause for me. My incredible collector @NinjaBoffin also matched my donation and I was in awe of how powerful this space can be. I am so excited to contribute to more causes and bring exposure to women in the NFT space.

B: You recently got invited by SuperRare to their first physical gallery in which you had your work featured there as well. You’ve gone from applying to SuperRare in 2021 to now being one of the first-ever physical featured artists by the same platform in such a short period of time. Firstly, the heartiest of congratulations! Is there something that you wished you did sooner knowing what you know now?

V: Thank you so much! It has been an overwhelming amount of support and work in the past couple of months since everything in the space is evolving so fast. I honestly wouldn't have it any other way, It has been an incredible ride so far with the opportunities I have been given by such an amazing platform such as “SuperRare”. I appreciate how much they are doing to feature and uplift women in the space. If anything, I wish I had engaged sooner with my audience and the women in the NFT space. At first, I did feel a bit intimidated to reach out and talk to other artists, because of how well known they were, but everyone is just as kind and always looking to help out.

I would firstly like to thank Vidya for giving me the time so this spotlight could be made possible! You can browse their entire portfolio here and follow them on Twitter @Vabyvel

Thank you to everyone for tuning in to read this. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have to craft this. Tune in next week when there will be a new artist spotlighted and new conversations to be shared.

My name is Boffin and alongside flipping JPEGs for profit with the members of “The One” since day 1, I’ve also been collecting and connecting with these artists. The passion for their craft and the stories they have to share have been nothing but a treat to experience, and it’s with that intention that this series is being started to share those stories with the wider NFT audience.

This week the spotlight is on the Scottish Artist; Shaun, also known as “GŁOWA”. He is an audiovisual artist and I had the pleasure of chatting with him about capturing abstract concepts in still form, fatherhood and honing in on a style, while also showcasing a small preview into his creative process. You can (and really should) browse his entire portfolio here

Join The One

Boffin (B): Can you please introduce yourself and what style of art you like to produce/specialise in?

GŁOWA (G): My name is Shaun Głowa and my artist’s handle is my last name GŁOWA. I'm an audiovisual artist in Edinburgh, Scotland. My work is predominantly short animations that have a strong focus on music.

FlightGLOWA

It only needs a few to lead the way. Made with - Blender, After Effects and Ableton Live

Created by GLOWAView on OpenSea

B: When was the first time you heard of NFTs and why did you decide to take a leap into this world?

G: The first time I heard of NFTs was in September 2020 from a random Reddit comment under one of my works saying "hey, have you heard of NFTs? You could probably sell your work". I did some research and sent a pitiful application to SuperRare the next day. At the time I had no idea about anything, Haha.

SurrenderKnownOrigin

A figure suspended and pulled from the dark into a sea of light. A piece exploring the hopelessness of resisting change. Being pulled into it, resigned to the fact that there is nothing you can do. …

Created by GLOWAView on OpenSea

Time went by, and I forgot about it until late January 2021. My newborn daughter needed to be rocked on my shoulder all night, to sleep at that time, and I would be on my phone trying to stay awake. I went down a rabbit hole of researching NFTs.

OceanKnownOrigin

An empty row boat moves through a gateway into a swirling ocean. A piece exploring the uncertainty and anxiety of moving into an unknown space. Made with - Blender, After Effects and Ableton Live

Created by GLOWAView on OpenSea

I remember buying ETH and looking at her and thinking what the fuck am I doing. I need to save money, but here I am dropping £200 on fuck knows what. Haha. I minted my first piece Rarible the next day... Then burnt it because of a spelling mistake (no sleep remember!). Never looked back after that.

B: Congratulations on your fatherhood! In a way, both your career in NFTs and the birth of your daughter happened at roughly the same time, so how would you say your work has been affected since the birth of your daughter? I’d imagine looking back, there are some interesting correlations there

G: Big time, although I hadn't realised it until looking back at the work I made at that time. Black Sun, one of the first pieces I made after she was born, the description reads "being drawn into something that is both incredibly beautiful and utterly terrifying at the same time". I have no better description of how I felt when I first looked at my daughter! haha.

Black SunFoundation (FND)

Inescapable. A star rises above a planet as we are pulled into its centre. Exploring being drawn into something that is both incredibly beautiful and utterly terrifying at the same time. Made with…

Created by GLOWAView on OpenSea

B: Taking a step back and looking at the overarching themes of your works, there are certain themes which are favoured heavily in your works and the big ones are that of "Time" and "Light". What about these themes makes you create your pieces around them?

G: It's hard to talk about artworks without falling into clichés about emotions and feelings, but I'll do my best. I'm essentially interested in how audio and visual can work together to convey a feeling or a moment. That's where time comes into it. When we feel, it's fluid with time. It can change and evolve as we experience something. I love trying to capture these moments of feelings and transition in my work. That is why I call them "Singular moments in time".

