Next Up: Oelhan Embraces Dark Psychedelia in Motion Design

February 22, 2024

With NFT Paris nearly upon us, it’s only fitting that this week’s Next Up artist hails from the French capital.

Oelhan is an emerging French digital artist, VJ and motion designer who has built a dedicated following in web3 with his distinctive and provocative psychedelic artworks. Employing a consistent color palette with black negative space, Oelhan’s catalogue is tied together by expressive themes and contrasting elements — from leering figures drifting through the ether to colorful demons escaping from monochrome faces.

Since debuting on the platform with a 3.5 ETH sale for “Amphora” in March 2021, his 1/1 pieces on SuperRare regularly sell for upwards of 2 ETH each. He also has several editioned works available at a more affordable entry point on OpenSea.

Every week, nft now’s Next Up unveils a new artist from our curated list of ascendant talents who have been making significant waves throughout Web3. This week, our spotlight turns to Oelhan.

nft now: How did you first become interested/involved in digital art?

Oelhan: So, I kinda dove into digital art without a clue, not even realizing it was a thing called digital art. My heart really clicked with animation and motion graphics when I started crafting silly gifs for my Tumblr. You know how it goes at the beginning – just messing around with your tools, tossing stuff online, and someday if you keep you end up in an artistic field, haha.

“I label my work as “soft psychedelia” to encapsulate its vibe. I showcase unsettling characters, odd facial expressions, flickering textures, and such.”

OELHAN

How would you describe your art?

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I label my work as “soft psychedelia” to encapsulate its vibe. I showcase unsettling characters, odd facial expressions, flickering textures, and such. My goal is to make people stare at it and feel disturbed or weirded out. I aim to capture that moment when you’re uncertain about whether you like it or not, I suppose.

What’s your process like? And where do you usually find inspiration?

Jumping into this tricky topic, I like to start things off with some concept doodles. Then, I throw in a mix of 3D, 2D, and After Effects magic to whip up my assets and animations. It’s like doodling while having a chat on the phone – you know, with some tunes in the background. Hoping for that special touch, sometimes the piece surprises me with feels I didn’t plan. I find inspiration in all sorts of places, mostly on the internet, and sometimes in museums/exhibitions or in the anime I watch. It’s like a little treasure hunt for creative sparks!

“The key is to let time take its course – developing an aesthetic, having something to showcase, and mastering your tools, in general, involves practice, failures, resets and growth.”

OELHAN

What are the biggest challenges facing rising artists in web3?

I believe it’s about genuinely connecting with their audience and collectors, just like traditional artists. While there are various tasks related to web3 and NFTs (blockchain mechanisms, minting strategies, active social media engagement, etc.), I feel that creating art that is both relevant and captivating is the most challenging yet rewarding aspect, at least in my perspective.

What advice do you have for rising artists in this space?

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The key is to let time take its course – developing an aesthetic, having something to showcase, and mastering your tools, in general, involves practice, failures, resets and growth. It’s an organic process. My advice would be to be patient and craft your own world. It took me 10 years to get where I am now, which, in my view, is far from being fully developed.

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