Interview
Zigor Samaniego: Hilariously Surreal NFTs
Zigor Samaniego knew nothing of NFTs when Nifty Gateway first reached out. He was actually surprised that people, other than clients, would just pay for his art.
Fortunately for Zigor, he is remarkably talented at character design in a moment when such art is in high demand. In the increasingly noisy world of NFTs, character designers have a powerful tool at their disposal to connect with humans on the other side of the screen.
Zigor’s work is no exception.
With a vast portfolio of Cinema 4D created designs, his work consistently reminds me of a single frame from a feature film. While many of his pieces include a little motion, it’s those single snapshots of joy which unsurprisingly have resonated with NFT collectors.
Given his talent, I decided to reach out to Zigor to learn more about how he got into the NFT space and the success he has had so far!
How did you get involved with NFTs?
I received an email from Niftygateway, they told me they wanted to auction my images.
At that moment I went crazy “who is going to pay for something they can see for free?” I was completely unaware of what NFTs are. After some research, I realized I had nothing to lose.
When I experience my first sales and money showed up in my bank account, it was truly a wonderful moment. I have been doing art for years for pleasure and now people are willing to pay for my effort.
How has your style evolved over time and how would you describe your style today?
I don’t think my style has changed, the only thing that changes is the technique. I spend hours and hours trying to learn more, learning new programs, learning about composition, light and color. …. my little monsters are still the same in my head.
Prior to selling your NFTs was your art your full-time job?
My real job is to do 3d for clients, it is similar but the big difference is the artistic freedom, the client’s needs are always above my artistic concerns, this does not happen in the NFT and that gives me total freedom to do what I want.
Were you previously involved in the cryptocurrency space? If so, how?
It is a world that has always attracted my attention but I was very afraid. I come from a very humble family and we have never risked money. However I really like this world and I think that in the future I will invest a little of my savings in some cryptocurrency.
What prompted you to begin selling NFTs?
The first thing was curiosity, now money allows me to live from my art. What I enjoy most is creating things and seeing that there are people who like them enough to pay for them. It’s a very nice feeling!
How are your sales going so far?
For now I can’t complain, I have sold everything I have raised and soon I will start selling in SuperRare and in May I will drop again in NiftyGateway.
Have NFTs changed your plans for the future? If so, how?
I have already changed my present! This week I turned down two jobs from clients because I want to dedicate myself to my art. I will always have time to go back to work for other people but I have never had time to work for myself.
What do you think would improve your overall experience with NFTs?
I think I like everything about NFTs. We are creating a good and healthy community between artists and collectors, this is something you don’t see in the conventional art world. It also seems to me that it is a place where everyone has the same chance to succeed and that seems to me very democratic.
Do you have any exciting upcoming NFT projects? If so, any that you care to share?
Yes, I have three big projects in the oven.
The first one is a collaboration with a famous Spanish youtuber @willyrex in which we will release 5 works at different prices so everyone can start collecting NFTs.
The second one is a retrospective of my characters called AMIGOS. During the next month I will be uploading to SuperRare my classic characters, among them my “sistine chapel” a mix between a dog and a rat that is exposed in Maxon’s gallery.
And last but not least is a new character project for May 11th at Nifty Gateway called DIMENSIÓN AMIGOS.
What’s the best way for people to view your work online?
People can visit my website or follow me on Instagram.