SkyGLOWA - Editions

Heavens above.

Created by GLOWAView on OpenSea

As for the theme of light. You'll notice my work is fairly "lo-fi". I love the idea that these images are being picked up on the fringe of science. Like from a probe in deep space or a piece of equipment in the deepest depths of the ocean. In these dark places, like our psyche, only the brightest of lights shine through for us to pick them up on an image. I never consciously went for this style, I kind of fell into it.

B: Would you say that there has been a piece (or pieces) of yours in which you designed the audio first and then built the piece around that? As you’ve said, your pieces are a collaboration between audio and visuals after all.

G: My usual process is actually to make the audio at the same time as the visuals. I sit with both programs open and go back and forth, building the experience and following the threads that interest me. Even if I physically make the music or visual first, I'm always building the other in my head. So I guess they are always made in unison.

Complex GhostsFoundation (FND)

The reveal A lone figure stands on the edge of a body of water, watching a giant wall of moving pixels being revealed. Often feelings are left in the past, covered up and hidden. These feelings res…

Created by GLOWAView on OpenSea

B: Speaking of collaborations, your pieces are built around visuals & audio in unison. As such how have you found the process of collaborating with other artists? After all, there is now another person with their own identity and style in the mix.

G: I come from a filmmaking background where collaboration is a given. So moving into this space and working with others felt really natural. I don't feel precious or guarded about my style or process and I'm really interested in how best to express an idea or feeling through audio (music) and visual (animation). I've found that others that I have collaborated with in the space have been the same so it's been a really positive experience and I've leant so much from some incredible artists.

GlareFoundation (FND)

The end. Atop a high rise a lone figure watches as their city is consumed by light. Exploring when the end is near and there is nothing you can do but watch. What would you do with your last 57 sec…

Created by GLOWAView on OpenSea

I would firstly like to thank GŁOWA for giving me the time so this spotlight could be made possible! You can browse their entire portfolio here and follow them on Twitter @_GLOWA_

Thank you to everyone for tuning in to read this. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have to craft this. Tune in next week when there will be a new artist spotlighted and new conversations to be shared.

It’s important to remember that the NFT ecosystem also encompasses extremely talented artists who specialise in creating scarce pieces (1/1s or limited editions) for curators & collectors alike to add to their collections and ultimately for everyone to enjoy visually (and often audibly too). NFTs allow such artists to create for themselves instead of the demands of a client, and I want to shine a spotlight on the motivations of new and upcoming artists in the space.

My name is Boffin and alongside flipping JPEGs for profit with the members of “The One” since day 1, I’ve also been collecting and connecting with these artists. The passion for their craft and the stories they have to share have been nothing but a treat to experience, and it’s with that intention that this series is being started to share those stories with the wider NFT audience.

This week the spotlight is on the French Artist; Jæn. He is a multifaceted artist and I had the pleasure of chatting with him about world-building, experimenting with new technology as an artist and a small preview into his creative process. You can (and really should) browse his entire portfolio here

Join The One

Boffin (B): Can you please introduce yourself and what style of art you like to produce/specialise in?

Jæn (J): Hi! I’m Jæn (pronounce it like Jean in “Jean-Paul”, or however you like, honestly) and I’m from Bordeaux in France. I’ve been a professional artist for more than 10 years, starting with academic research on contemporary Japanese art, exhibiting photography and photo manipulations, commercial illustration, traditional painting and drawing, and 3D printing and augmented reality in street art, before going full crypto artist at the tail end of 2020. I also make my own music and write a little bit.

0x000000000000000000000000000000000000dEaDSuperRare

An artist's impression in collaboration with GŁOWA. 16th of July 2021: Experiment 0xdEaD, Phase Beta launched. The Entangled City Of The Etherean dEaD has successfully landed in 0x0000000000000000000…

Created by JaenView on OpenSea

B: When was the first time you heard of NFTs and why did you decide to take a leap into this world?

J: This is going to be slightly long! For years, I had been trying my best to bring the digital to the art world, namely in exhibitions. Either through limited, even 1/1 AR prints, or 3D prints, which in all cases needed a physical incarnation to be valued. That was really frustrating, as even though I love drawing, acrylics, spray paint and watercolour, the free power and fine-tuning allowed by the digital remained unmatched for me. I was also dabbling in VR painting (Tilt Brush), and saw digital art as lacking a place in the broader art world, a place where no one says “but it’s an illustration, not art!” or “animation is great for Instagram, but it’s not proper art”. In October 2020, I discovered Frans Huys’ illustrations of mask sculptures from fellow Flemish Renaissance artist Cornelis Floris de Vriendt. I cleaned, coloured and animated these 500 years after their birth, and was looking for a place to properly store, value and share them in the digital space. This would ultimately become the project named “Cornælhuys”.

