In our latest foray into the world of artists creating on Avalanche, we caught up with the multi-talented super scribbler, Scribble Warlock. He walks us through a day in the life of being an NFT artist, ceaseless creative, and all-round legend. We talk flow-states, how storytelling influences his art, and the ways in which he supports important causes beyond the world of Web3.
Can you run me through a day in the life of Scribble Warlock? What does it look like?
So – two essential parts of the day are caffeine, and yoga/pilates. Body work really helps with my mental health. It allows me to handle the stresses of the admin and sharing my work.
Getting that caffeine juice and workout in really helps clear my brain. After that, it’s pretty much me at my desk, living room or at the local coffee shop with an iPad or sketch book.
The goal is flow states! Forty five minute flow, and then a small break, and onwards. On the best days, that flow state can be 4-8 hours; that is when the headphones are on and I am totally tuned into a project.
What inspires you when you need a bit of a pick me up?
Music for sure. Anything electronic with a decent BPM helps get the brain ticking.
I love looking at scientific research or putting a documentary on in the background. Anything that gets my brain confused, thinking, or wondering really helps. It makes me want to draw weird things.
Video games and hearing other creatives talk about making stuff also helps.
Do you take storytelling into account while creating your art?
I have always been heavily influenced by archetypes and the hero’s journey!
In the past it was an after-effect, but now it is very much prior and during. As the story and characters revealed themselves to me through my process, I incorporate certain colours and techniques to add to the story and to my Mind Matter universe.
Actually- I am making custom NFT artworks for my collectors, where they enter in parameters of their desired character into the metadata. For example, someone just entered Green Warlord- and I went ahead and made a terracotta soldier made of emeralds. It just expanded into this crazy story in my brain about this mute killing machine with a whole army of these dudes!
I am constantly thinking about storytelling, and the alignment of characters within the universe I create.
The short answer is: it’s happening all the time!
What software do you use?
I have the adobe suite on one computer. I’m pretty proficient in photoshop and illustrator – I don’t draw on that though. I play a lot with premiere pro also!
Prior to having Procreate on my iPad- all my drawings were done by hand. I have thousands archived in my house!
Sometimes, if I’m honest, there are too many tools. I feel like navigating the menus disrupts my flow pattern.
Do you use references?
What I wanna do is build things out of my head, but I do have a whole library of stuff. If I do have a problem, I’ll literally go to my shelf and try to find something that helps me get through the funk.
Anything League of Legends, Monster Hunter or Hellboy I gravitate toward so I can problem solve.
What are your thoughts on AI art?
I think there is a lot to be had from AI as a tool.
I’ve only made 30-40 characters from it, but I’m coming up with a concept where I can draw from the AI. Using it as a reference tool, you might be able to derive the coolest composition that you’ve never thought about.
We’re just seeing the beginnings of it as a tool. I think creatives who are afraid of it stealing from us or our ability… well, I disagree.
It’s a gateway drug to art that a lot of people have never experienced.
Name some of your influences
Keith Haring and Basquiat for sure. 1980s artists at the beginning of pop-art are hugely influential to me. Seeing Haring and Basquiat just making from nothing – is exactly what I wanted to do, and continue to do.
I noticed you were doing some work with disability/charity, can you tell us a little bit about that?
It’s a place called Lovecraft. They help differently abled folks engage in creative ways. I was helping individuals experience things artistically that they may not have exposure to. It was at a really cool charity auction event that they host.
I have been helping differently abled communities since college. An overall dream for me would be to not only help differently abled individuals, but teach underprivileged kids.
It’s something I’m super passionate about!
How has your experience been on Tombheads Auction house?
It’s phenomenal!
I’ve only been on three auctions now, but the structure is fantastic!
Tombheads is crushing it. Everyone is a damn radio-host! It’s so professional, I love it!
Are you optimistic about the future of AVAX NFTs?
Yes, I am.
I don’t know much about what’s going on behind the scenes, but as far as NFTs go- I believe they are in their very early infancy.
SuperRare and KnownOrigin are really highlighting 1/1 art. Now we are seeing a shift between canvas to screens, the technology is so new. It’s the reason I got into it in the first place.
It provides artists a new way to find patronage. Artists need patrons, web3 empowers artists to have infrastructure for contractual work and agreements that we haven’t before had.
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Thank you for reading!
Be sure to follow ScribbleWarlock, as he continues to bring incredible art to AVAX, and the world beyond. https://linktr.ee/scribblewarlock
