For many of his life, 18-year-old Justin Bodnar, higher recognized in Web3 as jstngraphics, had hoped to turn out to be knowledgeable soccer participant. However as if to set the wheels of destiny in movement, earlier than he may even attain his teenage years, a gap in his coronary heart (fairly bodily, that isn’t simply to be poetic) would put a damper on his goals and successfully change the trajectory of his life.
“Once I was youthful, I performed soccer, basketball, and baseball; however I actually began specializing in soccer. However after I was 10 years outdated, round fifth grade, I needed to have open coronary heart surgical procedure,” Bodnar stated in an interview with nft now. “Apparently, there was a gap in one of many partitions of my coronary heart, and the blood was all going to 1 facet. So I needed to have surgical procedure for that, which meant I couldn’t play any soccer for a while. That’s after I received into graphic design.”
Artwork commissions throughout a worldwide pandemic
Laid up from surgical procedure and now not in a position to hit the sphere, Bodnar did what any fifth grader would do, and received actually into video video games. As he more and more received higher at Name of Responsibility, he determined to report his matches and make edits of his trick pictures. To take action, he first employed Adobe After Results, which acted as his entry into the world of design. from there, he began making his personal thumbnails and realized he would possibly be capable of make some cash off his quickly rising set of expertise.
“I believed, ‘Hey, I may in all probability make some cash off this.’ Presently, I used to be in all probability 11 or 12. I made a decision to make a Twitter account, and from there, I began promoting low-cost Twitter headers, thumbnails, actually something for like $10-15,” stated Bodnar. “After some time, I began charging round $25 to $50 or one thing like that. That’s simply what I did up till round 2019 after I actually began experimenting with my designs and doing commissions.”
In 2019, though Bodnar was an image of well being and continued to get pleasure from soccer leisurely, artwork had undeniably gained a maintain on his free time as his predominant interest. And for good purpose, contemplating he was now in a position to become profitable doing commissions. However in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, issues modified for everybody, Bodnar included. Throughout the 12 months, he began to actually deal with creating his personal artwork, not simply commissions created out of the concepts of others.
Fortunately for him, his timing couldn’t have been extra excellent, and within the fall of that very same 12 months, he was first uncovered to NFTs. First minting a piece on Rarible, Bodnar sought out different artists on Twitter, establishing a small community of creators in a gaggle chat. Though he admits he actually had no concept what he was doing early on, his title began spreading as soon as he crossed paths with a specific celebrity DJ.
Charting a path towards sustainability
After being launched to the social audio app Clubhouse, which dominated the primary half of 2021, Bodnar took half in a number of rooms (talking engagements on the app), with the easy hope of hanging out with associates and perhaps getting to speak about his artwork. But, he says he actually didn’t discuss a lot his first few occasions, that’s, till he ended up in the identical room as DJ and prominent NFT creator/influencer 3LAU.
“I used to be truthfully freaking out! However lastly, I simply thought I’d as properly do it. So I waited till there was a time period the place nobody speaking, and I unmuted and simply stated, ‘Hey, I’m Justin. I’m a 16-year-old 3D artist,’ and 3LAU was the primary one to answer,” stated Bodnar. “He was like, ‘Cool, the place can we discover your work?’ I gave him my Instagram and Twitter, and immediately, my Instagram was blowing up… 3LAU truly Tweeted my artwork out and tagged me and adopted me.”
From then on, Bodnar and 3LAU related and talked extra exterior of Clubhouse, which ultimately culminated within the DJ buying considered one of Bodnar’s NFTs in a personal sale. And afterward, Bodnar obtained a nice shock when 3LAU requested if he’d prefer to create a chunk of canopy artwork for considered one of his forthcoming tracks. “It was superior. Particularly as a result of that piece of artwork went with the primary music drop on his platform Royal. In order that was form of cool to be part of that historical past.”
Contemplating Bodnar’s continued love of shiny, emotionally-fueled digital music, being tapped for a 3LAU collaboration was undoubtedly a possible bucket checklist merchandise checked off. And as his surreal, dreamy panorama NFTs continued to achieve traction, he discovered alternatives to work with different distinguished Web3 names like Josh Pierce and Dave Krugman as properly. But, along with his artwork objectives beginning to be achieved, Bodnar realized he had a chance to shift his focus and turn out to be an inspiration for different younger artists.
“Being a younger artist, and moving into the NFT house, it’s not straightforward. I used to be fortunate moving into the house and having so many individuals be tremendous useful. I need to encourage different artists, hopefully, youthful artists as properly,” stated Bodnar. “That’s form of my predominant purpose. You understand, apart from getting right into a museum or one thing like that (he chuckles).”
From attaining six figures in gross sales on SupeRare to a forthcoming assortment set to drop on Nifty Gateway, wherever Bodnar endeavors to take his artwork subsequent, it’s clear that his mission is sound. And much like his vibrant landscapes and impossibly lovely worlds, his personal potential appears to be huge and limitless.