Cornælhuys 1/18 - Satyre FloralCornaelhuys

A timeless bridge between 2 artists from the 16th Century and Jæn from the 21st. Frans Huys, a Belgian illustrator (1522-1562), made splendid illustrations of grotesque masks from Flemish sculptor Co…

Created by JaenView on OpenSea

At that time, a friend who had fully dived into blockchains and cryptocurrencies told me about NFTs, and said it would be a great match for my art. I took a quick look as he showed me mainly stuff full of crypto logos and stuff like that, and all felt a bit alien and really hard to get around. Yet, I was intrigued, and as I completed the first phase of Cornælhuys, it clicked: these old/new masks should be NFTs, it made a whole lot of sense - and would make even more sense when the term “Digital Renaissance” was coined, bridging everything I had done. So in November and December, I applied a bit randomly to SuperRare and Async Art, and was accepted by both. I began trying to wrap my head around blockchains and cryptocurrencies, and for the first time in my life, decided that I would understand by doing. I minted my first work in January 2021, and went head-on into crypto art and blockchains with an unexpected success, and never looked back. I had found what I had been looking for, a proper home for digital art in a lush, funky digital ecosystem, full of amazing people.

Cornælhuys 5/18 - Le Grand NasalCornaelhuys

A timeless bridge between 2 artists from the 16th Century and Jæn from the 21st. Frans Huys, a Belgian illustrator (1522-1562), made splendid illustrations of grotesque masks from Flemish sculptor Co…

Created by JaenView on OpenSea

B: In your 10 years of experience as an artist through multiple mediums, from your academic research to where you are today, how much of your current work do you see being inspired by what you studied at University?

J: The artist I wrote my Master’s thesis about was Takashi Murakami. I was drawn to his work because the discourse between Japanese pop/otaku culture and the Western eye was really relevant for my generation, but also because we share a taste for the colourful, the psychedelic, and the outlines, and concept-wise, for analysing the zeitgeist and diving deeper to work with actual meaning. Paradoxically, his “Superflat” conceptual framework and fascination for commercial art from the mouths of Warhol and Koons would probably help me not care about making “serious” art, and letting pure aesthetic pleasure be self-sufficient or balance symbolism and more intellectual stuff.

B: From all the works you've minted (and even works prior to being in the NFT space), your work and the subject matter are diverse and do not necessarily relate to your previous works. Where would you say you get the ideas for the pieces or even themes from and how do start to create said pieces?

J: Sometimes, I explore concepts in series, sometimes, themes emerge after a few works have been created, like the Blockchain Mythology body of works. They formed a relevant ensemble by themselves, which I discovered while doing it, or even later. I also like one-shots, what I call “gems”, because not being related to anything else - yet! - actually makes them more of a world of their own, in one singular piece. To answer your question better, I think it’s a slow process. As a kid, since life was often painful for me, I made my own sanctuaries through imagination - if I had had a happy childhood, I would probably not have become an artist. You start that process of creating and experimenting with everything inside your mind early on - eventually becoming a regular lucid dreamer and using your sleeping time as a creative lab of sorts, and then hone your skills of choosing what’s relevant or not over the years.

Drawing & writing were the most meaningful ways to give shape and power to what you could imagine, so that’s through these forms that the aesthetics were in turn slowly honed and shaped. Having done (commercial) illustration since my teen years, you start to confront yourself with others’ points of view and taste, first in a painful way because you can’t separate what you make from who you are, and then in a way where you discern when the feedback is valuable, and when you should acknowledge you know better. There’s no shortcut to this.

So now, I make fewer mistakes (and still make a ton!), and know early on when to follow through with a concept or not, although I never know how it’s going to be received, which is as stressful as the first day, since what I put out matters to me. It’s cliché, but being an artist is really taking yourself naked outside on the streets. You get slowly used to it and learn to own it, but make no mistake, when you appreciate and value art, there’s real magic that opens up to you, most of which is hard to describe through words.

0xdEaD DataAsync Art

The data received through entangled particles from 0x000000000000000000000000000000000000dEaD can be changed through glitching the receiver/transmitter embedded in the X Device. This signal affects t…

Created by JaenView on OpenSea

B: You mentioned earlier that early on when you were doing commercial illustrations, you would give others’ point of view more importance than you would now and it’d be hard to discern what is valuable feedback and what’s mostly noise. What was the transition like from creating commercial illustrations to now having complete control of your pieces?

