Today, I'm thrilled to collaborate with Daily by Fellowship to introduce 'The Vaults of Wonders' - an exciting AI series by Boldtron, an artistic duo based in Barcelona, Spain - the same country I call home. This release follows Auntieverse by NiceAunties and highlights the impressive work Fellowship has done in spotting, guiding, and bringing digital and contemporary art breakthroughs to life.
Boldtron Studio: Decades of Technological and Artistic Innovation
Boldtron is the artistic name of Barcelona-born brothers Xavier and Daniel Cardona, specializing in 3D, CGI, VR, and AI art. The duo stands out thanks to their relentless research, making them pioneers in the 3D and VR era and now in the AI-powered era.
Top Brands Connected to Boldtron's Imagination
Boldtronโs innovative approach has caught the eye of prominent brands over the years. They infused their distinct 3D style into Lacoste sneakers, gave the Volkswagen ID Buzz vehicle a youthful and energetic vibe, and designed an Air Max 270 VR experience for Nike. Lately, they exhibited 'Camino' in the 'Ventanas al Futuro' showcase, organized by Fundaciรณn Telefonica.
This time, they have turned to the blockchain to authenticate the birth of synthetic organisms with 'The Vault of Wonders' collection.
'The Abyssal Unseen': First Chapter of 'The Vault of Wonders'
'The Abyssal Unseen' epitomizes Boldtronโs philosophy, inviting viewers into a mysterious, unseen world. This chapter reimagines realityโs textures through a digital lens, crafting ethereal creatures that defy natural laws and expand the boundaries of imagination.
Each artwork consists of a video showcasing unparalleled HD in the AI medium. Custom-made ambient sounds, crafted in collaboration with MYGAL, accompany each creature. The first 100 are part of a group called 'Hatches' and can be handpicked by collectors in the pre-sale. The last 900 are part of the 36 'Families,' each comprised of 25 different creatures that share similar anatomy and physiology characteristics. Families will be distributed via a Dutch Auction.
The process starts with sketching and then introducing scientific information about a diverse group of creatures. This information gets layered into Boldtron's signature aesthetic palette, which is based on unique colors and patterns they've worked on for years. After these sketches are done, they use a diverse range of AI engines to animate the digital creatures. Finally, they go through a painstaking postproduction in After Effects.
The process is arduous, and it took them months to develop and finalize each unique video artwork.
The Philosophy Behind the Work
Boldtronโs creations are marked by a constant evolution in creativity and technology, allowing them to reinvent and preserve their unique identity. Their approach merges traditional, painterly techniques with digital advancements, creating a seamless fusion of the familiar and the fantastical.
"Our current creative process is digital, but our starting point for each project is manual.
Our original background is in art. We were trained in a classical art school, and that's where we come from.
We began working on projects in 1999, which were purely paintings. Even now, although everything is digital, the foundation is preceded by a very manual process: sketches, preliminary illustrations, etc."
Boldtron on their techniques and tools, taken from Espacio Telefonica.
Fellowship and Daily.xyz Continue Elevate AI Art
Following the impressive reception of Auntiverse by NiceAunties, and the constant array of talent showcased via Daily.xyz, Fellowship is cementing its place as a staple not only in the onchain art scene but also in the contemporary art world as a whole.
Alejandro Cartagena, who has been very vocal about the need to take on new artistic challenges and risks, states that the artistic duo crafted something he had never seen before.
"Xavi and Dani are among the most OG digital artists out there, and for more than a decade, they've been pushing digital art to the extreme. Their obsession with AI has led them to develop a new project that is like no other I've seen before.
This new world is being developed in a lab filled with childhood memories and the dedication of a mad scientist."
Alejandro Cartagena, Fellowship co-founder.
On Experimentation and Challenging the Status Quo
What stands out about this release and Fellowship's work is their ongoing effort to incorporate new faces into the onchain art space. For our community to expand, we must look outward. Welcoming new creators is as crucial as onchain artists succeeding in traditional venues like auction houses and museums.
'The Vault of Wonders' by Boldtron exemplifies this perfectly. An artistic duo with over a decade-long career showcases their skills and imagination with the support and guidance of Fellowship and Daily.xyz. Many experienced artists have so much to bring to the onchain art space, but it will be extremely hard to move forward without galleries and curators supporting them and challenging the status quo.
'The Vault of Wonders' by Boldtron Release Information
Phase 1: Pre Sale
Tue 21st May to Thu 23rd May, 1 pm EST
The fixed price for Hatchlings is 0.4 ฮ and 0.15 ฮ for Families
Phase 2, English Auction
Thu 23rd May 1:30 pm EST
English auction start at 0.1 ฮ and lasts 24h
Phase 3, Dutch Auction
Fri 24th May, 2 pm EST
Dutch Auction starts at 0.5 ฮ and ends at 0.1 ฮ over 45 minutes
Rebate auction so everyone pays the lowest sell-out price.
Note: alignDRAW holders receive an additional 50% discount (1 token = 1 discounted artwork; discounts will take up to 24 hrs to process).
Until next time,
- Kaloh
If you enjoy my content, consider getting a premium NFT subscription via HyperSub to access additional perks, including token-gated articles, revenue sharing and monthly giveaways and airdrops.
Interested in advertising? Read out at hi@kaloh.xyz