Hello everyone and welcome to a conversation with Michael Rusakov. Representing prjkt.technology is RJ.
RJ: Hi Michael, thanks for taking time to meet with prjkt.technology today. As taken from his Twitter bio, Michael is a Visual Artist/Designer with quite an impressive following across socials to match his skill set. He is does both illustration and animation, and I am confident the world is his oyster. To get started I want to give you a chance to introduce yourself, so, who is Michael?
MR: My name is Michael and I do both illustration/animation. I didn’t go to school to learn either. Matter of fact, you don’t need to go to school to learn either now that we have internet. People always ask me what app to use. There is no APP for that. I use multiple tools.
RJ: Can you talk about your roadmap up until now? Were you always into this world or was it a result of evolution from other hobbies?
MR: The way I started my career as an animator began with me making an intro for a famous beauty guru called Manny MUA. After that I was reached out by a lot of big names in the beauty guru community such as James Charles, Nikki Tutorials, Jacklyn Hill. I created dozens of intro animations for them and then switched to making animations for Celebrities and musicians such as Kenzie and Maddie Ziegler, Iggy Azalea, Travis Barker, Pia Mia.I also started animating assets for corporate and commercial clients such as Netflix and Sony.
RJ: Transitioning from your arrival to the animation world, I’d like to ask a few questions that come to mind when I first stumbled upon you and your art.
MR: Go for it.
RJ: Whether someone is an architect or a painter, I believe every person has a reason for putting out creative material. What does animation do for you?
MR: I have always liked 2D graphics, especially Anime. It is not easy for an artist to find friends and/or be a part of a group. With web3 art I was able to become a part of the NFT anime community which I take pride in.
RJ: From existing on multiple marketplaces to engaging with community on Twitter, you seem to understand how Web3 works. Many artists know how to release work but not all know how to consistently create value for holders. Why is holder happiness a priority for you?
MR: To answer your question about web3 is You need to be a part of a community. The way you create value is by getting people engaged in the process of art making, not the art itself. Holders must have the right to choose.
RJ: The first time I saw your work was for a relatively new collection called Parts of the Soul: Spirit Within via Twitter. You posted a teaser and many of us (almost 95,000 views as of 2/3/2023) were immediately captivated by the eye detail and constant motion. Can you talk a little bit about the ideation stage and share some of the behind the scenes creation of this?
MR: As you have already mentioned it is an eye. Which is a part of a character’s face. It was the first step to create a mystery. A sneak peek so to say. People love secrets. Next step be grateful. Artists are humble people and feel the need to thank their supporters.
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xA7f245a5a14e4d2B91311Ede4d3B540e1e9044FE/1
RJ: I wonder a lot about the essence of Web3 being a game, specifically a financial game. Nonetheless, we all insist that we are here for the art. How do you balance the worlds as you reward holders with items like Crimson Rain without burning yourself out?
MR: I created Crimson rain as a token of appreciation for my supporters. I wouldn’t confuse web3 art with those crypto scammers that trick people into investing their last dime into a pump and dump. Like I said, we are a community. We support each other. Someone pays 20 bucks for a Netflix subscription. Someone buys an NFT from their favorite artist. Entertainment comes in different forms.
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xc366da7be4edf2d68d2a7143a64574af90d4bedd/13
RJ: Do you have a team of “advisors” who help with your Web3 strategy? Or is this all you?
MR: I don’t have any advisors nor do I have a team. You live and You learn.
RJ: prjkt.technology started out with me just having an idea. This idea took a few different forms and iterations until I arrived at something I knew I could believe in and execute. As a creative yourself, when do you know something is a good idea or isn’t?
MR: Honestly. You don’t know until You hear it from people. I do what I am good at. It’s never a good idea to pretend to be someone You are not.
RJ: Do you mind sharing any complications that have come with having your own projects? To give you a sense of direction these can be deadlines, North Star, ideas that can’t be executed, etc.
MR: The hardest part about making your own project is uncertainty. I have to decide whether I do a paid commission or make an edition and present it to my community hoping they support me.
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0x1C3af3c13C8D97A394aB47a4F15d53802E13E2e2/4
RJ: What can web3 be better at to assist you?
MR: Web3 is no different than web2. It’s the people who make the difference. Anyone looking to make a quick buck needs to go. There were a lot of people selling fake and stolen art as well as AI generated stuff last year. I hope they are not coming back this year.
RJ: Future plans for you and for Spirit Within/Crimson Rain?
MR: We will see what people want to go with. Everyone seems to like burn mechanism.
RJ: Lastly, which Web3 artists should we be keeping an eye on for existing or up-an-coming projects?
MR: I would keep my eye on SAU (@nftsau), Sashimi (@ssm_a_u), and Kolahon (@kolahonn). They are greatly supported by our community because they are truly talented artists.
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0x65a8B100d66D59394243d94e365782161e01403c/1
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0x45536613636d88b2743dDDB4Dc8C9aD5Ed48aB58/3
RJ: Michael I want to thank you for taking time to chat. You are always welcome back if you ever need to discuss new events in your Web3 journey. In the meantime, I wish you well in all endeavors!
MR: Thanks for having me!
Michael can be found across socials via his Carrd below. If you like this, please be sure to subscribe to stay up to date on upcoming conversations!