J: Commercial illustration had always been just a part of what I do, and even back then, I mainly took offers in which I had some freedom because adapting to the client has always been very painful to do and I wanted to limit that as much as possible. So, in a way it hasn’t changed at all, I just have more time for the things I like the most!

B: Prior to creating crypto art (or even knowing about the medium), you were already exploring the digital art space in various ways. Had you not known about crypto art, where were you originally hoping that path would take you?

J: I honestly don’t know, because I was starting to wonder if I shouldn’t go full commercial, become a video game AD or any other solution to fix the starving indie artist's depressive state. You hear people say “crypto art saved my life”, that sounds either like a cliché or an attention-seeking blanket statement, but in my case it’s true. Without crypto art, I would have crushed my soul going to interesting, but ultimately unfit work environments or a lame day job with very little time left for art.

Le VisionnaireAsync Art

The Visionary, holding his/her vision tightly, feeding from it, never giving up.

Created by JaenView on OpenSea

I would firstly like to thank Jæn for giving me the time so this spotlight could be made possible! You can browse their entire portfolio here and follow them on Twitter @jaendotart

Thank you to everyone for tuning in to read this. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have to craft this. Tune in next week when there will be a new artist spotlighted and new conversations to be shared.

It’s important to remember that the NFT ecosystem also encompasses extremely talented artists who specialise in creating scarce pieces (1/1s or limited editions) for curators & collectors alike to add to their collections and ultimately for everyone to enjoy visually (and often audibly too). NFTs allow such artists to create for themselves instead of the demands of a client, and I want to shine a spotlight on the motivations of new and upcoming artists in the space.

My name is Boffin and alongside flipping JPEGs for profit with the members of “The One” since day 1, I’ve also been collecting and connecting with these artists. The passion for their craft and the stories they have to share have been nothing but a treat to experience, and it’s with that intention that this series is being started to share those stories with the wider NFT audience.

This week the spotlight is on the Egyptian/American Artist; Mark, also known as “MarkTheHabibi”. He is a 3D artist and I had the pleasure of chatting with him about clay animation, multi-cultural influences, and community building along with a small preview into his creative process. You can (and really should) browse his entire portfolio here

Join The One

Boffin (B): Can you please introduce yourself and what style of art you like to produce/specialise in?

MarkTheHabibi (MTH): Hello! My name is Mark, but I go by MarkTheHabibi. I mainly produce 3D art in the NFT space, but I've been a cinematographer for 10 years, and have also been experimenting with code-based art.

#28 "E-Habibi"Rarible

Habibi No. 28 "E-Habibi" Relationships: N/A Style: [Headwear] E-Tarboosh [Foreground] حبيبي (Habibi) E-wallpaper

Created by MarkTheHabibiView on OpenSea

B: The word “Habibi” and the theming around your project are predominantly Arabic. What was it that made you dial into "Habibis" before you decided to pull the trigger on this style/branding for your NFTs?

MTH: My parents immigrated from Egypt to the United States in the 1970s, so I grew up in a household that spoke English and Arabic, usually a mix of the two at any given moment. So for me, Habibi is a word that I would hear multiple times a day. Translated to English, it means "my love" or "my dearest". It's basically a term of affection that family members, lovers, or even friends will refer to each other as. We don't really have a word in English that really captures the feeling of it. Originally, before the pandemic, I wanted to start a production company called "Habibi Studio", but after the pandemic happened and I lost most of my work, I started dabbling in 3D art, since I had time on my hands. I started to make these little avatars for fun, with lots of inspiration from Cryptopunks, Hashmasks, and Lirona's #boiz. Eventually, it hit me that this is the Habibi project I wanted to make, not a film studio.

habibi#boithe#boi

Head: Habibi Neon Arabic Calligraphy Eyes: Two, Habibi Eye Nose: Black, Rough Mouth: Missing Bust: Habibi Neon Arabic Calligraphy Backdrop: Black Series: Unions (08) #: 14

Created by iamlironaView on OpenSea

B: That’s a very interesting point you mention there about the Arabic/English language translations and this is a fairly common & shared experience in bilingual households. As such, how have you found the experience of translating the “untranslatable” into your pieces?

MTH: I love the way you expressed that, "Translating the untranslatable". I think that's a very real thing that comes into play for me when I make Habibis. On the front end, they are just cute little clay avatars. But for me, they reflect my desire to make something that is joyous about my culture, and not violent. As westerners, whenever we hear Arabic, we instantly think a lot of weird thoughts because we've been programmed to think that way. Thoughts of violence and terrorism. But, that's really not who Arabs are. We are genuinely the kindest and most hospitable people on this planet. So with Habibis, I want to passively undo just a tiny bit of that by introducing a new word and idea to the NFT culture.

