How to Become an NFT Creator

If multidimensional time travel had truly been invented, last week would have seen a lot of Nigerians take a one-way ticket back to a time when they first heard the word “NFT”. Many creators and collectors of these unique digital assets have always been around and struggled to make strides with creating, minting, marketing, and selling/reselling their projects.

With Twitter as the world’s largest meeting point for creators, collectors, and NFT communities, African creators like Anthony Ezekwo (Nigerian Artist), Benjamin Aidoo (Ghanian Pallbearer), Mpho Jacobs (South African painter and digital artist), and most recently Adisa Olashile, an Ibadan based mobile photographer who broke the internet with a picture of a baba Onilu (an old drummer) sold at 0.3ETH and later a video of appreciation sold 1.1ETH ($3,028)

Learning from these creators and numerous other NFT collectors across the globe, We’ve decided to share top-notch insights that could help you take the first step towards achieving your NFT desires from making money off any piece of art, whitelisting, reselling, and most especially communicating the real purpose behind any piece of content you wish to mint.

A step-by-step guide to becoming an NFT creator

1. Research and Understand Web3/Crypto/NFTs
2. Create your original piece
3. Choose a marketplace
4. Set up and Connect a crypto wallet
5. Mint & List on Marketplaces
6. Talk about it!

Research and Understand Web3/Crypto/NFTs

The fact remains, You can’t buy or sell what you neither have knowledge about nor derive satisfaction from. For many creators within different platforms, communities, and art formats, creating a single piece or collection is a means of artistic expression, creativity, and originality they are willing to share at a convenient price without fear of fakes or outrageous charges from intermediaries. For collectors, it is a proof of authenticity, a ticket to future opportunities, and, most times, the chance to own an irreplaceable piece of artwork that can be monetized, resold, and passed on to generations.

The secret to starting a profitable NFT profile is first to become well versed with the basics of how they are created, bought, sold, and marketed and opportunities they can explore using navigating web3 applications.

Create your original piece

Here’s where you actually get to develop the one thing you set out to do. Contrary to popular belief, NFTs are not just for digital artists, painters, or photographers. These tokens can be anything you own and can authenticate their originality as yours. Musicians can sell audio-based content, fashion brands and designers have been seen making strides in the NFT marketplace, and individuals with rare collectibles, gaming cards, limited toy/sports/valuable collections, and even domain names can be sold.

The tip-off here is to know that art is subjective. So different buyers or collectors could decide to go for different pieces at different points in time based on their needs or based on their artistic inclination as well as future possibilities within the web3 space for what they own.

Choose a marketplace

There isn't much to talk about here except understanding how different web3 marketplaces work and their offerings of trade. NFT marketplaces vary from each other by blockchain operations, gas fees, size, volume, accessibility, and availability of digital assets.

Some examples include:

i. Opensea

ii. Axie Marketplace

iii. Rarible

iv. Foundation

v. SuperRare

vi. Nifty Gateway

vii. Mintable

viii. Theta Drop

ix. Solanart

x.  NFT Launchpad

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Many of these platforms have pros and cons for minting, listing, and trading NFTs. One of the major things to look out for as a first-timer is knowing what cryptocurrencies are used within each platform if your artwork fits into their ecosystem/niche, and, most importantly, the cost and regulations surrounding your first project.

As much as these various marketplaces have their differences, they also share many similarities.

Set up and Connect a crypto wallet

It is important to note that without a crypto wallet, it is impossible to neither receive payments for sold pieces nor pay for the listing of new ones. Before diving into the realm of NFTs once again, both creators (individuals who make art pieces from scratch) and collectors (people who buy/resell artworks) should take priority in setting up a crypto wallet such as Busha that allows for safe and secure transactions between other applications(Metamask) required for buying and selling of digital assets. Some of these wallets even go further to assist both creators and collectors to store their NFTs. ‍

Mint & List on Marketplaces

Right after you upload an NFT on OpenSea, for example, you will be requested to fill in details about your new artwork; its name/title, an external link to maybe your Twitter or Instagram account, and a description field to let buyers know/gain insights to your artistic perspective. OpenSea gives a variety of options to help creators give a breakdown of both artistic elements of each piece or collection as well as toggle between what blockchain they would like to mint their NFTs with (Ethereum chain or polygon). Both of which have their separate characteristics and payment types.

Within this section is also where you get to set how much you can get paid as a creator in royalties if your NFT gets resold again. The process of minting an art piece is to ensure its entry, authenticity and validation on the blockchain where it has been created.

Talk about it!

One of the best features of web3 protocols and blockchain application is the ability to circumnavigate individuals with unique offerings around the globe in a matter of minutes.

Many NFT creators exist. However, not all of them get to sell their artworks or collections. This isn’t because their works are bad but, in most cases, a poor marketing plan towards exposing their latest creation to members of the community. A huge number of collectors set up Twitter spaces and discord channels and simply tweet out their need to purchase new NFTs every day.

Let’s call a spade a spade. Many artists and collectors who resell want to make money off NFTs. As such, it is important that YOU talk about it, post about it, and tell friends and family to spread the word about your new creations.

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While we close out, here’s a summary for starting out your NFT journey

• Create a crypto wallet on Busha - to allow you to mint and receive crypto for your art
• Set up your NFT profile on any of the platforms listed above.
• Create a collection of your art pieces / original collectibles on the platforms.
• Mint your art.
• Talk about / advertise your art using various means. It is worth noting that the NFT space doesn’t follow the laws of traditional art collecting and exposure, where many people gather for an exhibition, and only the best of the best get an opportunity to display their art. So…
• Get that ka-ching! Because the new frontier is powered by a global community of individuals simply ready to buy off and pay any amount of cryptocurrency it costs to own a piece of work they have sentimental value or perceive future opportunities towards.

May the crypto force be with you.