NFT Interview with PXL DRGNS

One of these days I found a NFT Collection that really caught my eye. The main theme is pixel dragons, being each unique both looks, animation and description. I had the great opportunity to interview this Creator. Check the interview in Full, below!

NJ:

Greetings @pxl_drgns.

Thank you for joining me on this NFT interview. I really liked your work and I am very curious to know for how long do you draw with pixels?

PD:

Thank you for having me!

I am fairly new to pixel art but I have drawn most of my life and really wanted to explore pixel art

NJ:

You welcome! I am impressed now! The animations are really impressive and i recommend anyone reading this to check it out!

@pxl_drgns when did your blockchain journey had started and how? Can you remember?

PD:

So originally it was a discussion with a couple of friends about NFTs and what they were about and I started dabbling into the world after that. I created a test project first called slurbee_nft where I generated 100 versions of an old character I had but it didn't go very well. I didn't even sell a single one 😂

But it taught me a lot and I also had built a good following on that account.

The PXL DRGNS idea I had for a while. It's based on the classic Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands 8-Bit arcade games and my love of them. So I mixed that with my love of comics 🙂

NJ:

Great story! I am envy of those crypto and nft fan friends of you hahaha

I can totally understand the inspiration for your work as I got hooked in your collection.

Sad to hear about that first project of yours, but experience is very valuable on this space.

When did it all happened?

The creation of your first collection, and then the creation of this second one?

PD:

So the first collection launched mid December last year and only lasted till the end of that month. Maybe if more interest and a few sales had happened I would have stuck with it but by the end of that month I already had PXL DRGNS in mind.

So this was the last post of the first project as I announced that the collection lost its way to the Metaverse and drowned in Opensea

I worked on PXL DRGNS through most of January and launched the project early February.

NJ:

So you managed to accomplish all that in a bit over 3 months. Congratulation.

I am assuming this is not your main job, but would you like to work with NFTs full time?

PD:

Yeah! I'm pretty new to crypto and NFTs. Learning as I'm going 😁

I work full time as a graphic designer and have a couple of personal projects going at the same time one being PXL DRGNS.

I'd love to draw full time and PCL DRGNS is so much fun to create I wish I had more time to commit to it

NJ:

Do you run all the collection aspects alone? Congratz for the complete sale of phase 1 PXL DRGNS. I can't wait to see them on the next phase.

Apart from the stunning art, do you have any big plans for the collection on the mid term?

PD:

Thank you and yes that's why it is solely run through Instagram so I don't have to commit too much time on the social front and can instead commit more time to the project itself. It's all a big balance of time.

Yes! I want to reward the holders more. I have 2 giveaways per Stage for holders alone but I'm working on some ideas on giving more with unlockable content to even physical original art.

NJ:

Totally understandable, as time is one of the most valuable resources in life.

Thank you for your answer. I would like to see the physical original art unfold. It's only a matter of time until most physical products are sold through NFTs.

Are you optimistic about the future of Crypto and NFTs in general?

PD:

Yeah! I think it would be a great combination of giving something physical along with an NFT.

Yes I'd say I am! I am fairly new to Crypto as much as I am to NFTs but looking back at people who took a chance with Crypto it has certainly paid off in the long-term. I think the same applies with NFTs. I think NFTs will evolve a lot through the next few years.

NJ:

Thank you for your opinion! I also believe NFTs will unlock their full potential in the next years, as corporate adoption will certainly lead to mass adoption.

Just for the curiosity sake, how long do you take to make 1 of your animated PXL DRGNS? I am sure numbers vary depending on the dragon and its story, but can you shoot an average?

PD:

They usually take me a couple of hours at the least. And then there's the ones I get carried away with like PXL DRGN #38 or #26 where I really got carried away with the animation. They usually take an extra hour 😂

NJ:

I am surprised, and i am not at the same time, which led to more curiosity. On your graphic designer job do you use or ever used pixel art?

Or is pixel art a personal taste and skill you developed in time?

PD:

I don't think I have ever used pixel art in my graphic design work. I was always interested in pixel art and this project gave me the opportunity to try it out. I'm sure professional pixel artists would pick plenty of mistakes with the PXL DRGNS art but that's how artists get better.