Habibis "Fuzzy Lovers"Habibis editions

Habibis "Fuzzy Lovers" Shown together: "The High-Key" and "The Low-Key" This NFT is awarded to the first ten people to unite Habibi #49 and #50 together in one wallet, within 24 hours of initial dr…

Created by MarkTheHabibiView on OpenSea

B: Your style of plasticine/clay-based NFTs is also very unique in the space that we haven't seen a lot of artists use ever. I am assuming that's because it’s a very time-intensive process but it would still be interesting to know why you chose it?

MTH: All of my NFTs are actually produced digitally in Blender. I really gravitate towards the clay and plastic look for a number of reasons. First off, they just look awesome to me, haha! Second, they are a huge throwback to my childhood watching claymation films like Wallace and Gromit or Fantastic Mr. Fox. I can't get enough of that stuff. Third, the clay and plastic textures have a really unique way of catching and reflecting the lights I set up in a scene. I'd consider my best strength to be lighting, so working with textures and models that highlight that (no pun intended) is a lot of fun.

Habibi #84 "The Oner"Habibis

Unlockable Content: High-res media for personal use Bonus: The primary sale collector will be awarded two (2) Generation: Habibi Edition Mint Passes [Drop] One Year Anniversary [Background] Blackout

Created by MarkTheHabibiView on OpenSea

B: Firstly, mad props for creating your pieces in Blender, they look handmade (with the thumbprints & imperfections)! Wallace and Gromit are some of my favourite childhood movies along with Chicken Run. Building on this, what was the jump like from cinematographer to creating these 3D pieces? Scene setting, lighting, backgrounds, etc

MTH: CHICKEN RUNNNNN! Man, what an incredible film... But, I first became interested in 3D because a lot of cinematographers and gaffers were learning to use 3D software to previsualize lighting on sets. Rather than wasting time and experimenting on set, they could use 3D software to previsualize the lighting, hand that off to the gaffer before the day starts, and get to shooting quicker.
But I think when I found out about NFTs, it just seemed way more exciting to me. And for those who are wondering, I got into NFTs because I loved the idea of people collecting my works on the blockchain. For context when I got involved, Beeple hadn't sold "The First 5,000 days" yet. There wasn't really the money craze yet. Now, because Blender is fully ray-traced with the Cycles Engine, all of my skills as a cinematographer and lighting expert translated quite well. I really love it. Scenes that would take hours to light in real life can be lit in Blender in seconds. It's a really fun playground and you can see that in some of my pieces too.

Habibis "Disclosure"Habibis

Habibis "Disclosure" Shown together: "The Rave" and "The Rise" This NFT is awarded to the first person to unite Habibi #42 and #43 together in one wallet. Contact @MarkTheHabibi on Twitter to claim.

Created by MarkTheHabibiView on OpenSea

B: Relatively speaking, you've done a great number of collaborations with other top tier artists and each & every Habibi as a result has looked extremely unique. Your collaborators include artists such as Des Lucréce, Defaced, Deadfellaz and even Disclosure. With Habibis having a strong identity of their own and each of your collaborating artists having their own unique and honed style, what was the experience like from initial talks & planning to ultimately minting said pieces?

MTH: Collaborations have been a really unique and challenging process for me. I consider myself an artist who's still finding their voice, and that's a process that takes a long time. Some of my earlier collabs are quite weird, awkward, and a little aimless. Which I should add, I don't think is a bad thing at all. It just accurately reflects where my head was at, in that particular moment. Which as well all know is/was pure chaos since the NFT scene was moving at the speed of light in 2021. Now, I'm starting to really hone in on what makes a Habibi a“ Habibi”, and bring that to each collab. Basically, I'm in the process of making Habibis into an icon, not just a character. Once I figured that out and really spent time understanding that, the collaborations became a lot easier to produce and manage.

Habibi UnitA.N.I.M.O

A.N.I.M.O 10,000 Cute NFT Mechas

Created by ANIMO-DeployerView on OpenSea

B: I would say that the chaos, in the beginning, is often needed to give us clarity as we progress in our careers. That doesn't necessarily mean the work we’ve created in that chaotic period is any less meaningful. Jumping from one form of chaos to another, you’ve also launched Generation Habibis along with your 1/1 pieces. With the “Collector” community being different to the “Generation” community, how would you say your community has evolved since the launching of Generation Habibis?

MTH: Many people see me as an artist, and I am! But, I've always been a massive community-oriented person. Ever since I was in high school, I've been building clubs and social groups open to anyone and everyone. Some have been online, and some have been in-person. Honestly, while I'm proud of my skills as an artist, I'd consider my skills as a community builder to be one of my greatest.

