Builder Series #23: Creative Highlight with Minsism
From one of the artists of BobuKidzBooks
For this segment, we have Minsism. Someone I’ve seen very prominently in the Azuki ecosystem working up designs for so many projects and individuals.
I’m happy to share some of those questions that came to mind and in all, such a pleasant approach with their answers. As busy as she was, we made time and this is how it all went!
So, let’s start with..
Who is Minsism?
My username is Minsism, but most people call me Belle. My username isn’t really related to my name. I just took the name of one of my favorite actresses, Go Minsi. ‘Minsi’ is from her name and then I just tossed on the suffix ‘-sm’ for that extra touch of flair similar to optimism and surrealism. But feel free to just call me Belle, minsi or minsism.
Tell me about yourself.
(Whatever you wanna share)
I’m a 21 year old girl struggling to balance being a premed student and an artist. Before, I was just a consumer of all things cute, but I decided to break free from that box and create my own adorable art. The reason I make cute art is simple – it's my happy place in the midst of life's daily chaos and stresses. 🌟 Since I’m all about cute art, most of my art are for the BEANZ community. However, I’m always open to create more art and collaborate with other projects. Also, I've had the privilege to work and collaborate with some amazing people in the space like the Shelbeanz, NFTea_Sammi, RiceRiddler, Sanza_eth, GreggSgarlata, NiQ_108, and others. I will forever be grateful for everyone who supported and motivated me to push this dream of mine.
How long have you been illustrating for and what got you started?
I dabbled with art years ago but I never took it seriously. But talking about digital illustrations, I believe started doing digital art for a year now. Initially, it was to snag those whitelists spots for NFT projects before. But then, Beanz happened! They are little creatures are just irresistibly cute, and I found myself saving up to bring one into my life. I just wanted to have a a tiny, adorable companion and also, I have been wanting to go into the Azuki ecosystem ever since I stepped into Web3. So, on my birthday, I gifted myself one of these little miracles. Not sure if it’s still considered a gift since I gifted it to myself but nevertheless, it's been one of the best presents ever (even if it was from me to me). From that moment on, my daily adventures (well, I try to make them daily) have been filled with my beloved bean, sometimes I include some of my friend’s beans in the art. I was just doing it for free but then I think word got out and people started commissioning me and I have been very much grateful for everyone and everything that happened.
Time passes and you’re in the web3 space, how was that transition from web2 to web3 and why the change?
I went into the Web3 space when I was still in online classes, so the transition wasn’t really that hard. It was an interesting experience! I felt like I was leading this double life but it's a bit like wielding a double-edged sword. On one hand, it's exhilarating, but on the other, it's a challenge piled on top of an already full plate. Many times, sacrifices are made and my health took a toll - sleepless nights, stress and FOMO. But now that we’re doing offline classes, I would have to sort out my priorities since I also have other responsibilities in Web2 to tend to which resulted to me being MIA in the Web3 space. Thankfully, I still have some friends who bring some news for me to catch up on.
Is it easier for you as an artist to get commissions in the Web3 space or has it been more challenging?
I haven’t actually accepted commissions from the Web2 space since I started in the Web3 space and decided to stay exclusively here. So I can’t really compare if it’s more challenging.
What has been your favorite project or illustration you’ve worked on thus far, if you’d like to share?
This is kind of a hard question for me because I can’t exactly pinpoint what my favorite illustration or project I worked on. Maybe it’s just that I hold onto this certain mindset that I’m perpetually growing as an artist and I could still make better artworks than the last. However, I can share with you my favorite when I create more art.
What has been the most challenging and rewarding times for you?
One of the constant challenges, you see, is the art of saying 'no' or turning down commissions. I always get torn because I do really want to bring their visions into life and I want to grab the chance to create art but this also brings another challenge which is the lack of time. I value each commission and I want to do the best as I can on every piece which also takes time. This is a challenge considering that I also have other responsibilities to tend to. But nothing could beat the feeling when they post in on twitter and especially when they make it their profile picture or header. Seeing them being happy with the artwork makes me a hundred times happier.
What are you currently working on?
As of right now, I’m one of the artists for BobuKidzBooks. It’s a children’s book series with not only fun topics but also stories packed with valuable lessons for everyone. I’m working with an incredible team and I’m super excited for the big launch this Q4 2023! Stay tuned and you guys would not want to miss this.
What’s next for you?
I’m not entirely sure what’s next for me but I would love to collaborate with others and help bridge Web3 to Web2 or building their IP. Also, I started doing a little bit of animation and I plan on honing that skill so I could make short clips and post them on different platforms such as TikTok, Instagram or YouTube.
What advice do you give, not only to illustrators/creatives in web3 but in general? What has driven you up until this day?
To be honest, I’m not sure if I’m qualified to give advice but one thing that I learned is to chase your dreams but always remember to avoid burnout. Set boundaries early on, and be honest with yourself about your capabilities. Know what a harmonious work-life-play balance means to you. Learn to say 'no' when necessary. Don’t make money your main motivation especially when you’re in the creative field wherein you need to be inspired to create art. Monetizing your hobby is basically a catalyst to burn out and you may never find it fun especially if it’s your only source of income.
Now that we know you better, I’d like to do this again with others in the community. Who should I highlight next?
I would love to highlight Kamogawayuka. I’ve been her fan ever since I entered the space and she’s a delight and is always hardworking. She inspires me a lot and I look up to her.
Maybe we will!
Let’s see if we can get her onboard with our articles. Yuka is a big part of the ‘Garden Caretaker’ group and I’m sure we can definitely make this happen! Manifesting it here but will reach out! That is what these stories will entail, just ways we could bridge creatives with one another.
I want to take this time to thank Belle for the segment and for sharing her views. For more on what she’s working on, keep up with her and her work on Twitter.
Thank you for another article for the ‘books’.
Pun intended.
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