NJ:

Thanks for quenching that curiosity. I recommend that all the readers check this collection out and judge for themselves!

Congratulations for what you have achieved so far. It certainly was earned!

Another curiosity 😀

Are you a holder of other NFT collections? If so, which ones do you feel inspired by?

PD:

I must admit I have a strong hesitation in starting an NFT collection of my own, even though I have been tempted quite a few times, because I'm a big comic book collector and that already takes away a lot of my spare funds 😂

Nonetheless I do get inspired by a few nft artists out there. If you want to see some great pixel art apart from @pxl_drgns you should really check out @orcpunk.nft @littlejoey.nft @skyjourneynft @monkeyclo_

I also am loving what @cultofdamned are producing. They are really well thought out.

@astrotechnft @ultraviole.nft @thehiddenwalls are also worth checking out!

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few... 🤔

NJ:

I just checked all those accounts and my time was well spent. Indeed great references on the niche. I think you should be proud of your work, always recognizing the room for improvement and working to seize it. From the pixel artists above, would be hard to pick a favourite one, but if i had to pick 2 I would choose PXL DRGNS and @monkeyclo_

I like the polished and harmonious looks and color selection and regarding animations, there is no doubt, yours is number 1.

All the others ate great as well and have a lot of elements I love, but still stand behind considering it on a whole.

Thank you for sharing your influences. It was truly enriching 😃

Have you ever done a Collab in the space before this interview?

PD:

Thank you! Really appreciate the positive feedback.

I have yet to do a collab. I want to but because it has been hectic right through Stage 1 of PXL DRGNS I really didn't have the time to commit.

There is another Australian NFT project @stupendousserpentz which I am planning to do a future collab with and I think more collabs will follow closer to Stage 3 of PXL DRGNS.

NJ:

I am happy to receive such news and very curious to see how such collaborations could unfold in the future!

Another personal question:

Is PXL DRGNS a mean or an end to any dream you had deep inside of you before you started all this?

If so, what is your best recommendation for any reader that identifies with your story?

PD:

I don't think it was necessarily a dream more of nostalgia of a few games I remember as a kid. I'm an artist who likes to explore and this was definitely something out of my comfort zone.

The best advice I can give to an artist who dreams of making an NFT collection is to really brainstorm the idea. Try to be original, no one needs anymore bored apes 😂 come up with a plan and a roadmap early on and most importantly try to offer something different to what everyone else has on offer. Those things alone will make you stand out and if you have a good collection then the audience will follow.

NJ:

That's a really kind advice!

Would you like to further improve your NFTs and make them part of a NFT game?

PD:

I think that would be a great idea but I'd probably need to get a team together to tackle such a project. It's still early days so who knows what's to come after the final stage 🙂

NJ:

That would be really cool and somehow give life to the descriptions that each PXL DRGNS have.

If you are interested in chains that are cheap to develop on, let me know after the interview 😀

Can you share some market data about the number of active listing and the number of sold assets?

Also do you have any incoming drops that you would like to shout-out?

PD:

All 38/38 PXL DRGNS have been sold so far with 23 currently re-listed.

There will be 2 more PXL DRGNS dropping this week to officially end Stage 1. One is a Holders Only Giveaway and the other a 3K followers Giveaway.

I am hoping to have Stage 2 l Drop 1 ready to launch on the 20th of this month but will announce the date officially very soon 🙂

NJ:

That's great news for your collection. Great initial support and a development in the collection coming soon.

Do you have any links you would like to share with our readers?

PD:

Well the obvious one is @pxl_drgns and also for those who want to check out some traditional art feel free to visit my personal account @theomaniatis

NJ:

Thank you for sharing!!!

Our interview is getting to an end and i would like you to share a message with our readers. Any message, it's up to you!

It was a great pleasure to have you here for the interview and i wish you a great success on the NFT Space.

PD:

I think I've plugged my project enough thanks to you so I'll use my final words to ask all readers to support @nft.journalist by donating and spreading the word about him!

The pleasure was all mine and thank you for the opportunity. I hope you have all the success in the world!