4 mins readEver heard the term "generative art non-fungible tokens" or NFTs? Maybe you've heard whispers of Art Blocks and you're itching to know more. You're in luck! Art Blocks is a big name in the generative art NFTs scene.
It's made quite the splash in the NFT world. You've probably heard of high-value NFTs born on Art Blocks, like the popular Fidenza collection.
Let’s explore more!
What is Art Blocks?
Art Blocks is a unique beast. Based on Ethereum, it offers special generative art NFTs to collect. This is thanks to a fancy generative minting technology that makes each Art Blocks NFT look different.
Sample from each Art Blocks Curated Project to date
When an artist starts an Art Blocks NFT project, you get a chance to mint your own NFTs. But, there's a twist. You won't know what it looks like until it's minted! Using clever algorithms, generative art NFTs automate the process of creating art. The outcome? Every NFT is unique, all thanks to a random code string used during creation.
How It Works
An artist uploads their unique algorithms to Art Blocks and decides how many NFTs to mint from it. The magic happens on the blockchain, with the NFTs you receive being ERC-721 tokens.
Notable NFT projects like CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club also use generative art NFTs. But, how they create art is different. For example, all 10,000 Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs are already minted and ready to buy. With Art Blocks, you mint them upon buying.
A Brief History of Art Blocks
Art Blocks was born in November 2020. Thanks to its founder, Erick Calderon (or "Snowfro"), who brought his experience from CryptoPunks to create a platform focusing on minting NFTs at purchase. Buyers didn't know what the NFT would look like beforehand.
NFTs from Sotheby's Grails Part 1. L: Autoglyph #187, R: Fidenza #725
The first collection on Art Blocks was Chromie Squiggle. It was simple but had 10,000 different squiggles, each with unique colors, opacities, and textures. By 2021, Art Blocks hit over $100 million in total sales, thanks to the 9,000 collectors using the platform.
The Art Blocks Process
Understanding Art Blocks means knowing about NFTs. These are cryptographic assets with unique metadata and ID codes. They're non-fungible, which means you can't exchange them one-for-one.
Art Blocks NFTs are unique because of their creation process. The buyer mints them, not the artist. The buyer only sees the base piece of art before the NFT is minted.
Crafting Art the Art Blocks Way
Generative art NFTs are key. All art on Art Blocks is generative—digital art made using a computer algorithm. Instead of creating art by hand or via software, a code is written and sent to an algorithm that generates digital artwork.
Here's how Art Blocks NFTs are made:
- An artist submits their code to the Art Blocks platform.
- A random hexadecimal string (or a "seed") is created.
- Each element within the seed represents an attribute that forms the artwork, in line with the existing artwork.
- The final NFT is created, with variations based on what the algorithm generates. For instance, one variation could have a green hue, while another has a red hue.
The same code can produce thousands of unique generative art NFTs. Each is unique but similar enough to be in the same project.
Minting and Buying Art Blocks
Buying NFTs on Art Blocks is easy. All you need is an Ethereum crypto wallet browser add-on. Head over to artblocks.io and click on Connect. You can then link your wallet to Art Blocks.
You'll see various NFT projects available for minting. Find one you like, click on View Collection → Purchase a Mint.
You'll see a warning before buying. After clicking Purchase, you'll see the NFT price and the gas fee in your wallet. Confirm the details, and you'll see a window telling you that the transaction is pending.
After a while, the transaction will be either completed, failed, or canceled. If it's completed, you can see the piece you bought in your wallet.
If you don't have a wallet, try MetaMask. It's easy to connect and you'll need to transfer Ether to your wallet.
[Remember: When using online crypto wallet platforms like MetaMask, make sure you’re accessing the real site, not a fake one. Always check the URL.]
Final Thoughts
Art Blocks is an awesome platform for anyone interested in NFTs and generative art. Now you're all set to link your wallet and make a purchase. No matter what project you invest in, you're guaranteed a unique piece of art.
