ATTENTION NFT Artists: Now is The Time to Buckle Down and Build

The markets are down and crypto has been falling — so it’s the perfect time for artists to get to work on their next creation.

The economic news these days isn’t great. But instead of turning to despair, turn to art. It’s a great time for artists who create NFTs to put their heads down and create in order to be ready for the next wave and to get some work in while the highs aren’t as distracting. This might mean taking the time to focus on your next big idea, or to experiment with different ways of sharing your work and engaging with the community.

Here's my advice to artists on how to create good work now, how to increase your resilience, and how to prepare for the future of the NFT market.

Focus on Building Your NFT Portfolio and Sales

If you want to increase your NFT artistic output, or if you’re looking to create your very first NFT, keep these best practices in mind as you prepare for the next upturn in the market.

Learn about the technology: If you're not familiar yet with the crypto ecosystem, be proactive in learning about the technology. If you're brand new to the space, setting up a wallet is your first step. Learn how to scan blockchain activity as well (transactions are available to see on etherescan.io), where you can see who is collecting work similar to yours. Overall, learning about the different blockchains available to you, their benefits, and their fees, will help you make more strategic decisions for your career.

Interact with the community: If you haven't already, start following other artists and collectors on Twitter or Discord. Connecting with the NFT community will not only help you get to know others in the industry, but will help you keep on top of trends, new drops, and other goings-on.

Make online security a priority: As with any other activity online, security should be the highest concern. If you're new to the space, setting up a hardware wallet will be the most secure option, and of course, keep your keys and passwords private. Having a knowledge of how blockchain activity works will keep you safe from exploitation as well.

Find the right platform: The success of minting and selling your NFTs depends heavily on the platform you chose. Do you want to be on a platform that offers a wide variety of NFTs, or that just features artwork? A platform that offers more lower-priced NFTs, or one that is more highly curated and offers fewer premium-priced NFTs? Get to know the space, so that you can make the best decision for your future career.

Be strategic about what you mint: You not only need to choose the best platform for your career but which works you want to mint. With the market in a downturn, now's the time to choose art that best represents who you are and your artistic vision. As you put that art out into the world, you'll find an audience that resonates with it and finds value in your practice.

Be realistic: NFTs aren’t for everyone — and they don’t have to be. It’s great to experiment and try new things, but it’s also OK to step away if you ultimately find that you’re trying to force your work to fit into the NFT box. Always make art that you find exciting, whatever it may be.

Address Artist Frustrations

Artists can often find their work adversely impacted when they are distracted by externalities and expectations—whether they’re mired in frustration about the market or are feeling insecure about their talent, resources, or inspiration.  Don’t just build your portfolio, but build your resilience.

The best solution when facing frustration is to channel that energy into your creative process.

Simply let yourself respond to the world around you through work. Research has found that the more time artists spend creating work, the higher their overall satisfaction becomes.

If the creative process feels stuck, shake it loose by experimenting with a different medium or exploring a style that’s new to you. For our genesis NFT drop, The Other Avatars, many artists who participated said that experimenting with NFTs as a new medium was really liberating for them—and challenging in a good way.

Another way to lessen frustrations is by connecting with other artists and growing your community. You can do that through engaging with social media channels like Twitter and Discord; participating in a project around which a community is built, such as an NFT drop; or showcasing your work at art fairs IRL. Expand your circle to include not only fellow artists but new audiences and collectors as well.

Collaborating with other artists can not only build pride and self-reliance, it can enhance an artist’s overall well-being.

Additionally, artists who are more financially stable say that it’s because of their relationships and support network, not because of a strong work ethic.

Finally, lessen frustrations by getting help with your promotion;  many artists lack the time to market themselves and do it at the expense of creating new work. This is why partnering with an online gallery is a good step for your career, as they often already have established channels and followings in place to promote artists.

Create Today

Artists have always created, no matter the state of the economy. While things may seem challenging now — especially if you’re an artist who creates NFTs watching the crypto market — the best things you can do is to reevaluate your approach to marketing, connect with other artists on new projects, remain thoughtful about which selling platforms you’re using, and, above all, put your head down and create.