Each month we invite a creative from Behance to curate our social feed for a week. Our first curator of the year is Shane Griffin, visual artist and director whose visionary 3D and motion work has been sought by international clients including Nike, Louis Vuitton, and more.

“I’ve always been tinkering with 3D and Photoshop from a young age,” recollects artist and director Shane Griffin. “I remember doing art assignments in Photoshop and my teachers not accepting it, crazy to think back on that!”

Times have changed since his school days, and today Shane is one of the leading artists on Behance creating mesmerizing digital and motion art. “A job as a digital artist wasn’t really a thing you could do in Ireland 16 years ago, slowly but surely that path began to open up at the right time and the rest is history.”

His first gig was at a small post-production studio creating motion graphics and FX for commercials and TV shows. Shane learned the basics of this craft during his time as a part of “their two-man graphics department,” and since then has been a voracious learner.

Distance Dance by Shane Griffin

“My approach is to always continue to learn and cultivate as much experience and practical knowledge as possible,” he says. Each project and collaboration brings him new opportunities and lessons to be learned, and he’s not one to shy away from venturing into new and unfamiliar creative territories.

Shane recently created a futuristic magazine for Meow Wolf featuring hyper detailed fashion models. “It was probably the first time I’ve had to create digital humans in such high fidelity, and I really underestimated the amount of work involved, the nuance of the posing, and the composition. I feel like I learn something new on every project which serves me for the next project.”

GRIF x Meow Wolf Zine

In addition to technique, having a clear and cohesive conceptual vision is critical: “If my projects don’t start with a solid conceptual bedrock, I find it really hard to see it through to the end.” Shane’s Equinox NFT Collection started with a single concept: the idea of transferring energy to breathe new life into the everyday.

Equinox Collection by Shane Griffin

“I was influenced by some of the beautiful brownstone buildings in Brooklyn that have the entire facade covered in greenery, so I wanted to take that concept and bring it to a more surreal place,” he explains. After he created the first piece with the brownstone, it was a natural step to expand the concept and apply it to other everyday places and objects. The result is a fantastical explosion of colors and textures.

"NFT’s have been a wonderful way to monetize creations that otherwise would just sit online fighting for attention. It’s been quite revolutionary to have a stream of revenue that allows you to create outside of the standard commission / work for hire model."

Equinox Collection by Shane Griffin

“The most rewarding part of being an artist is seeing a project through from concept to execution and still being as passionate about it as when you started. In a strange way, I love to finish a project, and still not feel like it’s done, like it has more to give, and returning to it to explore new ideas within the concept.”

See all the projects in Shane’s moodboard

“Behance is a really great temperature check of the creative landscape, it helps me keep my finger on the buzzer for trends, and what the latest and greatest projects are. We’re fortunate to be at the cusp of this industry, so there are a lot of people pushing the needle concurrently, which is amazing to see.”

A theme that flows throughout Shane’s moodboard is a pastel color palette and elements of abstraction. One of the projects he included is an installation by Vancouver-based visual artist Mega McGrath. “Mega’s palette selections have this perfect harmony to them, colors that complement the abstracted shapes, often centering around letterforms that feel like they’ve emerged from a pastel jungle,” says Shane.

Ivanhoé Cambridge by Mega McGrath

“Jesse’s projects are more than just beautiful photos, they’re visual essays that tell larger form narratives, tackling cultural issues, history, traditions, and aesthetics,” says Shane of photographer Jesse Rieser’s portfolio. “He draws the audience into a conversation, sometimes confronting them with difficult subject matters, juxtaposed with incredibly engaging visuals. His work reminds me why art is such an imperative tool for social discourse.”

Amtrak National Ted Turner Expeditions by Jessie Rieser

Another project that caught Shane’s eye is an ethereal experimental film by Nejc Polovsak. “I love the delicate balance and cinematic quality to Nejc’s work,” shares Shane. “The attention to detail, nuanced lighting, and technical ability is next to none, it’s sometimes hard to believe it’s just one person! The design of the trees is really organic, and almost alien. Wherever this world is, I’d like to go!”

Exquisite Trees by Nejc Polovsak

Follow us on Instagram this week as we share more projects from Shane’s moodboard and give you an inside look at his creative process. You can see more projects by Shane on his Behance page.