Meet The Artists of Animalia: Joe Phang and CK Wong
Animalia has made waves in the NFT gaming community for its NFTs that feature highly detailed and stunning artwork. The creative minds behind these digital collector’s cards are Joe Phang (Joe), the project’s Chief Creative Officer and Chun Kiat Wong (CK), the Lead Concept Artist. Both of the talented artists have shared their thoughts on a number of important aspects of digital art, NFTs, and its importance for any young artists hoping to make it in this highly competitive sector.
The Initial Spark
Joe and CK developed their passion for digital art and leaped into the NFT art space for unique reasons. For Joe, it was mainly due to a childhood in which animated movies of various genres left him fascinated, planting the seed that gave birth to his creative bug. But it wasn’t until he saw works of art from Mike Winkelmann, a.k.a. Beeple, that Joe decided the opportunity was ripe for the picking. CK, while also having a deep appreciation for the convenience and endless possibilities of digital art, realized the ongoing problem of rampant copying that plagued the industry since its inception.
However, the innate capacity of NFTs to protect the work of artists meant their passions for creating could be safeguarded when utilizing these digital assets and allow them to maintain/grow in value. This, combined with the ongoing emergence of novel use-cases, enabled creators to also use this technology as a valuable learning platform.
The Foundation & Formation
Like an athlete warming up before a big competition, artists too have a process and tools which they rely on to get their creative wheels turning and find their rhythm. For Joe, he draws upon references from anonymous artwork (on sites such as Tumblr) that relate to the project he’s working on. Once his base material is collected and concepts are formulated, he will begin the sketching process on Procreate (or Photoshop) and produce the final product on Photoshop.
Similar to Joe, CK also uses Photoshop for 2D and 3D art that is inspired by images he finds online — which also reflect the piece he is creating. But while they may take inspiration from other images, there are many factors that set the Animalia artwork apart from the field. Each character and critter has an elaborate story behind it that is captured in the design details. Thus, a picture of a dog-like critter would not be your typical animated pup online. It embodies the lore that brings it to life in the game. The world of Animalia itself features many unique regions with distinct details. It offers players the chance to discover new worlds in a beautifully designed metaverse.
The Crucial Aspect of NFTs
Both Joe and CK agree that any artist with aspirations of success in the digital arts must utilise NFTs. This asset class, while relatively still new, has created a global movement and has integrated itself into industries such as visual art, photography, gaming, music, and more. It is no longer just a collector’s item for curators to keep in their wallets. NFTs and specifically NFT art, is providing a platform for artists to immortalize their work and protect it from plagiarism or frauds. It protects the creator and the investor, the best of both worlds.
Advice for Aspiring Artists
In any venture that forces you to “put yourself out there”, Joe and CK are big believers in ignoring the nay-sayers and being proud of your creations. Art is subjective, and not all will have the same eye for detail and design as you. With that said, take time to develop your craft and find your artistic identity. Passion comes before anything else and once you have that, be persistent in your quest to produce unique and inspiring pieces. And remember, protect your hard worth by integrating NFT technology.
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