Note: Original article by Kaydee!
In April this year, when the 'ETH CHI Community Gallery' held an exhibition at the Chicago Merchandise Mart for the '1871 Emerging Tech Summit,' several names on the selected artist list caught my attention, particularly BlackFang and ArtistByron.
Indeed, they participated in an exhibition organized by the Ethereum community, but the primary stage for these two creators is on the WAX blockchain. After delving into their works, engaging with collectors, and exploring their creative journeys, I discovered how these artists are redefining digital collectibles while staying true to their artistic roots.
BlackFang
BlackFang_ART (shortened to 'BlackFang') has carved out a niche that perfectly blends traditional artistic methods with technology. He is an outstanding project manager who has designed custom commercial furniture for several multinational companies and holds a degree in product design. However, in the digital realm, he has garnered a loyal following on the WAX blockchain with his hand-drawn anime-style NSFW artworks.
BlackFang's artistic journey began after an eight-year hiatus following his high school graduation. In 2021, he discovered the WAX blockchain at the Street Fighter NFT launch, reigniting his creative passion. He noticed a gap in the anime NSFW NFT space within WAX products and decided to fill this void himself.
"I want to create something I would cherish." — BlackFang
This simple motivation birthed his flagship project, Lewd Momoko, which closely combines suggestive anime-style art with community engagement. While many artists are turning to AI-assisted art, BlackFang remains committed to the authenticity of handmade creations. Using an iPad Pro and Procreate, he meticulously hones each piece, often redrawing elements multiple times to perfect every detail of anatomy, shading, and style.
His grandest goal is to launch the Lewdie PFP series—a collection of 555 unique NFT artworks from the Lewd Momoko series. BlackFang spent 11 months building 280 features for the PFP NFT, which aims to compete with other blockchain projects like Ethereum and Solana.
By building a community around his art, BlackFang stands out. The functionality of the Lewdie PFP NFT serves as a membership pass for the Lewdie Club, an exclusive Discord community where members can receive giveaways, behind-the-scenes content, and opinions on upcoming designs.
When it comes to financial issues, BlackFang quickly emphasizes that profit has never been the driving force behind his work. Although he retains a certain percentage of secondary market fees as development funds, his focus has always been on accessibility—the initial release of the Lewdie PFP was offered for free to whitelisted collectors.
ArtistByron
ArtistByron is another artistic genius! He is a Canadian artist who has been dedicated to creating art with zombie, skull, and horror themes for over a decade. His exploration in the NFT space reveals a new dimension of digital art—how mature artists can expand their audience using blockchain technology.
Byron began creating Day of the Dead art as early as 2009, using traditional materials such as ink, watercolor, gel pens, and acrylics to unleash his creativity on canvas. His work has been featured in publications like Forbes and Global News and is held in private collections around the world.
"I paint zombies. While not 100% unique or original, that's what my work is." Byron candidly stated in a blog post in April 2023, his honesty is refreshing.
Byron starts his creative journey with traditional tools—pen, paper, and canvas—meticulously painting zombie portraits, often adding layers of watercolor or acrylic to enhance their ghostly qualities. After completing the physical works, he then transforms them into digital collectibles on WAX.
His blockchain journey began in 2021, which he describes as 'being forcefully thrust into cryptocurrency.' Like BlackFang, Byron was drawn to WAX because it is creator-friendly, with low transaction fees, allowing artists to boldly experiment without worrying about costs. This is evident in the fee structure of the WAX blockchain, which only charges a small portion of each sale. This is highly advantageous for emerging artists.
Byron's NFT strategy is unique, and he is eager to experiment with different styles and collecting strategies. His projects are colorful, ranging from simple projects like Creepy Candy Corn PFP to complex artworks like mushroom-themed series.
He developed an innovative collection system for his Blobs project, which is an engaging concept. Unlike traditional game packs, collectors can purchase entire sets of artwork with DHC (a currency earned by completing daily activities in the tribe's Discord). This game-inspired collecting method appeals to community members who enjoy affordable and participatory NFT experiences.
Byron's Zombie Cat art project showcases another side of his creativity—the technique of reimagining old works. In this collection, he arranged eight black-and-white zombie cat illustrations from over a decade ago around a full-color central pattern, creating a sense of both new and old.
I particularly admire his work Chaotic Twitch, which is his first PFP generative art animation and is milestone work. After discussing technical issues like layers, transparency, and animation variables with the NFTHive developers, Byron realized his idea, expanding the possibilities of the NFT universe.
Why these artists chose WAX
To understand the works of BlackFang and ArtistByron, one must comprehend why they chose WAX as their creative platform.
The WAX blockchain was created in 2017, specifically for digital collectibles. Currently, compared to Ethereum, WAX offers numerous advantages for digital artists and collectors: the lowest transaction fees, eco-friendly proof-of-stake validation, and a user-friendly interface. These features are particularly appealing to creators trying out NFTs.
BlackFang pointed out in an interview that with WAX, "artists can focus on creating without having to ask fans for high prices." He simply highlighted WAX's fee structure, which offers free airdrops and affordable minting—something nearly impossible on higher-fee blockchains.
WAX has given two artists the freedom to try new things. The specialized tools for NFT development on the blockchain allow them to build complex projects, such as generating PFP series, without expensive professional techniques or costs.
WAX not only provides the technical infrastructure but is also a community. The platform fosters an ecosystem that enables creators to connect directly with collectors.
If you observe how NFT artists on WAX interact with sites like NFTHive, NeftyBlocks, and AtomicHub, you'll find that these sites actually enable them to test different types of NFTs (from basic collectibles to complex generative art), gain instant feedback, and build loyal followings.
Cross-chain recognition
"Being selected as a WAX NFT artist for the ETH CHI exhibition means that different blockchain art communities are starting to communicate more. Although their careers are primarily built on WAX, appearing in the 'Ethereum-themed' exhibition signifies that excellent artworks have transcended specific blockchain platforms.
Moreover, this also means that the NFT art world is beginning to mature. Curators and collectors care more about the art itself rather than which blockchain the artwork is on. This is good news for creators on all platforms, as it unites previously fragmented communities.
Conclusion
BlackFang and ArtistByron utilize blockchain technology to showcase different artistic styles. Although their styles vary, they both demonstrate that digital artists can establish sustainable careers by maintaining the quality of their work and interacting with the community. The digital art world will continue to evolve, and the artificial boundaries between platforms will continue to be broken, creating opportunities for artists who express unique voices.
Finally, I want to emphasize that as evolution continues, artists like BlackFang and ArtistByron are influencing the development of digital collectibles. By combining traditional creative processes with advancements in blockchain technology, they are contributing to a future where the essential merits of digital art are recognized!
*Friendly reminder: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute any investment advice!
