Costa Jpeg is a web3 artist known for his works that explore the intersection of art, technology, and meme culture. His distinctive work usually includes bold shapes, vibrant colors, and expressive figures. He is inspired by how web3, blockchain technology and NFTs can revolutionize how art is created, shared, and experienced. 

Check out his drop with OpenSea here. 

OpenSea: Could you introduce us to your art style and the main themes you explore in your artwork?

Costa Jpeg: I'm an artist who primarily works with digital illustration. However, my art also incorporates elements of Abstract Art, Glitch Art, and Collage, creating a mixed media approach. But I would say that the main concept of my work lies in how it communicates with the dilemmas, controversies, memes, feelings, and narratives of the web3 ecosystem.

OpenSea: Can you walk us through your creative process when developing an NFT collection or piece?

Costa Jpeg: I'm a keen observer of artistic concepts. This is generally how I come up with a new piece of art or a new collection. Absorbing good art is first and foremost a great exercise that helps to shape our aesthetic sense as artists.

In addition to observation, I like to catalog references and then sit down and write about my goals for new projects. After defining the concept, I start to create my first sketch. In general, my creative process is slow and meticulous.

In addition, some works need maturation time. I leave some works untouched for some time so that I can mature layers, textures, and reinforce the main idea of the theme. Of course, this is not a rule. There are projects that I had to finish before a narrative lost its evidence, as happened with my collection 'We Are So Back', where I produced 100 pieces of art in less than a week and had a quick sell out.

OpenSea: Can you discuss any unique challenges or opportunities you encounter when creating art, specifically for the digital realm of NFTs?

Costa Jpeg: This is a fascinating market. As an artist, I can have my art in different wallets of people from all over the world. This kind of reach is almost impossible to achieve through the traditional art market. Having a collectible market for digital art is incredible, but it's also extremely challenging for artists who mostly work alone.

Even before you have good artwork, you need to have a lot of discipline and study the market a lot to know how to operate. If I were to start in NFTs today, I would first collect art and participate in communities, and only then, after some time, would I finally start acting as an artist. That way I would get to know the market better before minting my first piece. I had to learn by making mistakes, but I have no regrets.

OpenSea: What motivated you to create on Base? How do you think Base's features will benefit your artistic expression?

Costa Jpeg: Base is a layer 2 where I feel a lot of artistic effervescence. This blockchain's demonstrations of support for NFT technology and low gas fees have caught the attention of many artists around the world. I saw in Base an opportunity to expand my artistic activity and make it possible for more people to collect my art.

OpenSea: How has blockchain technology influenced or changed the way you approach art creation?

Costa Jpeg: The idea of creating my art and submitting it for sale quickly, securely, and with proof of provenance is incredible. It has changed the way I work with art today. I can simply create a piece of art on my iPad and make it available in moments to the community I've built, and manage professional contacts and interactions with anyone in the world using my phone. It's all liberating.

OpenSea: How do you plan to engage with your audience through your NFTs on OpenSea? Are there any interactive elements or community-driven aspects to your work?

Costa Jpeg: Community building is something I consider very important. Owners of my NFTs have exclusive access to my Discord community and can earn access to mint new collections on Base and Ordinals. I really hope to see most of the people who minted access my community so they can participate in these interactions‍

OpenSea: What future developments in the NFT space excite you the most, and how do you plan to incorporate these into your future projects?

Costa Jpeg: I'm always on the lookout for solutions on the Ethereum layer 2. I believe that a lot is going to happen on Base in the next 2 years and I'm excited to be a part of it all. But I'm also paying attention to art on Bitcoin. I'm an artist and I'm part of the Fake Rares community and I have several NFTs released through CounterParty and, soon, I'm launching my first collection on Ordinals.

It's important to be aware because things change very quickly in web 3.

OpenSea: What advice would you give to artists who are new to the NFT space and are considering launching their first digital collection?‍

Costa Jpeg: In addition to what I've already said about studying the market and participating in communities, I would say that building a career in NFT art is a journey with many steps. Many people enter this market looking for immediate results and end up getting frustrated. Build community, refine your artistic style, and have patience. Keep working even when the market is in a bad place and don't let yourself be carried away by negative feelings.

OpenSea: Where do you see the future of digital art and NFTs heading in the next five years? How do you hope to contribute to this future?

Costa Jpeg: I think we're just at the beginning. The culture of collecting digital art using blockchain technology is still going to evolve a lot. This is a new culture, but it is already established and will need to evolve as we will have mass adoption at some point.

For the next few years, I also believe in the expansion of the metaverse and augmented reality tools. I think both concepts will be even more important for the work of artists, developers, and enthusiasts of new technologies.

I am positioned in the NFT art market and I just keep working hard every day.