Navigating the Road to Success as an NFT Artist: Tips and Tools for Exhibiting Art and Participating in a Thriving Web3 Community
The world of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) has exploded in popularity in recent years, with artists and creators of all kinds discovering the web3 space. For those looking to get involved in the NFT world as an artist, it can be a daunting task to navigate the complex landscape of blockchain technology, smart contracts and cryptocurrency. However, with a willingness to learn, anyone can become an NFT artist and build or contribute to a thriving community in the web3 space.
One of the most striking aspects of the global NFT community is its openness and willingness to share information and help newcomers get their bearings. The ethos is evident in the many online communities and forums dedicated to NFTs and web3, where experienced artists and creators are always wiling to lend a helping hand to those just starting out. One can find ample collaborative communities on platforms like Clubhouse, Twitter, Discord, Whats App, Reddit and Telegraph. Many NFT artists and creators are also happy to offer one-on-one help or mentorship to those looking to get started in the industry. There are also resources such as tutorials, guides and articles that provide a wealth of information on everything from the technical aspects of creating and selling NFTs, to marketing and building a successful community. In addition to online resources, the NFT community is also very active in organizing activations, events and conferences where attendees can learn from experts, collaborate with and network with their peers. Also, I host long-form interviews of leaders, experts and creatives in the NFT space called NFTMatters where loads of insight and personal journeys are shared. Learning from vetted, experienced individuals and making valuable connections can help anyone succeed.
Holding My Breath by SketchPoetic @sheiladarcey
NFT art can be used to create art exhibitions and virtual tours of those exhibitions, allowing visitors to view and interact with the art and learn more about it. This is an immersive way for artists to engage with a global audience and connect with new collectors. Artists and creators can create promotional campaigns around their NFT exhibitions in order to reach a wider audience and generate interest in all their creative endeavors (traditional practice and web3). The number of NFT exhibitions and events being held around the world is also increasing. This presents a great opportunity for artists to showcase their work. Artists are free to submit their work to as many exhibitions as they wish, provided they meet the submission requirements and the exhibition organizers are willing to consider their work. While Facebook and Instagram allow you to show your work, creators can also use available platforms like spatial.io (any digital art), voxels.com (any digital art) and oncyber.io (minted NFTs) to create galleries of their own using free templates or by building a custom one. These galleries can be used to tell your story as a creator as well as showcase a body of work or various disciplines.
Whether you’re just starting out or you’re an experienced artist looking to take your career to the next level, there is always someone willing to help and share their knowledge. This spirit of collaboration and mutual support is what makes the NFT community such a special and welcoming place for artists and creators of all levels. Notable people in the space who regularly share a wealth of expertise and current developments are @LowSleazy (clubhouse), @kas_vegas (twitter), @NatalieCrue (clubhouse/twitter), @tomlaroc (clubhouse) and @bitnifty (clubhouse). The number of NFT exhibitions and events that an artist can submit to globally is limited only by the artist’s ambition and the availability of suitable exhibitions. By researching and applying to a wide range of exhibitions and events, NFT artists can increase their visibility and reach a wider audience for their work.
As a curator and artist, I compiled a tech and preparation sheet in the summer of 2021 for new NFT artists who were interested in preparing their work for submission to NFT exhibitions. I reached out to 2 other industry professionals, Chris Parks (feature film & video, @Parksyparks) and Mark Panckhurst (metaverse/ decentraland, @markpanckhurst) to contribute in their areas of expertise. Over 600 global NFT artists have used this sheet to prepare their work. The info from this sheet is listed below. Having your info ready makes it easier to submit when the opportunities arise. I hope it continues to be useful to many NFT artists and creators to come…
Artist Prep and Tech Sheet
Below are details to help Artists gather information in preparation for a submission, including file sizes for your digital assets.
Questions: @pilarcote
You may or may not be requested to submit the following:
Artist Name
Real Name if different from Artist Name
Artist Name of collaborator (if applicable)
Email address
City
State
Country
Zip Code
Website link*
Linktr.ee link or similar (if you have one) -can replace website link
Online portfolio link (per the call for artists)
Instagram link*
Twitter link*
Discord Member ID and name/nickname (if you have one)
WhatsApp # (if you have one)
LinkedIn link (if you have one)
Facebook link (if you have one)
Link to your PUBLIC Wallet like from Metamask (do not share your seed phrase)
An image of your works (up to 4 artworks in it) - to represent your profile in an artist database (100MB max -use 16x9 ratio or 4096 x 2061)*
Artist Biography (use a word counter to ensure your wording fits the submission)
Browser Links to all minted/lazy minted works of art to be submitted (copy from your browser)
Listed Links to all minted/lazy minted works for direct listing in the Metaverse/AR (generated from your chosen platform) ~Contract Token ID
Descriptions of each work being submitted (minted or not)
Actual files: Working Link to folder of artwork that is not minted or is requested as a file (.jpg/ .mp4 - Each file spec: 4096 x 2061 up to 100MB, can also submit a cropped version at 3840 x 2160 to be safe). **Enables curators to use the high resolution originals for physical displays, websites, real world auctions, social media and other marketing purposes.
If submitting an .mp4 video file, also create a GIF image for the previews (or .jpg)
Artist Resume or CV
TECH Details and Resources
ALL files must have your Name followed by the Title of the work in the title.
