How to convert your digital art into NFTs and sell it

What is an NFT?

NFTs are nonfungible tokens. The adjective “nonfungible” is often used in economics to represent features such as uniqueness and non-interchangeability. In the crypto space, nonfungibility simply indicates that one item cannot be exchanged for another.

A “token” as a unit of account is basically a certificate of validity stored on the decentralized blockchain, making digital assets traceable and accessible to everyone. As a result, NFTs are a one-of-a-kind virtual currency that can fall into pretty much any category and usually take the shape of paintings, videos, music, collectible items in video games or any other type of creative digital production.

Since NFTs boomed in early 2021, everyone is now buying and selling these tokens throughout the world. But, how can someone convert real art into NFTs and how can they sell them? Is it hard? Is coding necessary to make an NFT?

In a nutshell, the steps are quite simple. To understand the main procedure and its specifics, read this quick guide below.

What is crypto art?

Art is the most common use case for NFTs, and it is no wonder that crypto art in NFT form has recently exploded in popularity. The fact that the novel blockchain technology creates conditions that now allow artists to earn tens of millions of dollars from their digital paintings attracted many creative people who could only dream about such a level of ease and accessibility before.

Sensational high-profile auctions of NFTs linked to digital art have received considerable public attention. The most expensive sales hit the headlines as they fetched millions. In 2022, the most expensive NFT with a price of $91.8 million was “Merge” by pseudonymous digital artist Pak.

In 2021, Everydays: the First 5000 Days NFT collection by artist Mike Winkelmann, known as Beeple, was another very expensive auction and was sold for $69.3 million.

Crypto art is associated with unique art pieces created by well-known artists and sold on auctions on marketplaces that include not only popular NFT platforms but also traditional auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Still, the majority of art in the crypto space is being created by unknown talented beginners.

However, some NFT collections including the pioneer one named CryptoPunks or the most hyped recently named Bored Ape Yacht Club are examples of generative art. This type of art is usually created with the help of various autonomous systems. The images in these popular collections are created by assembling a selection of simple picture components in different combinations.

How to turn your art into an NFT?

If you already wonder if you should convert your art into an NFT, the answer is obviously, “yes, why not try.” The process of creating an NFT is neither complex, costly nor technical. All it requires is a set of creative skills and a personal computer.

Again, it is worth noting that NFTs can potentially convert not only images but songs, videos, GIFs and other digital items. So, first, you need to choose a proper art field which suits you best. Depending on this, you will understand what set of skills you will need to become a real NFT creator.

For example, as a graphic artist, you will be required to use such graphic editing tools as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, MS Paint, CorelDraw and the like. You can also try alternative ways such as three-dimensional (3D) modeling which is known to be more difficult for beginners. If you choose 3D animation, you will be expected to use 3D modeling tools such as Blender or Cinema 4D to design animated graphics and characters that will then be converted into NFTs.

After that, you will need to come up with a unique idea for your single artwork or maybe a full collection and think about the content into which it will eventually turn.