Behind the Network (BTN): July 22nd, 2022
A recap of the first Render Network Twitter Spaces, hosted by Render Network and feature STNLY and WARBB!
Yesterday the Render Network hosted our first Twitter Spaces Artist Spotlight featuring digital creators WARBB and STNLY. Hosted and moderated by the Render Network’s own Edgar Irizarry and co-hosted by WARBB and STNLY’s creative partner Neils Schoffelm, over the hour-long session they dove into how NFTs have changed their creative processes, their inspirations in the space, where they see the future of NFTs heading, tips for emerging artists and how they imagine the future of Web3. Without further ado, let’s dive in:
Beginnings
Though their careers as NFT artists are relatively young, WARBB and STNLY have been creators and collaborators for most of their lives. First meeting in primary school when they were around 8-years old, they quickly realized that they shared a passion for art. This sparked a friendship, which over the years would blossom into a creative partnership where they would share their work with each other and encourage one another to push further. As their professional paths led them to working as freelance artists and motion designers, they were able to build their portfolio and experience with big names such as Afrojack and Martin Garrix, and global brands such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Nike and more. However, while their client work was a good way into the industry, it wasn’t creatively fulfilling in the ways they were looking for. That’s where NFTs came into the picture. About a year ago, WARBB and STNLY began exploring how to make their own NFTs.
Entering Cryptoart and The Future of NFTs
WARBB and STNLY discussed their evolution from 2D to 3D and eventually independent cryptoart as a progresive evolution in gaining more creative freedom. They discussed how Octane GPU rendering transformed their workflow, making fast hyperrealistic lighting available possible, opening up their creative horizons. On top of Octane, Render has delivered tremendous speed increases to their workflow enabling them to push forward with more ambitious projects, rendering art in a matter of hours, what previously could have taken weeks.
The biggest transformation has been in the creative freedom that cryptoart has opened up. While WARBB and STNLY enjoyed client work, they occasionally felt inhibited by client revisions and feedback, that often subsumed their creative voice. With cryptoart — for the first time — they feel like they are able to create without constraints, allowing them to pursue what they find artistically exciting. Going forward WARBB and STNLY discussed what they are most excited about in the evolution of the metaverse. Dynamic NFTs that change over the course of a day or year, they find creatively exciting. Additionally, they discussed how holographic displays and responsive displays present an opportunity to produce interactive and immersive experiences that open up new dimensions of creativity. Finally, they discussed how they felt artist driven communities would become an important part of the future of web3, providing a sort of community utility that collectible projects offer without the toxic demands that have been felt by artists.
How to get started as a digital artist
As a pair of artists who have seen their work go from client focused to being featured in Times Square, it only made sense that a lot of the Render Community members present in the space this last Thursday wanted to pick STNLY and WARBB’s brains for tips and tricks they had for emerging artists.
Daux.png asked WARBB if he had any advice for taking their lighting work to the next level, to which WARBB had a definitive answer: GreyscaleGorilla. Those who have been using Octane or the Render Network for a long time will be very familiar with GSG, but for those unfamiliar, GreyScaleGorilla is plugin and tutorial resource for 3D artists, and one of the more long standing partners of the Render Network and its parent company OTOY, Inc. GSG provides a wealth of information on how to use their plugins, tutorials for setting up lighting rigs, and more, and is a great resource for any up-and-coming artist in the space.
Following that theme, user Charlanges asked the pair: “How do I take the next step and learn with my art?” While tutorials once again came up, STNLY followed up by saying that finding artist communities was a great way to build out a support system for feedback and tips. He suggested Discord and Twitter as great places to find thriving artist and creator communities, often where creators share and critique each other’s works while giving out tips and tricks.
What’s Next:
This week’s Twitter Spaces with WARBB and STNLY was the first of a series of events showcasing the diverse voices in the Render community. If you are an artist interested in joining a future Twitter Spaces, or have upcoming releases and exhibitions you would like us to share, please fill out our Render Network Creator Spotlight form. Please also join the new Render Network Discord and tag us on Twitter!
Join us in the Rendering Revolution at:
Website: https://render.x.io
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rendernetwork
Knowledge Base: https://know.rendernetwork.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/rendernetwork
Render Network Foundation: https://renderfoundation.com/
