Artists creating NFTs can have more direct control over their artistic vision, and connect and transact with their collectors in ways they haven’t been able to before. Plus, the crypto space offers a new untapped audience for artists to convert into collectors. Yet many artists are hesitant. As a practicing artist and the general manager of Saatchi Art who has helped to onboard over 150 artists into the NFT space to date, I’ve seen firsthand why some are eager to start minting, and why others are not. One of the biggest barriers? Artists are unsure of the value NFTs will bring to their work ..read more

Paul Brouns is a Dutch photographer and graduate from the Academy of Fine Arts in Tilburg. Paul’s fascination with patterns, music scores, systems of writing, architecture, and other graphic structures makes itself known through his art. He uses camera and computer to create geometric lines, shapes, and rhythms in his photographic compositions. Hi Paul, Have you always been drawn to shapes and patterns? I first got hold of a camera at age 18 when I entered the academy as part of the first year’s curriculum. Initially I entered the academy with the intention to paint and draw. I immediately wa ..read more

Ernesto Navarro finds inspiration in the culture of his native Colombia. His art utilizes a hybrid of digital tools to feature symbols of Colombian ethnic groups, such as handicrafts, fabrics, hats, and even Colombian women. These avatars definitely stand out! Can you tell us a bit about how your signature style expresses itself through these Van Goghs? I am inspired by the elements of Colombian culture around the female figure such as the design of handicrafts, fabrics, hats, and each of the objects that represent our ethnic groups. In these pieces, the woman and the hats are the common thre ..read more

Patience is key when diving into something as new and ever-evolving as the NFT space. So you’re an artist who wants to create an NFT. What’s next? Artists are right to be excited about NFTs. The art world is ever-evolving, but blockchain-based technology has been a big leap forward in offering artists the ability to create digital work with verifiable ownership, earn royalties on the resale of their artworks, and connect to new audiences—and hopefully turn them into buyers. It’s no surprise that their popularity and adoption has skyrocketed. The market cap of NFTs grew ten-fold betwee ..read more

Three avatars from the made-by-hand generative project The Other Avatars. Artwork by artists (left to right): Karenina Fabrizzi, Javiera Estrada, mr clement, and Campbell Laird. In a post-pandemic world, many people now spend most of their time at home. Companies have started allowing employees to work remotely, and leisure activities that were once only in-person are now held online. As daily life has become increasingly digital so has art.  Art collectors worldwide started to take notice of digital art during the crypto and NFT boom in August 2021. Today, those collectors, like many o ..read more

Steve Munro is a Melbourne based visual artist working with both pigment and pixels; his recent series’ of tangible work explore the ordinary and everyday in bold, solid colors and, by contrast, his digital work is darker and explores themes of identity and persecution using portraiture. Steve’s art on The Other Avatars was all hand-drawn using digital tools. We were glad to have him participate! Welcome Steve! How are you today? Can you tell us a bit about these pieces? Thanks for having me! The last few years my paintings have been about the ordinary and everyday; first on what that means t ..read more

Laura Viapiano is an abstract painter based in San Jose, California. Using oil paints to add texture to her colorful pieces, Laura’s artwork is an introspective experience that reflects on our inclination as humans to assign meaning to everything. It’s great to have you, Laura. Can you tell us a bit about this piece to start us off? This is a more recent piece called “One More Sunrise”. Very interesting! It looks like the reflection of a sunrise over the water or through a windowpane. But maybe that’s only me assigning an interpretation to the art… We can’t really help but do that, which is s ..read more

Vitalii Kotiash is a Ukrainian artist who enjoys exploring different styles of drawing. Having studied at the School of Music and the National University of Water Management and Nature Resources, Vitalii defines himself by his versatility and works as a fashion designer as well as an independent artist. His signature style is distinct and features many geometric shapes and intricate patterns. Hi Vitalii, I love the geometry and color pallette of your work! How did you cultivate this style? Probably from school when I started drawing notebooks, albums, desks, I always used geometric lines. Ove ..read more

David Dyett is a self taught artist from Toronto. His lifelong love affair with art led him to work with many mediums until he ultimately found his passion in painting. Influenced by artists such as Modigliani, Kerry James Marshall, Picasso, and Njideka Akunyili Crosby, David has created his own style which can be seen in his portraits and figurative works.     Hi David, I love your style! Where do you draw inspiration for these portraits? Are they based on real people? More of my recent portraits are based on real people in my life, but I often draw from my imagination as I see so m ..read more

Donald Okudu is a Nigerian based illustrator and designer. His work is inspired by the anime, architecture, religion and pop culture. His artistic skills ranges from digital painting to installation designs. These days he illustrates and art directs for several high profile clients in various industries. Donald’s workflow varies and he paints digitally using Photoshop, Illustrator and procreate using static forms and bright colors to create dynamic composition highlight exciting issues and dark palettes and textures to generate mood. What holds it together is his focus on a theme or emotion in ..read more