Launching Generation: Habibi has been incredible for Habibis. Because we've nurtured an incredible community, we've managed to make our community our greatest asset. But, it's really not for the faint of heart. If you thought making a generative project was difficult, it's really nothing compared to creating and developing a positive, non-toxic community.

Generation: Habibi #851Generation: Habibi

Generation: Habibi is a collection of 1,000+ generated avatars created by MarkTheHabibi. But, this isn't your average generative project. Generation: Habibi is designed to grow over time. Collectors …

Created by HabibiDevView on OpenSea

I would firstly like to thank Mark for giving me the time so this spotlight could be made possible! You can browse their entire portfolio here and follow them on Twitter @MarkTheHabibi

Thank you to everyone for tuning in to read this. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have to craft this. Tune in next week when there will be a new artist spotlighted and new conversations to be shared.

The NFT ecosystem in recent memory has been heavily project orientated, where the JPEGs are bundled along with a roadmap full of promised utility and discords full of participants wondering “wen moon?”. It’s important to remember that the NFT ecosystem also encompasses extremely talented artists who specialise in creating scarce pieces (1/1s or limited editions) for curators & collectors alike to add to their collections and ultimately for everyone to enjoy visually (and often audibly too).

My name is Boffin and alongside flipping JPEGs for profit with the members of “The One” since day 1, I’ve also been collecting and connecting with these artists. The passion for their craft and the stories they have to share have been nothing but a treat to experience, and it’s with that intention that this series is being started to share those stories with the wider NFT audience.

This week the spotlight is on the Polish Artist; Bezmiar. He is a 3D collagist and I had the pleasure of chatting with him about world-building, experimenting with new styles as an artist and a small preview into his creative process. You can (and really should) browse his entire portfolio here

Join The One

Boffin (Bo): Can you please introduce yourself and what style of art you like to produce/specialise in?

Bezmiar (Be): My name is Bezmiar and I’m an artist based in Poland. I think what can best describe my artistic approach is a collage. I always try to incorporate new elements, and ways to improve while expanding my artistic vision. Originally I was doing regular collages mixing vintage iconography with descriptive geometry, but now I try to combine even more mixed media. With 3d as a base, I often layer them with old video footage (from the 1920s) and music written especially for the piece.

Bo: When was the first time you heard of NFTs and why did you decide to take a leap into this world?

Be: I've been working as a graphic designer for more than 14 years, mostly working with cultural venues and museums. Back in March 2020 just as lockdowns had started, I had insane problems with finding work, so firstly I tried investing in crypto. That thankfully helped me stay above the surface for a bit. Then around the end of 2020 I heard about NFTs and thought I should give it a try and that leads us to today :)

Nobody really leavesFoundation (FND)

Each of us has experienced a loss in our lives. Regardless of whether it was the departure of a loved one, parting with a friend or leaving a beloved place. The truth is, however, that as long as we …

Created by BezmiarView on OpenSea

Bo: Correct me if I’m wrong but there seems to be a big inspiration from the “noir style” of cinema in your works, especially with the sounds you create for your pieces. What about that style of cinema appeals to you both visually and audibly?

Be: I take a great inspiration not only from Film noir but rather from old cinematography in general. Early films were silent, so directors had to pay more attention to creating atmosphere by building the image. That is key. The music (which was usually played live in the cinema) was only used to enhance this effect. Film noir continued this philosophy by adding extra darkness to it. I try to recreate this old-school feeling in the modern medium.

City NoirFoundation (FND)

Animated collage depicting surreal cityscape set in Retropunk geometric world of Bezmiar. Gray and unwelcoming environment of concrete blocks can look inhospitable to the outsider but for someone w…

Created by BezmiarView on OpenSea

Bo: If we look at your earliest works to some of your latest works, there are a lot of differences but mainly that it's gone from static sketch-like images to there being multiple different scenes in the same animation. How would you describe the changes in your creative process as you create newer and these increasingly complex pieces?

Be: I like to learn new things and improve myself, so with every piece I expand my perspectives on what can be done. That itself stimulates me to try new things. In every piece I want to add something new to my palette to make it more complex but at the same time coherent with everything I've done before.

Bo: I think it’s exceptionally clear that your skills as an artist have grown and you’ve honed your artistic approach a lot more since you began. With the designs now having gotten a lot more intricate with various moving parts and often a central theme in mind, firstly what is the rough mental model you follow to find not only a theme but then start the design process for the artwork?

Be: Being a graphics designer by trade, when I work I always try to follow the words of Mies van der Rohe; “Less is more”. The most important thing to me when creating a piece is the thought behind it and every single unimportant element draws us away from the clarity. My design process starts from the idea, which I dissect in my head and try to extract its core essence. I look around for the best metaphors in everything around, finding connections where no one is looking and then the collage starts to put itself together.

