Centenary brush art selling for impressive prices? Another Picasso or Rembrandt to hang on the wall of yet another cottage in the Swiss mountains? Auction houses feeding the ultra-rich with ancient and eclectic artifacts? That's so 2020.
History is being rewritten in the tightly guarded world of art, dealing with digital artists like Beeple and Mad Dog Jones now dethroning traditional 'must buy' options to outperform the creme de la creme of the world's hottest creators. But wait a second, Mad Dog…. who? Granted, the name may not ring any bells, as digital artists have started to receive widespread recognition only recently.
Still, there's no denying that the race for digital collectibles is hotter than ever – and sellers might want to thank the NFTs for that. Since leaving the peripheries of the Internet, Non-Fungible Tokens (or NFTs) have taken a tour of the world of art, music, sports and even consumer products and opened up a new realm of opportunity. But what exactly are the new kids on the block (pun intended)?
In this article, we will discuss:
What are NFTs – AND WHY IS DIGITAL ART SUDDENLY SOLD AS HOTCAKES?
Simply put, NFTs are certificates of authenticity – but unlike a traditional piece of paper that you would expect to get after purchase, they come in the form of a unique encryption code that cannot be hacked or tampered with as it is powered by technology. blockchain .
Because digital buyers and sellers can be clearly identified and all transactions securely tracked, fraud is virtually impossible. Owners can also pride themselves on having 'digital rights', which would no doubt attract many of the super-rich collectors looking to brag about their purchases. And so, with copy-and-paste culture reaching a dead end in the digital art world, there's no limit to how high NFT artists can climb — and how expensive their talents can cost.
THE 10 FOLLOWING NFT ARTISTS
BEEPLE
Also known as Mike Winklemann, Beeple is now the third most valuable living artist after selling an NFT collage for $69 million. The historic sale brokered by Christie's in a first such as the famous auctioneer generated a frenzy of interest in NFTs and the broader sphere of cryptocurrencies.
The Charleston native had already set an NFT art world record after selling $582.000 worth of cryptocurrency art in five minutes. Beeple's 1.7-strong social media results from sharing animations and illustrations every day for the past 13 years. You might even be familiar with some of his creations. The digital artist developed Flying Lotus show visuals and videos for renowned rappers Eminem and Nicki Minaj.
BLAKE KATHRYN
A self-proclaimed “3D artist with surreal futuristic aesthetics,” Blake Kathryn brings a new twist to cryptographic art with multidimensional creations spanning a wide range of themes and industries, including a recent collaboration with Paris Hilton to help support crypt artists and grow a profile of lesser known creators.
Kathryn's innovative creations have led to high-level collaborations with Jimmy Choo, Fendi and even Smirnoff, the vodka brand. Thanks to NFTs, Kathryn is currently one of the leading digital artists in illustration, iconography and branding.
GIANT SWAN
Giant Swan is a virtual reality painter and sculptor focused on integrating 3D sculpture to create digital worlds through repeated layers and deep experimentation. He also serves as Art and Experience Director for series projects and has recently exhibited his work in Miami, Shanghai and Melbourne.
While Swan's art themes may vary, Giant Swan has also become known for his unique use of images, video and print media to create NFT art, which has earned him a prominent place among artists at the forefront of the cryptographic art revolution. .
HASHMASKS
Hashmasks is an Ethereum-based virtual art gallery that showcases artwork from many different NFT artists, including 70 European creators. How the platform works is pretty impressive. Even better, the platform currently has a collection of 16.384 unique digital portraits.
FEWoCIOUS
Leading the NFT's group of rising artists is an American teenager who sells her multi-million dollar digital art under the pseudonym FEWoCIOUS. She reportedly turned to NFT art to deal with the isolation she felt after moving to a new school and going through a difficult time at home.
The art of FEWoCIOUS is known for its trademark dreamy tones, in a mix of past memories, caricatures of everyday events and a look into the imaginary world of an average high school student. FEWoCIOUS here admitted to being initially skeptical of selling his art in the form of NFTs. It wasn't until after chasing $25.000 for an artwork titled 'Moment I Fell in Love' that she decided to jump on the crypto frenzy.
