CAN review – Brute Force Works creates unique animated pieces that have layers of imagery, as well as profound conceptual ideas that culminate in compelling narrative pieces of art. In ‘The Glorious Ruins #01: “For Sale”‘, there is a sense that the neo-classical and possibly postmodern landscape is being replaced by a new way of thinking. The ending of the animation features a stenciled image of Che Guevara with a SALE obscuring his eye, possibly indicating that the days of revolution are long gone and that globalisation and Capitalism has taken over. Please visit the link in the images to view each animation 🙂
Brute Force Works second piece is a looping animation that features a flag waving figure in silhouette on top of a van. The layered scene features hooded figures, lit fires and textual elements that resemble grafitti in the background. The description provides a poignant reminder of the turmoil that Chile has undergone in recent times, with the promise of new hope.
The final piece reveals Brute Force Works love of literature, with a surprising reference to Scottish poet Robert Burns. The looping animation again features layers of texture, handwriting, architectural features and a wild stag bellowing. It’s an animation that is alive with the raw nature and vitality of Burns’ Scotland and speaks of a lost or dying culture that still has so much to offer.
CAN believe that Brute Force Works have a lot to offer the cryptoart landscape with the vitality of their imagination, their multilayered animations and a love of culture, both past and present.
Name
Brute Force Works
Social media links and website profiles
Opensea collection
What is your background as an artist in general?
I was first a writer (have four novels among my sins) , and later I went to art school and trained as a game and interactive designer.
What is your overall process in generating art?
There are different processes, for example, game design is more like writing a long novel. Making these animations for jigsaws is like creating haiku, very much an impulse, short brushstroke. I start doing research on the subject, for example for the ruins, it was all abandoned places. I look at drone video footage, old photographs, travel youtube videos, images. If pertinent, I read about the places history. Once I know more or less what the story is for me, I do some quick texture studies in Photoshop, layering things, often doing photobashes to get the volumes, or else I block in Blender. Then, I paint over and start layering textures and playing with the palette. No matter what I do, I end up with six hundred control layers at the end and my computer choking on the demand.
Then I take things where I can animate, either Animate, Flash, AE or Unity. I start moving little puppets that are still not animated, but I see how they look and what I would like them to do. Because I am not formally trained to be an animator, I then look at the movements, do lots of research on videos to see how things look. I sketch and, if required, rotoscope to get the the movements feeling fluid. I also use Adobe Fuse and Mixamo for references. Then I do the frame-by-frame, normally in Photoshop. I assemble in AE or Animate, if I want to use particles. Where I can get away with it, I use twin animations, of course.
My videogame background had the advantage of two strict years of foundations studies, and that allowed us all a lot more flexibility moving within the different design areas. We also learn a solid research methodology for visual production. I also, of course, learn enough of interactivity to try to incorporate that into my work. And that takes us to the unlockables. Once, by accident, I landed into an application that allowed you to make jigsaw puzzles using movieclips. I realized I could use animated images, and far more interesting, animated images with alpha channels, so part of the pieces changes shape as you played.
I started designing the visual to go with it, and I found out that it allows a very deep experience of the artistic object. If you like jigsaws, you will discover the most intricate details and you will get to know your image better than probably anything else. So I carried on perfecting this, and when Flash went out of business, I found a great programmer to make that possible in Unity, which was a pretty tough job. I do believe it offer a totally different visual experience and I know for sure some peope are going to love it.
How would you describe your art in your own words?
The art I have currently on OpenSea are animated sketches done to express an emotion. I am very aware of my technical limitations, but I think they add to the texture and meaning of the work.
Favourite artists / influences?
I love colour and social observation, so think German Expressionism, like Ernst Kirchner, maybe a bit of Otto Dix, if I am lucky. I like the Bloomsbury people as well.
How did you discover the new blockchain world of Crypto Art and NFTs in general?
My daughter is very active in the community and she advised me to join the crowd.
Has the digital nature of cryptoart NFTs changed how you approach your art practice?
No, I only do traditional media as personal therapy, the results are not too encouraging.
What if anything, has surprised you about this new area of art practice?
Both, the wide range of artistic vision flowing around and also the amazing curiosity and open mind of collectors.
How would you like the field of cryptoart and nfts to evolve over time?
I hope it will be a lasting addition to art forms. It makes sense to start viewing digital media in the way traditional media has been seen for ages. Not just the means to create video games and commercial animations but also to explore our being here.
How can access and information to this new field of art practice be encouraged?
Through curated exhibitions, collective work and probably some level of augmented reality where digital art starts happening in public places.
