The Importance of the NFT Community With 3D Artist Thallaputra

**Above Thallaputra: Will to Survive (Copyright © Thallaputra, 2021)**

How community and positivity have made 3D artist Thallaputra — in his own right — a giant in the NFT scene.

In Will to Survive, artist Athala slays a colossus.

Ash, cinder, and flame swirl in this piece’s glowing backdrop. An epic war has just concluded. On one side of the battle, a stone monolith of a man towers high into the sky. On the other stand people of a comparatively average stature, no longer than the aforementioned giant’s nose. The piece, however, reveals the battle’s aftermath — an unlikely Davidian victory for the diminutive heroes.

“I was trying to make something new — and long story short — that was the artwork where I figured out my style,” he tells us.

Better known under the internet moniker Thallaputra, Athala is a 19-year-old artist known for his dramatic 3D works rendered in Octane and Cinema 4D. His work over the past year has developed an impressive and consistent aesthetic. “I’m inspired by deities, gods, and also Lovecraftian space horror,” he says. These compositions often straddle the line between cyber-futurism and the mythologically inspired art of classical civilisations from Europe to Asia. It’s an attractive blend of the two and has snapped up an audience enthralled by the taste of nostalgia and sci-fi with a hint of tenebrous mystery.

The uncanny parallel between his youth as an NFT artist and the story told in Will to Survive is not lost on us. Although this emerging digital economy can be difficult to navigate, people like the artist have overcome hurdles and gone on to develop successful careers. In spite of what seems to be a relatively swift ascent, Athala insists on highlighting his experience. “I’ve been only involved with minting NFTs for 6 months,” he says. “But in practicing 3D art, it’s been more than 3 years. For me, my art means all the time I’ve had to spend improving myself”.

But that time dedicated to perfecting his craft is not the only thing Athala credits with his success. The positive response from the NFT community has been memorable, he tells us, and “the amount of love I received for my art has really helped me in this journey”. Athala is emphatic on the point and shares his opinions on the need to be resolute in the face of criticism. “Keep creating, and keep bringing up dope ideas,” he says. “Ignore the negative things that people say about your, don’t even listen to your own negative thoughts. The most important thing is to keep creating.”