Royco: “I don't create for hype — I create to share a vision”

Some artists are chasing attention. Some are chasing sales. And then there are artists like Royco, who are just trying to bring what's in their head into the world.

"I don't create for hype — I create to share a vision."

That line says everything.

A different path

Royco's story doesn't start in Web3. It starts years earlier, sitting with charcoal and paint, learning how to draw.

"I had always loved drawing as a kid… I still have some of my childhood artwork in my house."

But life didn't take him straight into art. He went to a maritime school in the Netherlands and spent years working at sea — tugboats, dredging vessels. And not all of it was easy.

"During that time, I experienced things I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."

That kind of experience doesn't leave you. It shapes how you see things, how you process things. Eventually, after rehab and rebuilding, he changed direction and went back to school.

But through all of it, art never left.

Coming back to art

Around 2020, Royco started creating again. Logos, digital designs, learning new tools from scratch.

"I started teaching myself Blender, Photoshop, and GIMP."

What started as small experiments turned into something bigger. Layer by layer, he rebuilt his creative practice. Then NFTs entered the picture. No big moment, no grand strategy.

"I simply tried it, started experimenting, and decided to stay."

Finding XRPL

His entry into XRPL wasn't planned either. It actually started from a scam encounter — but instead of pushing him away, it led to connections with real people in the space.

"Through that, I connected with people… and since then, I've been active on XRP."

That's a pattern you see with real artists. They stay because of people, not platforms.

The work

Royco's art lives somewhere between imagination and experience. Sci-fi, deep space, unknown environments, emotion, darker themes — all mixed together.

What stands out is how intentional everything feels. He's not just placing elements on a canvas. He's building something.

"My digital work is driven by imagination… exploring themes from sci-fi and fantasy to darker history."

Brody

Then there's Brody — a character that started from something simple. A bird.

"Brody was born from a simple conversation about a falcon… the name comes from buddies and brothers."

But it didn't stay simple. Brody became a way to express different sides of a story.

"As a character, Brody can shift between light and dark, playful and intense… leaving space for the viewer."

That's the key. He's not telling you what to feel. He's letting you find it.

The process

Royco doesn't follow a strict system. It starts with a spark.

"That can be anything… a Star Trek episode, a memory from my travels, or the energy of a place."

From there ideas start forming — sometimes as notes, sometimes sketches, sometimes just a feeling he wants to translate.

"I begin with raw ideas… this part is instinctive and unfiltered."

Then he builds. Blender for structure. GIMP for depth. Layers, adjustments, experimentation. And he keeps going until it feels right. Not finished. Right.

Influence beyond art

His work isn't just influenced by visuals. It's influenced by life. Years at sea. Different countries. Real experiences. Even Argentine Tango.

"That rhythm, emotion, and storytelling often find their way into my work."

That's why the pieces feel different. They're not just created. They're lived.

What he's working on

Right now he's focused on a new direction for Brody — a winter and spring version of the line — followed by the next pieces in the Sexiness series.

Still creating

Royco's story isn't about overnight success. It's about coming back to something that was always there, through different careers, different phases of life, different challenges. And choosing to build anyway.

From charcoal, to the sea, to digital worlds.

Where to find the work

• Sexiness Between Good and Evil — Search Sexiness Between Good and Evil on XRPL Home Explore →
• Brodys — Search Brodys on XRPL Home Explore →

Elsewhere: @RoycoArt on X · roycoart.com