Orabelart from Marseille in France is one of the quickest growing names in the NFT space. We were lucky enough to sit down with them and learn more about their amazing craft. This was an incredible interview with an incredible talent. Hope you enjoy!
Please provide any details about your background and what got you into art:
I have always done art since I can remember. My father used to always let me a sheet of paper and a pencil on the living room table, and I was naturally attracted to it.
At the age of 7, my passion for mangas and Japanimation grew up. I deeply dug into that style until I started my Applied Arts cursus in high school. My art studies widely opened my views in terms of inspirations and style. But it was also a long time of pause from my personal practice of drawing, because of the many school projects and the teachers that did not really care or believe in my illustration dream. So I actually got discouraged by my art journey and stopped drawing for myself for 4 years.
Until I realized I needed to draw for my mental balance, in 2018. It was an emergency. So I slowly went back to the sheet of paper and started sketching again. A couple months later, I invested in a graphic tablet and started to learn digital painting.
And at the end of August 2020, I got involved into NFT art.
Who is your favorite artist(s) (Non NFT)?
I have so many artists that I love, but if I have to choose one, I think I would choose the digital artist Marta Nael because she is my main influence. What I love about her work is the way she paints with vivid colors and very vibrant textures and brush strokes, in an Impressionist way.
Who is your favorite NFT artist?
Here too, I love the work of so many people in this space. My three favorite are Shelly Soneja, Daniella Doodles and Kristy Glas.
Shelly Soneja creates very charismatic female characters and very expressive pieces, very colorful and magic ! She inspires me to create super dynamic pieces.
Daniella Doodles has a very ornamental signature style that I find mystique and elegant. I would love to be able to display one of her art at home, I would be so proud.
Kristy Glas’ art universe is just amazing to dive into. She does so many things, but my favorite collections from her are her Pixel Cats on Rarible and her Adventure Series. She knows how to tell fantastic stories with her art, and this is what I am looking for, for my own.
What made you pursue NFT art?
At the end of August 2020, I met with Max Waldinger (aka @Talos) on Instagram. He introduced me to NFTs, which I pursued for my financial goals. At that time, I was trying to grow an audience on social media and was charging really low for my art commissions. So, discovering crypto art was like a gift. At that time, the space was way less crowded, it was still kind of hidden but still, artists could finally earn enough money to reach their goals. I thought it was revolutionary for our field.
What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on?
Honestly, now I wish I could have purchased a Crypto Punk in September 2020. Haha but I absolutely had no clue of their potential and wasn’t imagining their floor going that high.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?
I would go to Japan, because this is the country where my main core of inspirations comes from. What are your other passions besides art?
I love to cook and to discover good restaurants, taste good wines. I also love to do hiking in the mountains.
Do you make other forms of art?
I used to write a lot when I was younger. It’s easier for me to make my characters come to life by writing their stories. But I keep my stories for myself for now.
How did you come up with your specific style?
By imitating a lot of artists that I look up to and trying to merge their style to create mine. I love Makoto Shinkai’s skies and environments, I love Marta Nael colorful and vibrant treatment, I love Sam Does Art lighting mastery and his drawing velocity… To only mention a few.
How has your style evolved over the years?
During my childhood and teens, my style was really anime and manga. During my studies, my characters became more semi-realistic. I used to always draw in black and white, and only characters, until recently. When I invested in my graphic tablet in 2018, I started to draw environments, more complex pieces and colorful pieces. I think the most recognizable aspect of my art is the color. Each time I start a piece, color is my main preoccupation. Color is powerful to communicate a mood or an emotion to my viewers.
What is coming in the near future?
I am soon moving in the house we bought with my partner. It means that I will soon be able to quit my day job in order to become a full-time artist, by the end of this year. So exciting.
If you could collaborate with one artist who would it be?
I would love to collaborate with Art by Nafay. His environment pieces are so emotional and fantastic ! I think we could do an amazing job together.
Do you have any upcoming drops?
I am dropping “Contemplation” on Suspended Souls the 15th August, and I will drop new things on Anifty really soon. But I think what people are waiting the most is my 50 Faces collection that I will release on Rarible once done, by September or October 2021.
What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?
My greatest failure was a relationship. I learned to be less naive and to be my number 1 priority. I
learned to read between the lines and that I would rather be alone than in bad company. I learned to recognize which people were good to me, and which were only good to themselves.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Thank you for reading and for following through my art journey.
Where Can Collectors find your work?
Social links:
Twitter : https://twitter.com/orabelart
Showtime : https://tryshowtime.com/Orabelart
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/orabelart/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/orabelart
NFT marketplace links:
Makersplace : https://makersplace.com/orabelart/
Known Origin : https://knownorigin.io/orabelart
Rarible : https://rarible.com/orabelart
Foundation : https://foundation.app/@orabelart