Bo: As you push yourself to utilise new techniques and add them to your pieces, would you say that decide on the technique you’re going to use prior to designing your piece or do you have the entire piece in mind designed prior and then research into new techniques that complements your work?

Be: I’d say one of the biggest advantages of not being an expert is that some techniques do not have any beaten paths. I see this in my day-to-day skills, using many shortcuts and known solutions. But when you have proper skills in design thinking and small knowledge about the technique, you can just imagine what you want to do or how it should look like and you will eventually get there. The form of the piece is a result of the idea, not the other way around.

BlissGriseo

Journey into ourselves is always a challenge. Looking for peace, we encounter wounds that seem impossible to heal. But we need to remember that only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of …

Created by BezmiarView on OpenSea

I would firstly like to thank Bezmiar for giving me the time so this spotlight could be made possible! You can browse their entire portfolio here and follow them on Twitter @bezmiar1

Thank you to everyone for tuning in to read this. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have to craft this. Tune in next week when there will be a new artist spotlighted and new conversations to be shared.

The importance of the creation of NFTs can’t be overstated enough. As you will read in this post and future ones, NFTs are now enabling a form of monetisation that hasn’t been available before to these artists. Available to anyone regardless of borders & background, purchasable 24/7 in a trustless manner for both the artists and the collectors, recurring revenue in the form of lifelong royalties ultimately creates a medium for artists to express themselves in any way they can imagine.

My name is Boffin and alongside flipping JPEGs for profit with the members of “The One” since day 1, I’ve also been collecting and connecting with these artists. The passion for their craft and the stories they have to share have been nothing but a treat to experience, and it’s with that intention that this series is being started to share those stories with the wider NFT audience.

This is the beginning of a new weekly series in which I am going to spotlight a brand new artist along with their works while getting to know them better and understand their creative processes behind the pieces a little bit better.

This week the spotlight is on the Lithuanian Artist; Roberta, also known as “railaite.rob”. She is a mystery horror artist and I had the pleasure of chatting with her about her sources of inspiration, the theming she develops and a slight sneak-peek into her creative process. You can (and really should) browse her entire portfolio here

Hope you all enjoy it :)

Join The One

Boffin (B): Can you kindly introduce yourself and what style of art you like to produce/specialise in?

Roberta (R): For sure! Hi, I'm Roberta, an illustrator based in Lithuania. There are only two things you need to know about me: I love horror and I love cats, that's it! I have been drawing for years now, but only as a passion, a hobby. Thanks to NFTs I could make it into a job and further explore my style and find my visual voice. Before this, I worked at various print shops and companies as a graphic designer, since I have a degree in this field too. Now my art has lots of similarities to graphic design because I use design principles to communicate with the viewer. I try to analyze and find shapes and contrasts that will catch the eye and invite the audience into my world.

Morning CoffeeRarible

For coffee lovers with exquisite taste. For extra special mornings ✨

Created by Railaite_RobView on OpenSea

B: When was the first time you heard of NFTs and why did you decide to take a leap into this world?

R: It was back in March of 2021 when a boom was happening in the space. I was unemployed at the time and was looking for various jobs. I saw my friend Justas (BloomingVisions) selling his pieces for quite a lot in the NFT ecosystem. Illustrations online generally sell for around $50 tops, so you can imagine it was mind-boggling for me when I first looked into NFTs. I knew I had to do more research on this since I was jobless and had nothing to lose anyway. I’d say that I was always a bit of a risk-taker, so I wrote to my friend Justas. He is such a kind soul in general and as you’d expect, was very patient with me and explained everything that I needed to know. He even retweeted my first tweets, haha. I was now in the game, beyond excited and I haven’t looked back since!

Python: SacrificeFoundation (FND)

Python: Sacrifice This is the second entry to the python's planet. The five wanderers have found a way to open the crypt. But are they prepared for what awaits them inside? ********* 2021 18 second…

Created by Railaite_RobView on OpenSea

B: You mentioned earlier that you have a degree in the field and use certain principles in your pieces. How have you found the “principles/your education” shifting from working for others to now creating whatever you want for yourself?

R: That's an interesting question. I feel like when I was creating for others, the focus was always to please the clients and their vision. I was simply a tool with the design knowledge. Since I’m now creating for myself, I do lots of experimenting & exploring and I can say confidently that the growth I experience is tremendous compared to when I was working for others. I finally have room to make mistakes and that is the biggest win for me. As my previous client's work was structured according to the rules of design and so on. Now while I create my pieces I allow myself to be bolder, to experiment with those rules and break them. I get to see what kind of results it yields & analyze them. I simply adore this freedom!

