RIDE ON ART #13 - CRYPTOSKULLZ

Do you appreciate good art? This week's interview features CryptoSkull, who shares their artistic journey, inspirations, and insights into the thrilling realm of NFTs.

One of the first artists I noticed more when I became more curious about NFTs in Polkadot was CryptoSkullz. With a passion for all things crypto and an eye for detail, he has become a popular figure in the Polkadot ecosystem. I knew I would see his art often because his NFTs are unique and exciting.

In this interview, we sit down with him to discuss his creative process, inspirations, and plans. The most exciting thing is that his art is coming to KodaDot soon, so STAY TUNED!

1. Tell us please something about yourself and your background. How did you get into art?

   I'm 31, and for all the conscious age that I can remember I've been drawing. Always and everywhere - in kindergarten, school, university, and at work (not even related to art). I always liked to think up something interesting, and pencil and paper helped me to do it.

   I even worked as a tattoo artist for a while, but a disagreement in approach with the owner of the tattoo parlor suspended our "union.”

2. When did you first try digital art?

   Almost all the time I drew with a pencil, a pen, and paints. After entering university, I bought my first tablet - a small Waсom and drew just for myself (drawing mostly cars, then I liked them very much). To me came the first orders, and I thought, "Wow, cool, I do what I love, and I still get paid for it.

   
   Then it was like a dream. I remember that I worked with very cool companies and guys, both as a designer and as an artist.

3. How did you first become interested in creating NFTs, and what drew you to this medium?

   I was just watching one of those artists whose work I liked. He wrote that he sold his work for ten thousand. And I was like, "What?!?! I started researching the subject, but I didn't have the extra money for the mint (it was NFTs on Ether), and the subject was still a long way off for me. Later my friend in 2021 helped me with payment and explained all the details. It was a nice extra on top of my two jobs. Later I went completely into NFT and crypto.

   

   Some pieces from the collection RNDM ART 

4. Can you walk me through your creative process when creating an NFT?

   The creation process is precisely the same as when creating any art.

   Let's assume that I myself understood how it happens. This may sound strange, but sometimes I feel like I don't even think about what I'm going to paint - my hand just goes over the canvas by itself. Of course, my imagination and perception are influenced by what I see. Probably, my unconscious is more in control.

   And so it all starts with a broad brush sketch, then goes into a clean line. Then the filling of large shapes and at the end are color and post effects.

5. What can you tell us about your style? I saw that you often draw characters.

   I often change my style, but my friends say there are specific strokes by which you can recognize my drawing. I love comic book style, and I think my style is a bit like that. 

   
   I'm inspired by everything, honestly!

   
   Even a stain on the floor can inspire me to create work because I can see in it the image of "the king who eats burgers," for example. If we talk about other sources of inspiration, it's movies, comic books, and my favorite Pinterest and Behance.

   

   Valkyrie from RNDM ART

6. You were behind the collection Spacers. What can you tell us about it?

   It was challenging and interesting. I love everything I do - otherwise, I wouldn't work as an artist.

   
   There were a lot of challenges in making everything look organic. We thought through a lot of details and sometimes even reworked what already looked good. I think we got the job done. There's not much I can say about the Spacers, simply because it's better to see for yourself.

7. I saw a few collections from you on Singular. Can I know which one is your favorite?

   It's hard to choose one, but it's probably RNDM ART and kusamus avatar.

   

   Examples of kusamus avatars

8. Can you discuss a particularly successful or meaningful NFT project that you have worked on and what made it stand out to you?

   Spacers. I was close to the theme of robots and complete freedom of action, plus it was a style that made sense to me.

   

   One of the lovely NFT stories CryptoSkullz shared with me was about how NFTs could have a good cause. In this created collection that was sold, he was able to help an elderly couple to raise some money to rebuild a house that burned down. A lot of artists and collectors helped as well.

9. Why did you choose the DotSama ecosystem? Where do you see its benefits?

   Friendly community and everyone is ready to help you. And, of course, very low commissions for minting and listing.

10. When was the first time you learned about KodaDot? What were your thoughts?

    A couple of months after trying Singular. I was curious because Koda had a dark theme right away). I don't remember exactly anymore, but I liked some of the details (they were insignificant but still left something in my memory).

11. How do you see the NFT art market evolving in the coming years, and what challenges and opportunities do you anticipate?

    I think in the future, NFTs will be more than just pictures. The market develops, artists get the glory and the opportunity to create anything, and their fans support them and become involved in what the author does. We have seen many times how the interest in NFT fell but then continued to live again.

    
    I think the NFT can even at some point become a "document" that confirms the identity (just a fantasy, haha).

    

    Another incredible piece from CryptoSkullz

12. Can you share any exciting upcoming projects or plans you have in the works and your goals for the future of your NFT art career?

    • I really want to try to make a demo version of the game and immerse myself a little more in 3D.

    • My plans for collections are to experiment and collaborate with other artists. I'm not looking for recognition or huge money (although I'd like to). For me, the pleasure of the process is important.

    • I want to create something physical and digital, my head is full of ideas, but I lack the time and resources to do it.

    • At the moment, I am doing a collection for YoudleDAO, and I really want to see the result and feedback from the community. 

Thank you for this interview. We will be following all the news from your side, and we are happy that you decided to go on this journey with KodaDot!

Everyone, hold your horses because this is just the beginning.😎

Our KodaDot team believes that building better relationships with artists is essential. Feel free to comment or write me about who should be next on my Twitter. You can also join our Discord to learn more about our community.

I wish you all a nice day!