Question: Who is Lucclop?

Answer: Dad of 2 kids and a dog, in my 40s, and as well as creating art, I work in another creative field. I’ve absolutely loved creating since my early teens, but I never shared anything apart from academic work. Crypto art and web3 brought the opportunity and the confidence to start sharing without constraints. There’s so much inspiration, motivation, and so many super supportive people in this space.

Another big attraction for me to start minting was the amazing benefits blockchain brings to record our art history, preserving the story, timeline, and showcase of artworks that can be enjoyed far into the future. Seeing time slip by so quickly was another kick to finally start living out my dreams and putting my own work out there.

The name LUCCLOP in sentence form reflects some of what I’ve said above.

Less Unknow Creative Choosing Less Ordinary Paths

Question: Lucclop, your “Free-Form” collection brings together glitches, digital static, and fluid paint strokes. Could you tell us about the philosophy behind combining these seemingly disparate elements?

Answer: I get really excited by the collision of rectangular forms and the hard edges of pixels and glitches against the organic, free-flowing brushstrokes. It brings wonderful contrast and a new energy. I widely apply this to my art, but usually, I fill the canvas. With FREE-FORM, I wanted to have void space around sculptural forms, framing, and bringing focus to the assembly and how the elements interact with each other.

Question: The presence of hand and brushstrokes in your digital work is a deliberate choice. How do you balance the organic with the digital, and why is that interplay important in your art?

Answer: I’ve always loved seeing brushstrokes in physical art; it's wonderful how that connects me to the artist's hand, the flow, and the work that went into the piece. I want to bring this feeling and emotion into digital art through the expression of brush and hand movement and celebrate the transition into the digital realm by fusing this with many distinctly digital elements such as glitches, pixels, and digital effects. The brushes are simulated, of course, which removes limitations of physical paint like drying times and the inability to erase, adapt, change the color, etc. While retaining a strong connection to the natural aesthetics of brushes and the freedom of hand movements, I want to embrace technology to transport us from the physical world fully.

Question: Color plays a vital role in your creations. Can you share more about your process in selecting the color palettes and how do you believe they contribute to the emotional resonance of each piece?

Answer: I spend a lot of time with color palettes. Color combinations can totally transform the emotion and energy projected by the artwork. I could duplicate the same artwork many times, applying different colors to the layers of each and every artwork would feel very different. The expression through color is just as powerful as the mark-making and movement in pieces, and they have equal consideration while creating the artwork, so everything works together.

Question: Your offer to existing art holders to acquire “Free-Form” pieces at a special rate is quite generous. What inspired you to create this exclusive opportunity for your community of collectors?

Answer: Collectors are such a massive and important part of the journey. They have helped me so much, and I want to do things when I can to thank them and let them know that they are always thought of and part of the ongoing journey and growth.

The pieces weren’t all minted at once, and I’ve minted them at different times to suit different time zones and hopefully give everyone an equal chance. Although I initially minted ten pieces over a few days, I haven’t confirmed the total number of pieces in the collection, and I’ve just added 2 more. I really wanted it to be relaxed for the collectors. There’s no pressure, no FOMO, no need to rush if gas is high, etc. It was also really important to me that this collection is open to holders of my art on any chain.

Question: Can you walk us through your creative process? How do you transition from the initial concept to the final piece in the “Free-Form” collection?

Answer: It all started with one piece after some experimenting and note-taking. I then wanted all the artworks to be closely connected and share a language so I had a blueprint of the elements that went into the pieces. It’s a methodical process of building up the layers. None of the layers are shared across the pieces, but each element and layer is created similarly. For example, how the outer frame is drawn and glitched, how the grid is applied and then erased, how each piece features the same brushes, the same subtle gradient techniques, etc. Although I have this blueprint and calculated process I want there to be freedom and for each piece to have uniqueness, so while this structure is there I do try to stay loose and organic in terms of brushstrokes and shape making. As I mentioned earlier, I want each piece to express itself in its own way from its color palette.

The artworks are created using Procreate on iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil as a brush.

Question: What was your experience in creating these pieces in The Lab? What can platforms do or offer to help push your artistic practice forward?

Answer: I had been massively looking forward to being able to mint via The Lab. So it was wonderful news when I finally had access. I was also attracted to the token standard and the built-in additional functionality. I also really wanted this collection to have its own creator contract. Something that helps solidify the collection for the long term. My experience of The Lab has been fantastic, the UI is great and it’s really easy to follow all the steps, it also feels really efficient on gas. Another brilliant feature that really helps is the ability to automatically index with marketplaces like SuperRare without going through a manual application process.

Looking forward I am incredibly excited to start using tools in The Lab for Dynamic NFTs. I’ve already been working on a collection where the art will change according to the time of day.

Question: Please share any of your upcoming plans for the year! What should we be on the lookout for?

Answer: One of my key objectives for this year is to ensure I’m working with clear direction and being more efficient with time. That may not sound exciting, but I think a crucial thing for the long term is working sustainably.

I’m focusing on improving as an artist, including exploring new technologies and processes. I’ll also focus on finding and applying my time to genuine opportunities for my art to reach more people.

I also wish to create more permanent records with writing, not just art. I find with apps like X, everything written feels so temporary and is lost in minutes.