Advice for Artists

If you are an artist thinking about getting into NFTs, it can be difficult to know where to begin. There are platforms to understand, wallets to set up, different blockchains, cryptocurrency, collectors and a whole new vocabulary.

But before you do any of that, I think the most important thing is to start with your art.

NFTs are another way of sharing, selling and collecting digital work. They don't have to change who you are as an artist.

Start with the work you want to make

You don't need to suddenly start making art because you think it will sell as an NFT.

Look at the work you are already making.

What do you enjoy creating? What are you curious about? What would you keep making even if nobody bought it?

The NFT space has room for many different kinds of artists. Photography, illustration, animation, 3D, generative art, video, sound and experimental work have all found their place.

Your work doesn't have to look like everyone else's.

Spend some time in the space first

Before minting anything, look around.

Find artists whose work interests you. Follow them. Look at their websites and social media. Explore different marketplaces and see how artists present their work.

You will learn a lot simply by watching.

You will also start to understand that the NFT community is made up of many different groups. There isn't one single NFT audience.

Finding the part of the space that feels right for your work is more useful than trying to appeal to everyone.

Choose your platform carefully

There are many places where artists can sell or mint NFTs, and they don't all work in the same way.

Look at:

• which blockchain the platform uses

• the fees involved

• how much control you have over your work

• how collectors discover artists

• whether the platform suits the kind of work you make

• what the platform's current policies are

Don't feel that you need to join every platform.

One good home is better than ten abandoned profiles.

Set up your wallet safely

You'll need a digital wallet to interact with many NFT platforms.

Take your time setting it up and learn how it works before putting significant funds into it.

Your recovery phrase is extremely important. Keep it private and secure. Never give it to someone who contacts you claiming they need it to help with your account or artwork.

There are plenty of scams in online spaces, and artists can be particularly attractive targets because scammers know you may be interested in selling your work.

Be careful with offers

One of the most common mistakes for new artists is believing that every person who approaches them is a potential collector.

Someone saying they want to buy your work doesn't automatically mean they are genuine.

Be particularly cautious if someone:

• asks you to pay a fee before they can purchase your artwork

• sends you to an unfamiliar website

• asks for your wallet recovery phrase

• asks you to download unfamiliar software

• offers an unusually large amount of money

• tells you that you must act immediately

Take your time.

A genuine opportunity shouldn't require you to ignore your instincts.

Don't spend more than you can afford

There can be costs involved in creating and selling NFTs, including blockchain transaction fees and marketplace fees.

Before you mint something, understand exactly what it is going to cost.

You don't need to spend a lot of money to prove that you are a serious NFT artist.

Start small and learn how everything works.

Build relationships, not just an audience

One of the interesting things about the NFT art world has always been the relationship between artists and collectors.

Talk to people.

Look at other artists' work.

Join conversations.

Support artists whose work you genuinely like.

Don't make every interaction a sales pitch.

People are much more likely to remember an artist who contributes something to a community than someone who only appears when they have something to sell.

Tell people about your work

Your artwork doesn't speak for itself if nobody knows it exists.

Have somewhere people can learn about you and your work.

That might be a website, portfolio or social media account.

Tell people:

• who you are

• what you make

• what interests you

• where they can see your work

• where your genuine NFT profiles are

This is also useful for protecting yourself from impersonators.

Don't chase every trend

NFT culture moves quickly.

One week everyone is talking about one type of artwork. The next week it is something completely different.

You don't need to follow every trend.

If you keep changing your work to follow whatever is currently popular, it can become difficult for people to understand what makes your work yours.

Build a body of work rather than chasing a moment.

Think about your work beyond the NFT

An NFT is not necessarily the artwork itself.

Think about what happens to your artwork outside the marketplace.

Keep your original files.

Keep good-quality backups.

Keep records of your work, dates, editions and important information.

Maintain your own website or portfolio where possible rather than relying entirely on a marketplace.

Platforms can change. Websites disappear. Companies close. Your own archive is something you can keep.

And don't forget why you started

There can be a lot of pressure in the NFT space to sell, promote, collect followers and keep up with everyone else.

It can become exhausting.

Remember that you were an artist before you became an NFT artist.

The technology is a tool.

It doesn't have to define your work.

Make the art first. Learn the technology. Find your people. Take your time.

And if NFTs turn out to be a useful way for you to share your work with the world, wonderful.

If they simply lead you to a new group of artists, collectors and ideas, that can be valuable too.