☉ Haunted Woods ☉ CabinLost Footage from the Realm of Horrors

LFFTHR 001 // Don't stare for too long.

Created by Railaite_RobView on OpenSea

B: Your pieces are branded as horror and yet they feel unlike what most people would associate with "horror" today, which is the jump scares, gruesome and violence. While there seems to be a theming inspiration taken from Authors like Orwell and Poe, what was the inspiration and deciding factor for your art style?

R: To make art that is plain horror and lose the common associations with it, was a very conscious decision I made. I was always interested in this genre but whenever I would consume this type of media I'd mostly get like you said jumpscares, violence & gore. They have their own purposes of course, but I knew I wanted to explore a different side of horror. The one where the main feeling you experience is not disgust or a quick scare, but more anxiety and curiosity together. I think that's a very interesting combination to explore. A mysterious anxious feeling you can't grasp but you relate to an abstract idea of what you are seeing, and you want to investigate it further. That is my purpose. I want people to be curious and not afraid of dark thoughts and feelings.

Orwell is one of the best for me when it comes to dystopia, alongside Huxley. At times it often feels like they personally helped me develop my themes for the dystopian future. I take lots of inspiration from cinema as well, David Lynch is my favourite director and I think he is the master of horror. He explores the horrific abstractions that I try to achieve in my works as well. Furthermore, I’ve had quite a few comments that said that my style reminds them of Limbo and similar video games, and it's not a coincidence at all. I absolutely love those kinds of atmospheric & dark games and I’ve taken plenty of inspiration from them too. So I guess, there are many sources from various places that I put into my art!

Peacock: The MorphingFoundation (FND)

Peacock: The Morphing This piece is the second entry to the Peacock's planet. Here I depicted the worshiper's transformation. Their prayers did not go to waste as they became one with God and acquir…

Created by Railaite_RobView on OpenSea

B: From ideation to design to ultimately the final mint, how do you bring the feelings of anxiousness and curiosity to the viewer?

R: This one is hard to explain because it is a very subjective thing in general. It depends not only on my narrative but also on the audience's perception of that narrative. We have to essentially work together to make the piece work, and I think it is a beautiful symbiosis between artist and viewer. This captures the curiosity part for me. I only tell a part of a story after all. It is often abstract and has a darker palette, but a lot of details are left out intentionally and it’s the viewers’ job to provide them. The anxious part occurs because of the themes. As the viewers feel the pieces are darker in nature, they automatically have to go to their inner thoughts and feelings surrounding that theme. It is a simple concept, and I adore it.

◉ H o r r o r ◉ Infected file(S1-S3) Horrific Things

Why didn't you listen to the mouse? ◎ Animated ◎

Created by Railaite_RobView on OpenSea

B: You also run seasons that follow a theme in your collection, so does that mean you decide on an overarching theme before the individual pieces or have you had an idea for a piece and then you worked outwards exploring the theme after the fact?

R: I'm a horrible planner by nature so the season part is pure intuition. I trust it 90% of the time, and I always just go for it. As such, I don't have anything in particular planned. Your latter question "or have you had an idea for a piece and then you worked outwards exploring the theme after the fact?" is accurate. Most of the time, I finish the season and I analyze what my mind wanted to explore. Sometimes I will have an idea where I want to study some things more carefully and then I implement some of them into the pieces. Seasons for me are just to keep a structure. The breaks between the seasons let me gather inspiration and maybe sketch around here & there. I think those breaks give a lot to each season as well, having a clear mind and feeling refreshed is extremely important after an intense working session.

◉ H o r r o r ◉ EntranceAn Appealing Collection of Horrific Things

Is it safe?

Created by Railaite_RobView on OpenSea

B: Does this mean that the narratives of the season are planned or do they run on intuition as well?

R: Since I run mostly on intuition no, I don't have a narrative planned per se. However, while I'm creating, I'm using my art direction skills as well, which require a little bit of strategy prior hand. If I draw an abstract idea or shape, I try to analyze where it is going and what it has to tell. Then utilising the art direction I start to think about how I can emphasize what this particular piece, the storyline is trying to say. It is the ONLY planning that is involved in my creation process, the 10% part is here haha! But basically, the stories lead me, and not the other way around. I love creating two parallel projects that have different storylines. The only idea I have for them is that they will merge, little by little, to create a different kind of reality. The creative road that awaits me is a total mystery, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

I would firstly like to thank Roberta for giving me the time so this spotlight could be made possible! Thank you to everyone for tuning in to read this. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have to craft this. Tune in next week when there will be a new artist spotlighted and new conversations to be shared.

You can follow me on Twitter: @NinjaBoffin