For many of his life, 18-year-old Justin Bodnar, higher identified in Web3 as jstngraphics, had hoped to grow 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.

“After I was youthful, I performed soccer, basketball, and baseball; however I actually began specializing in soccer. However once I was 10 years previous, round fifth grade, I needed to have open coronary heart surgical procedure,” Bodnar mentioned 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 at least one aspect. So I needed to have surgical procedure for that, which meant I couldn’t play any soccer for a while. That’s once I acquired into graphic design.”

Artwork commissions throughout a world pandemic

Laid up from surgical procedure and not in a position to hit the sphere, Bodnar did what any fifth grader would do, and acquired actually into video video games. As he more and more acquired higher at Name of Responsibility, he determined to report his matches and make edits of his trick photographs. 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 have the ability to make some cash off his quickly rising set of expertise.

“I believed, ‘Hey, I may in all probability make some cash off this.’ At the moment, 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,” mentioned 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 once I actually began experimenting with my designs and doing commissions.”

In 2019, though Bodnar was an image of well being and continued to take pleasure in soccer leisurely, artwork had undeniably gained a maintain on his free time as his primary pastime. And for good motive, contemplating he was now in a position to generate income doing commissions. However in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, issues modified for everybody, Bodnar included. In the course of the 12 months, he began to actually concentrate on creating his personal artwork, not simply commissions created out of the concepts of others.

Fortunately for him, his timing couldn’t have been extra good, 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 bunch chat. Though he admits he actually had no concept what he was doing early on, his identify began spreading as soon as he crossed paths with a specific famous person 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 mates and possibly getting to speak about his artwork. But, he says he actually didn’t speak a lot his first few occasions, that’s, till he ended up in the identical room as DJ and distinguished NFT creator/influencer 3LAU.

“I used to be truthfully freaking out! However lastly, I simply thought I would as effectively do it. So I waited till there was a time period the place nobody speaking, and I unmuted and simply mentioned, ‘Hey, I’m Justin. I’m a 16-year-old 3D artist,’ and 3LAU was the primary one to answer,” mentioned 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 really Tweeted my artwork out and tagged me and adopted me.”

From then on, Bodnar and 3LAU linked and talked extra outdoors of Clubhouse, which finally culminated within the DJ buying considered one of Bodnar’s NFTs in a personal sale. And afterward, Bodnar acquired a nice shock when 3LAU requested if he’d prefer to create a bit 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 type of cool to be part of that historical past.”

Contemplating Bodnar’s continued love of brilliant, emotionally-fueled digital music, being tapped for a 3LAU collaboration was undoubtedly a possible bucket record merchandise checked off. And as his surreal, dreamy panorama NFTs continued to realize traction, he discovered alternatives to work with different distinguished Web3 names like Josh Pierce and Dave Krugman as effectively. But, along with his artwork targets beginning to be achieved, Bodnar realized he had a chance to shift his focus and grow to be an inspiration for different younger artists.

“Being a younger artist, and moving into the NFT area, it’s not simple. I used to be fortunate moving into the area and having so many individuals be tremendous useful. I wish to encourage different artists, hopefully, youthful artists as effectively,” mentioned Bodnar. “That’s type of my primary objective. You already know, aside from getting right into a museum or one thing like that (he chuckles).”

From reaching 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 just like his vibrant landscapes and impossibly stunning worlds, his personal potential appears to be huge and limitless.