JOSE DELBO
There is no guide to NFT artists in the world without mentioning Jose Delbo. Even if you're not a big fan of the DC Marvel comics, you can still appreciate his contribution in helping to design the first Wonder Woman comics in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as helping the Transformers and Superman / Batman Series.
Today, the 87-year-old is making millions selling Wonder Woman-themed NFTs to collectors, in hopes that Marvel-inspired digital art will soon replace the lucrative value of old-school paper collectibles.
TREVOR JONES
Trevor Jones is not only an excellent merchant, but also a fascinating creator, whose creations are varied and encompass a wide range of arts. Originally from Canada, Trevor worked as an Art Director for Health, where his role was to provide art workshops for people with disabilities.
Trevor is also known primarily for his contribution to cutting-edge inventions such as augmented reality. He uses animation, video production and NFC tags, and some of his most famous creations include the interpretation of Pablo Picasso's style in his digital work. He took the palette and composition of some of Pablo's major portraits and recreated them with cryptocurrency symbols and other relevant iconographies and contemporary logos.
HACKAGE
Hackatao is the name adopted by the Italian artistic duo made up of Nadia Squarci and Sergio Scalet – both considered pioneers of NFT art in their country of origin. Addressing key social issues, including the environment and economics, the duo combine references to history, symbolism and psychology to create innovative pieces of ultra-contemporary NFT art.
Hackatao – a mix of hacker and tao in reference to living balances – comes from a traditional background in the 'physical art world', but fueled by the desire to break established norms; the duo decided to connect with NFT artists and learn a new craft to generate truly futuristic creations.
JOHN ORIAN YOUNG (JOY)
John Orian Young is a 3D artist who sells animated characters and figurines as non-fungible tokens. With his pieces doubling in value immediately after being sold and listed again, there's no doubt this digital artist is well on his way to making a name for himself in the NFT world.
MAD DOG JONES
If you're a fan of portraits that portray post-apocalyptic cityscapes, you might already be a follower of Mad Dog Jones on your Instagram. The artist specializes in digital compositions that portray visionary dream worlds and cyberpunk themes.
Also known as Michah Dowbak, Mad Dog Jones was behind one of the most successful auctions on the Nifty Gateway digital market, with his Crash + Burn series selling for $4,3 million. Check out his website to buy some of his best work.
PAK
Another artist ruling the realm of cryptographic art is the elusive artist Pak. Unlike the other artists listed so far, Pak never divulged his true identity, leading NFT art enthusiasts to dub him (or her) the “Satoshi of Crypto Art”.
Pak is immensely popular on Twitter and Instagram, where he can boast of having not only millions of followers but also some high-profile names, including none other than Elon Musk. If this doesn't prove that Pak deserves serious attention, then little attention it does. Their open collections are available on the website linked above.
GREG MIKE
Born and raised in Connecticut, Greg Mike was first exposed to the creative potential of recreating public spaces through design and art through children's trips to New York City in the mid-80s. Even more inspired by his involvement with skateboarding culture, he has also become known for pieces that incorporate vivid explosions of glowing shadows filtered through the perspectives of surrealist Pop Art.
BOSSLOGIC
The next NFT artist to watch is a creative who has managed to catch the attention of some major film and production studios through his fan art media and comic-inspired creations. Some of Bosslogic's early series have been so successful that he is often hired by Marvel and DC Comics to collaborate. In fact, you may have already seen some of the artist's work as seen in 'The Mandalorian', franchisee Star Worlds' hugely popular live-action series. Bosslogic's work easily tops $35.000 each, and with a growing collaboration with studies, it's just certain that the artist's value will increase.
SLIMESUNDAY
Last but not least, Slimesunday rounds out this list with an impressive list of already-selling digital artworks and a reputation for pushing the envelope with erotic and bizarre themes that claim to have made his pieces catch the attention of some heavy buyers. .
Slimesunday's digital collages are arguably among the most impressive and progressive works of art featured on this list, as the cryptographic art world is taking a growing interest in this Boston artist.
Result
Whether you're a total beginner or an NFT expert, let this guide serve as a testament to how unique NFTs can offer creative and fresh ways for artists to connect with their loyal fans and add value to their productions in the process.
There is an inherent sense of community for both collectors and ardent artists, mainly due to the fact that the technology is part of a niche subculture that is just beginning to enter the mainstream.
