>> curated by 1Dq <<
Dear member of this amazing place - The Bitcoin Forum!
Besides creating quality Bitcoin-related art I also like working with different kinds of people.
In 2019 I started the first BTCtalk’s collective project in which we put our minds and efforts together and (continuing in 2024) created Bitcollector.
It was all about gathering Bitcoin physical artifacts and artworks and about the person collecting them.
The project showed us that we can cooperate well and have fun discussions that produce a quality product.
That was my fuel to start the next, bigger and more ambitious project.
I remembered that this year (2024) was the 15th anniversary of BTCtalk and that instantly sparked the idea.
In the previous (Bitcollector) thread in Collectibles board, I proposed to lead the next project and invited everybody to join.
It was about taking my digital artwork that I created for BTCtalk’s 10th anniversary artwork competition and rebuild it into a masterpiece!
I used this words I still stand by:
This board has not gotten enough credit for all it has contributed, developed, researched, educated and otherwise done for everybody it connects.
I propose to make a visual representation of everything it means to us in the form of a big, detailed painting.
It will serve as a monument in this time and can help people identify, glorify, connect and celebrate this place we are all co-creating every day.
This artwork can be used for any of BTCtalk’s 15th Anniversary events!
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I originally envisioned the Bitcoin forum as a futuristic world that is under permanent construction.
In the background is the huge tower that stretches towards the skies and has a big BTC on its side.
Below it are the (robot) inhabitants, doing their forumy things, from discussing, trading, educating, developing, collecting…
And in the bottom right was the chief Theymos, overlooking things.
This was the the original artwork:
10 Years of Constructing the Future, 2019, Photoshop, max res 3000x4000pix
I proposed to take on this project and divided its realization into 5 phases:
PHASE 1 (July, August): Brainstorming all kinds of different ideas, from conceptual, to details, promotion, title, style...
PHASE 2 (late July, August): I start visualizing our rough concept through one or more digital sketches.
We evaluate these together until we come to a consensus for how we'd like the finished artwork to appear.
PHASE 3 (September, October): I work on the actual artwork, updating you regularly. We promote the project to all interested, especially on Btctalk.
Changes might still be made to final artwork.
PHASE 4 (October, November): The finished artwork and prints are put on sale/auctions/raffles and/or other means of distribution for compensation.
PHASE 5 (November, December): Final act of the project when we evaluate it and debate developing future projects.
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I offered to create a acrylic painting on canvas from which prints would be created.
Besides that a free downloadable high-resolution scan would also be made available and now it is below!
Brainstorming immediately took off for me and 44 other members.
A lot of suggestions were discussed, combined and incorporated into our living concept.
My job was to first curate the discussion and then visualize what we have brainstormed.
I proposed everybody ask themselves questions such as:
What got me on this board and why I stayed here?
What do I love most about it?
What have I learned here?
How do I visualize my existence here?
What does this forum remind me of?
What are the most meaningful facts about BTCtalk?
Is there anything I don’t like here and what is it?
What question do I want to ask everybody here?
Anyone was welcome to join simply by contributing something useful in one of two threads (one in "Meta" and one in "Collectibles") or privately via DM.
I granted merit to any useful comments which was also the most important measurement for including the most deserved members in the artwork code as the final step of painting.
Users diligently invited their mates to the project in several Local boards and updated its development.
Theymos also put a link in the news, which boosted its popularity substantially.
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I immediately began a new digital artwork as sketch for the upcoming canvas and updated it regularly.
Final version of the digital sketch of the Bitcoin Forum Metaverse:
A lot of details were openly discussed and polished to get to this point, but we got there.
It all went according to plan and I soon after began painting on canvas.
The process of painting took another seven weeks to complete.
I posted the scanned version of the final painting on October 30th.
I calculated I spent around 320 hours on the project, from writing posts, sketching, painting, scanning and all other minor tasks.
It was ambitious, big, sometimes tough and I'm very proud of the result!
And I'm also very grateful to everybody that contributed to the project in any way - THANK YOU ALL!
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Finally, here's the finished artwork:
»Bitcoin Forum Metaverse«, 2024, Acrylics on Canvas, 60x80cm/22,6″x31,4″
Slightly tilted canvas
The mass of activity and flavor in the center
Bottom left with the Collectibles board, trash pile and incoming newbies
Bottom right with Satoshi, Sirius and Theymos in charge and some newbie members trying to peek in on them
+ A work in progress collage
Here's a short summary to help explore the artwork:
The color scheme rougly uses this logic:
Blue = Wisdom, Green = Positive/Trust, Red = Negative/Alert, Orange = Bitcoin symbol
Starting in the bottom right you see Satoshi, Sirius and Theymos overlooking the place.
Their color is blue, which represents wisdom and flows from them to other parts of the metaverse.
Above them is the slightly scrambled list of most deserved board members and above that unique codes connecting this artwork to previous and following ones.
The main code in utmost top right consists of project number, abbreviated names of 21 most deserved members of the project, date, BTC block number and icons of this and the previous artwork.
In the middle there is the general mix of everything from incoming newbies, spammers, contests, charity auctions, red flag fights, service promotion and more.
Above the crowd is the towering shape of the BTC and "15 YEARS", with its mining/halving column on the right and the much appreciated Local boards on the left.
Left of the center is the Collectibles corner, represented by [M]inerjones, [C]ygan, [K]rogothmanhattan and [Cyrus] on their right overlooking things.
On the far left, furthest from the blue is the red area, with scammer and other trash on the bottom being disposed of and further up shady characters doing shady business.
You can also find the Wall observer, Foxpup cycling, hints of BSFL logos, BPIP visual design, various physical coin manufacturers, "shitcoins", visualized merit transaction and many hidden details...
On the bottom you can see newbies arriving via warp-zones from various channels, like Reddit, recommendations, X and some trying to sneak back in from being banned.
Enjoy exploring the artwork and finding some details I left out!
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HOW TO GET A COPY OF THE ARTWORK AND SUPPORT THE ARTIST?
There are several ways of owning a copy of Bitcoin Forum Metaverse.
1.) You can simply download the promised high-res version here:
https://www.talkimg.com/extra/BitcoinForumMetaverse_BIGJPG.jpg
2.) You can buy a limited edition hand-numbered print here (58/100 copies still available):
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/--5517579
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/auction-ended-original-acrylic-painting-on-canvas-bitcoin-forum-metaverse-5517684
4.) Or you can donate any number of your sats to my address:
1Dqt8AsKaRdaWNqruPmUkqseqLm9YXZaP
In any case - thank you for your generous support!
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HAPPY 15TH ANNIVERSARY BITCOIN FORUM!