Humps is an NFT artist on a mission to create compelling and abstract 3D pieces using his software of choice, Blender. The collection BLOCs feels to us otherworldly, and is brilliant digital work.
We recently caught up with the man himself, to learn more about his story and process.
Hey Humps! How long have you been an artist?
Not that long actually, less than a year. I’ve never been the kind of guy to doodle or sketch things out. I picked up blender, with the idea in my mind of creating metal crystals, which gave rise to my first collection. My love of 3D has grown since I started in May ‘22.
What was your first involvement in an NFT project? What got you into NFTs?
I started as an AVAX foetus working his way through the ranks with the AvaxWarriors (now just Warriors). As I’m answering this question I suppose it would make a lot of sense that I was attracted to the 3D style of that project! Huge shouts to Sylent (@cgi_thug) who was the first artist I looked up to in the space.
Why did you choose to use the Avalanche blockchain for your project and do you have any experience with other blockchains?
I resisted the idea of exploring NFTs since I’d heard about the cost of transactions on ETH back in mid 2021. With some exploration I found out that Avalanche had NFTs and cheap transactions, so it made sense to come here. I started with the idea of just learning the ropes but it quickly became a home.
Please explain your creative process.
There’s a few creative processes I follow. Most often I’ll binge Blender YouTube before I go to sleep and work on something that caught my attention the following day. I find it helpful to try creating something similar from what I can remember to help train my 3D skills. I do find brainstorming to be more effective recently since I’ve learnt Blender to an intermediate level and am capable of putting an idea into something coherent without asking google.
You’ve created Googlies, that recently sold out, can you tell us a little bit about this project?
Googlies came out of the desire to explore the process of generative art using 3D. Chris from MetapepLabs helped me with the logistics and subsequently facilitated the process of releasing the 100-piece collection during a special edition MicroMintHumpday. Thanks to the Generosity of @Chiknwhalegod we rewarded the holders with a bCASH airdrop.
Can you also tell us a bit about your other projects, Blocs and Minds?
BLOCS_ was my debut collection, with 2 seasons of 8 pieces released so far (16). MINDS_ began as an attempt to create and drop 1 NFT per day for 69 days, but the regiment started to hurt my creativity so I’ve taken a couple of hiatuses from the project to experiment. At the time of writing my answer there are 68/69 editions of MINDS_ minted and still a handful available!
We know you work FT, so you make time to create art when you back from work. Is the end goal to be a FT artist?
I really enjoy the 9-5 I have. Artwork will be a lifelong passion for me, though I don’t see it surpassing my desire to care for people in a healthcare setting.
Do you have a favourite piece of work you’ve made?
Most of my artwork is modern and minimalist. So my favourite piece so far is probably the Jungle Monolith from the unreleased Season 3 of BLOCS_
What software do you use when creating your art?
Blender is the only software I’ve used so far.
My hardware journey started with a 2017 MacBook Pro (intel machine, gross) which gave me a lot of rendering issues, some of my artworks taking 8-10 hours to render, and other big ideas I had being an impossible to render in less than 1 week. Thankfully, the support from my collectors has facilitated a significant hardware upgrade.
“This will let me create work with a quality that was previously outside the realms of possibility.”
Who or what inspires you as an artist, on-chain or IRL?
I’ve recently taken great inspiration from the talented @ScribbleWarlock who taught me some lessons about personal growth and creative exploration. I received a lot of help from the Avax Art Hub when I started creating, and some good support from the famous @TapTapKaboom with respect to making a name for myself in the art scene.
What is your current exciting project?
The completion of MINDS_ is my current goal, which has managed to get some good feedback from notable collectors and artists that I hadn’t previously been able to reach. I plan to hash out BLOCS_ Season 3 soon after!
If you could own any NFT across any chain, what would it be?
I recently browsed the annals of ArtBlocks and would love to own a piece from the early days of this collection. Picking one out would be difficult but I’m a fan of the Voxel collection by Jeanvascript.
Hands down Starry Night by Van Gogh. It might sound too obvious for some but this is one of the few artworks I’ve always enjoyed, before I was ever interested in the art world.
What NFT projects are you a fan of currently, and are you looking forward to anything releasing soon?
I’ve recently been working with the guys over at The Ladder and I’m excited for what they have coming. My good friend Minerminer has shared some alpha about his imminent plans for RyuNFT which has got me very excited. I’m a huge fan of the Monkeez, from a pioneering low-cost mint (given the context of the climate when they minted) to consistent delivery of their roadmap. They’re a shining example of a Red Chip AVAX NFT project.
Finally, do you have any advice for budding NFT artists out there?
“No one’s an artist until they are. We live in a time where you don’t even have to pick up a pencil to create and explore your creative side! You should embrace exploration of different styles and mediums, so long as you’re having fun you can’t go wrong.”
Please note the attached media are compressed/lower resolution for the site speed, and are not as detailed as the original.