Hello everyone and welcome to a conversation with Michael Rusakov. Representing prjkt.technology is RJ.
RJ: Hi Michael, thanks for taking time to meet with prjkt.technology today. As taken from his Twitter bio, Michael is a Visual Artist/Designer with quite an impressive following across socials to match his skill set. He is does both illustration and animation, and I am confident the world is his oyster. To get started I want to give you a chance to introduce yourself, so, who is Michael?
MR: My name is Michael and I do both illustration/animation. I didn’t go to school to learn either. Matter of fact, you don’t need to go to school to learn either now that we have internet. People always ask me what app to use. There is no APP for that. I use multiple tools.
RJ: Can you talk about your roadmap up until now? Were you always into this world or was it a result of evolution from other hobbies?
MR: The way I started my career as an animator began with me making an intro for a famous beauty guru called Manny MUA. After that I was reached out by a lot of big names in the beauty guru community such as James Charles, Nikki Tutorials, Jacklyn Hill. I created dozens of intro animations for them and then switched to making animations for Celebrities and musicians such as Kenzie and Maddie Ziegler, Iggy Azalea, Travis Barker, Pia Mia.I also started animating assets for corporate and commercial clients such as Netflix and Sony.
RJ: Transitioning from your arrival to the animation world, I’d like to ask a few questions that come to mind when I first stumbled upon you and your art.
MR: Go for it.
RJ: Whether someone is an architect or a painter, I believe every person has a reason for putting out creative material. What does animation do for you?
MR: I have always liked 2D graphics, especially Anime. It is not easy for an artist to find friends and/or be a part of a group. With web3 art I was able to become a part of the NFT anime community which I take pride in.
RJ: From existing on multiple marketplaces to engaging with community on Twitter, you seem to understand how Web3 works. Many artists know how to release work but not all know how to consistently create value for holders. Why is holder happiness a priority for you?
MR: To answer your question about web3 is You need to be a part of a community. The way you create value is by getting people engaged in the process of art making, not the art itself. Holders must have the right to choose.
RJ: The first time I saw your work was for a relatively new collection called Parts of the Soul: Spirit Within via Twitter. You posted a teaser and many of us (almost 95,000 views as of 2/3/2023) were immediately captivated by the eye detail and constant motion. Can you talk a little bit about the ideation stage and share some of the behind the scenes creation of this?
MR: As you have already mentioned it is an eye. Which is a part of a character’s face. It was the first step to create a mystery. A sneak peek so to say. People love secrets. Next step be grateful. Artists are humble people and feel the need to thank their supporters.
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xA7f245a5a14e4d2B91311Ede4d3B540e1e9044FE/1
RJ: I wonder a lot about the essence of Web3 being a game, specifically a financial game. Nonetheless, we all insist that we are here for the art. How do you balance the worlds as you reward holders with items like Crimson Rain without burning yourself out?
MR: I created Crimson rain as a token of appreciation for my supporters. I wouldn’t confuse web3 art with those crypto scammers that trick people into investing their last dime into a pump and dump. Like I said, we are a community. We support each other. Someone pays 20 bucks for a Netflix subscription. Someone buys an NFT from their favorite artist. Entertainment comes in different forms.
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xc366da7be4edf2d68d2a7143a64574af90d4bedd/13
RJ: Do you have a team of “advisors” who help with your Web3 strategy? Or is this all you?
MR: I don’t have any advisors nor do I have a team. You live and You learn.
RJ: prjkt.technology started out with me just having an idea. This idea took a few different forms and iterations until I arrived at something I knew I could believe in and execute. As a creative yourself, when do you know something is a good idea or isn’t?
MR: Honestly. You don’t know until You hear it from people. I do what I am good at. It’s never a good idea to pretend to be someone You are not.
RJ: Do you mind sharing any complications that have come with having your own projects? To give you a sense of direction these can be deadlines, North Star, ideas that can’t be executed, etc.
MR: The hardest part about making your own project is uncertainty. I have to decide whether I do a paid commission or make an edition and present it to my community hoping they support me.
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0x1C3af3c13C8D97A394aB47a4F15d53802E13E2e2/4
RJ: What can web3 be better at to assist you?
MR: Web3 is no different than web2. It’s the people who make the difference. Anyone looking to make a quick buck needs to go. There were a lot of people selling fake and stolen art as well as AI generated stuff last year. I hope they are not coming back this year.
RJ: Future plans for you and for Spirit Within/Crimson Rain?
MR: We will see what people want to go with. Everyone seems to like burn mechanism.
RJ: Lastly, which Web3 artists should we be keeping an eye on for existing or up-an-coming projects?
MR: I would keep my eye on SAU (@nftsau), Sashimi (@ssm_a_u), and Kolahon (@kolahonn). They are greatly supported by our community because they are truly talented artists.
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0x65a8B100d66D59394243d94e365782161e01403c/1
https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0x45536613636d88b2743dDDB4Dc8C9aD5Ed48aB58/3
RJ: Michael I want to thank you for taking time to chat. You are always welcome back if you ever need to discuss new events in your Web3 journey. In the meantime, I wish you well in all endeavors!
MR: Thanks for having me!
Michael can be found across socials via his Carrd below. If you like this, please be sure to subscribe to stay up to date on upcoming conversations!
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