To get ahead of the competition in this digital age, one must have a solid and consistent visual branding that people will always recall. The five basic elements ought to be present and distinct: line, shape, color, texture, and shape. Toronto and Shanghai-based digital artist Max Mao strongly believes in the importance of visual branding to establish a brand that consumers will come to love. And when it comes to visual branding, Max Mao is considered one of the world's leading designers after his last non-fungible token (NFT) project sold for 3.61 ETH or roughly $9,000 in a sale hosted in Jiahe Auction. The NFT artwork was called "The Last Drone."
As a visual artist, Max Mao, born Minghao Mao, draws inspiration from his inclinations toward sci-fi, fantasy, and postmodernism, as depicted in many of his popular works. In addition, many of his creations focus on audio-visual experiments that highlight the delivery of strong visual impact and the expression of the unfamiliarity of technological development.
Besides creating digital artworks, Max Mao also provides visual branding strategies and 3D animations in gaming, music, and tech. His most notable partners include Star Atlas, Gameover Talent, Drippieverse and Nomad Media Club. Star Atlas is a blockchain-based space-themed video game built on Solana. It is a huge multiplayer metaverse that is a fresh addition to the blockchain.
"As Web2 gaming and music industries merge into the Web3.0, there is a challenge of visually rebranding music artists and gaming companies. How do you onboard this generation in something as unfamiliar and fast-changing as Web3.0? The answer is to bring awareness with visually relevant promos. Carefully balance the visuals between the old and new," Max explained.
He further believes that being early in the Web3.0 space is highly advantageous. It is very observable today that traditional gaming and music industries are slowly embracing the new technology. The problem is that they do not have the framework to visually translate their rebrand. Therefore, it is of grave importance to have a diversified skill set in all forms of digital art, which will translate to a lot of flexibility.
"In the web2.0 space, the digital ownership belongs to the corporations, not the artist. For example, a lot of creators and artists struggle to create artwork and get the desired credits. But when you brand yourself as a Web3.0 artist, there is a power shift. You are in control; you are providing creative input and your own artwork. You aren't labeled as a "content creator" who has no agency in the artwork. Now you are labeled as an artist," Max added. "Growing up in a traditional Chinese household, being a digital artist had never been perceived as a prestigious career path. "Get a real job that's stable" was something I used to hear all the time. But with the fast changing media landscape, there is nothing that is stable. The conventional career approach is simply outdated. The uncertainty of exploring and capitalizing on your passion is so beautiful. I hope to inspire the next wave that being a digital artist is something to look forward to."
The digital world is changing rapidly before peoples' eyes, and the only way to keep up is to be ready to embrace these changes with an open mind. Visual artists like Max Mao are paving the way for next-generation designers and creators who will emerge in the next few decades. Through the profoundness of his work, he hopes to inspire them to become the best version of themselves and fearlessly pursue their dreams.