Art files ideally sized to 4096 x 2061 resolution (you can also submit a cropped version at 3840 x 2160 to be safe). Up to 100MB ***If you prefer to work in a Square shape, the ideal size is 4096 x 4096 (or whatever you like as long as it’s not less than 2061 x 2061).
Can use letsenhance.io or cutout.pro to increase resolution of images (if you don’t have access to Photoshop)
Can use an Aspect Ratio Calculator to calculate your image sizing (width x height). This one is useful at: https://calculateaspectratio.com or more simple sizing at: https://aspectratiocalculator.com
For submitting a LINK to your files - use a Google Docs folder (place your art files in here)
To create a working Google Docs folder link that is accessible to anyone with the link for curator/exhibit access:
Use a Gmail account
Create a folder (drive.google.com)
Click ‘NEW’ at top left, then choose ‘FOLDER’
Name it and click ‘CREATE’
Click it open and add/drop your file(s) in
Must make it accessible to anyone with the link
At the top menu ‘My Drive -your folder name’, find the arrow
Click the arrow to drop down menu
Choose ‘Share’
In the ‘Get Link’ area of pop up window at the bottom:
Choose ‘Change to Anyone with the Link’
Copy the generated link (THIS is the Link to submit your files with)
Press done when finished
*Note: This type of link can also be used to attach ‘Unlockable Content’ in your minted NFT works
FILM AND VIDEO (Contributor: Chris Parks @Parksyparks)
ALL files must have your Name followed by the Title of the work in the title.
All video files should be at least HD in resolution (1920x1080). Shorter video files can be 4K (3840x2160) or even 8K (7680x4320) but you should always make available a 1920x1080 version for curators to use as previews.
If your video is not a 16:9 aspect ratio then it should be contained within the respective resolution. In other words a square video would be 1080x1080, 2160x2160 or 4320x4320.
Long video files will need to be compressed to reduce the file size to within acceptable levels. Most submissions will be restricted to a maximum file size of 100Mb and most NFT marketplaces have a maximum of that size or lower.
Most video files will need to be saved as MP4 although in certain cases GIFs can be used.
For longer video files you will need to balance resolution with compression. For most cases, reducing the resolution will result in better quality than increasing the compression.
There are many tools available for compressing files. Handbrake and Compressor are two of the most popular.
For submitting a LINK to your files - use a Google Docs folder (see #6 in Tech Details and Resources above)
NFT MARKETPLACES/PLATFORM SPECS
File types: JPG, PNG, GIF, SVT, MP4, MP3, WAV, GLTF, GLB, WebM, OGG - MAX 100 MB and recommend under 50 MB
Profile image - 350 x 350 (JPG, PNG, GIF)
Banner image - 1400 x 400 (JPG, PNG, GIF)
Royalties- 10% Max
File types: JPG, PNG, GIF, WEBP, MP4, MP3 - MAX 100MB
Profile image - 400 x 400 (JPG, PNG, GIF)
Banner image - 1440 x 260 resolution ((JPG, PNG, GIF)
Royalties- 50% Max
File types: PLAIN, JPG, JPEG, GIF, SVG, PNG, MP4, GLFT, GLB, Quicktime -MAX 50MB
Profile image - 1000 X 1000 (JPG, PNG, GIF) -they request 3000px or less
Banner image - 1500 X 500px, (JPG, PNG, GIF) -10MB MAX
Royalties- 10% Max
Fees -15% of initial sale
Video resolution 1080p to 4K yield best results
File types: JPG, GIF, SVG, PNG, WebP, WebN, MP4, GLB, 360 image formats with Exif XMP tag ProjectionType=esquirectangular -MAX 75MB (main assets) 25MB (cover images)
Maximum 4096px wide preferably, 8192px is also acceptable for most devices
Royalties- 12.5% Max
Fees -15% of primary sale, secondary sales are 2.5% commission
Video recommendation is format with widest support as mp4/ h262 / 1080p
File types: JPG, PNG, GIF, SVG, MP4, WebM, GLB, MP3, WAV, FLAC, PDF, ZIP (interactive) -MAX 100MB
Collection image - JPG, PNG - 1MB MAX
Royalties- pays royalties
Fees - 2.5%
VIRTUAL GALLERIES (create your artist gallery on these platforms)
NFT VR/ METAVERSE
DECENTRALAND.org (Contributor: Mark Panckhurst @markpanckhurst)
Orientation
You don’t need to put limits on aspect ratio. You can display any aspect ratio of rectangular or square 2D art.
Minted NFTs
If you want sales to result from a Decentraland exhibition, the work will need to be minted. Artwork can be displayed as a minted NFT which links to the marketplace (Foundation etc) when clicked. The artwork will need to be already minted at submission time to be displayed. Even if the artwork is sold before or during the show, it should still be visible and the link should still work.
JPG/MP4
Some exhibitions request JPG/MP4 files as well as a link to the minted work. This enables curators to use the high resolution originals for physical displays, websites, real world auctions, social media and other marketing purposes.
File naming
It is suggested you follow file naming conventions. Ideally, the file name should include the artist and title.
Resolution
It is common to ask artists for a full resolution image or video, along with a ‘web friendly’ version. Unless you are displaying long videos, these could be limited to the following sizes:
Full resolution: Under 100Mb
Web friendly: Under 1Mb
Size
Art doesn’t have a physical size in Decentraland, so pieces will be resized for optimal viewing and available space
Contact: Pilar Cote @PilarCote, @NFTMatters
Birdsong by Pashet Arte @Pashetism