Over the past couple months I had the privilege of contributing five illustrations to The Tommy "Hitman" Hearns NFT Collection. The set was launched this past Wednesday so I can at last share a bit of the work I've done and help promote the release a bit!
For more official information (and to purchase!) you can check out the official website. The set was a product of FanFavz in collaboration with Facings.
I was excited to work on this project as I am a boxing fan and was familiar with Tommy's legacy, but if you're not too familiar with him here's a great summary from the official site.
Legendary boxer, Tommy Hearns, the first boxer in history to win five world titles in five different weight classes, releases his most iconic moments in boxing history!
Get into the ring with The Hitman:
never-before-seen photos from Tommy's personal collection,
illustrations of legendary moments from his career,
audio commentary from one of professional boxing's greats.
The Hall of Famer, who competed from 1977 to 2006, became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. Hearns was Ring Magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1980 and 1984 and is best known for his fights with Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, and Roberto Durán.
It can be difficult to choose between your "children"... but I think the above image is probably my favorite that I contributed.
With all of the illustrations I was able to experiment with new techniques and practice my skills, and that's one of the most important aspects of freelance work to me at this point in my career.
I was very grateful with how well received my work was. It's been featured prominently in the advertising and packaging. However the NFT's of my illustrations are actually quite rare, dropping with only a .5% probability per card! Since it is very easy to open a pack and not receive an illustrated piece (the bulk of the set is photos from Tommy's personal archives) the team decided to include a bonus card in every pack that showcases the art. The card was designed by @kommienezuspadt and is entitled "Gratitude" as a little gift to the fans, but I'm probably the person most grateful for its inclusion!
If you have any questions about the set I'd be more than happy to answer, just drop a comment below! I do plan to circle back later this week for another post on this focusing a bit more on the "making of" with some pencil stages and behind the scenes commentary, so stay tuned!
-Bryan "the Imp" Imhoff
Follow me for more behind the scenes looks at the creation of "I Thought It Would Be Zombies..." Your votes help support its production! Also look for limited edition digital artwork for sale on NFTShowroom.com
