NFT Creator Starter Kit: How To Start Creating

NFTs are slowly penetrating the mainstream and a large number of creators are starting to make a living from this medium. If you are an artist or a creator looking to get in on the action, the process of creating and selling NFTs may seem intimidating at first. But fear not!

In this article, we'll give you a starter kit to help you navigate the world of NFTs - from choosing a platform to building a community around your work. By the end, you'll have the tools you need to start creating your own NFTs and potentially establish yourself as a respected creator in this exciting and rapidly evolving market.

Build a Community

Building a community is an important step in establishing yourself as an NFT creator and promoting your work to potential buyers. I would argue that this is the most important step in the process, and you should start doing it even before you mint your NFTs. Learn how to start building a community around your NFTs here:

1. Engage with other creators and collectors: Interacting with other creators and collectors on social media (Twitter and Discord) can help you build relationships within the NFT community. Commenting on others' work and sharing your own can help get your name out there and potentially lead to future collaborations or partnerships.
2. Share your creative process: Sharing your creative process with your followers can create a sense of connection and authenticity. To this end, we recommend opening a private Discord server and creating a Twitter profile that you can use to build an audience.
3. You can also publish your updates in the form of blog posts (Mirror.xyz is a Web3 native publishing platform), photos or videos from behind the scenes or live streams. This not only gives your audience an insight into your world as an artist but also allows you to showcase your skills and potentially attract new collectors.
4. Offer exclusive perks: Offering exclusive perks to your most loyal fans can help you build a loyal following. These might include access to early drops or limited-edition NFTs, personalized shoutouts or messages, or even face-to-face meetings or studio visits.
5. Collaborate with other creators: Collaborating with other NFT creators can help you expand your audience and create unique, one-of-a-kind NFTs. Whether it's a collaborative project or a series of complementary artworks, collaborations can help introduce your work to a new group of potential buyers.

Building a community takes time and effort, but can pay off in the long run by establishing you as a respected creator and attracting new collectors to your work.

Where to Mint

Next, you should decide on the platform on which you want to mint and sell your NFTs. There are several popular platforms to choose from including OpenSea, SuperRare, Nifty Gateway, Rarible, Foundation, etc. Each platform has its own fees, rules and community. So do your research before choosing a platform.

There is also a possibility to offer users to mint your NFTs directly on your website if you have one. This process is more complicated and requires some coding to set up and is more suitable for creators who already have a large audience and many users on their website. The advantage is that you do not have to pay a commission to the platforms mentioned above.

When it comes to minting NFTs, choosing the right blockchain is an important decision that can affect the value and visibility of your artwork. There are several to choose from: Ethereum, Polygon, Optimism, BSC, Cardano, Solana, etc.

Here are a few factors to consider when selecting a blockchain for your NFTs:

1. Transaction fees: Each blockchain has its own transaction fees that can affect the cost of minting and selling your NFTs. Ethereum, for example, is known to have high fees during periods of high demand, while blockchains like Polygon and other Layer 2s offer lower fees.
2. Security: Blockchain security is important to protect your NFTs from theft and fraud. Look for a blockchain that has a proven track record of security and is supported by a large and active community of developers.
3. Visibility: The visibility of your NFTs can influence their value and sales potential. Choose a blockchain that has a large and active user base, with a strong marketplace and ecosystem for buying and selling NFTs.

Ultimately, the choice of blockchain depends on your personal preferences and goals as an NFT creator. Researching and comparing different options can help you make an informed decision and find the right blockchain for your needs.

Create Your Artwork

Once you have decided where you want to mint your NFT, it is time to create your artwork. This can be anything from a digital painting to a 3D model, a PFP (profile picture) or a meme. The important thing is that it is unique and original, because that's what will make it valuable as an NFT.

The next step is to decide how many NFTs you want to create. Some projects like BAYC or CryptoPunks have created a collection of 10,000 uniquely generated characters. This is common, especially for PFP projects. Some creators, especially artists, mint a unique 1/1 NFT, which makes it more exclusive and similar to the traditional art sector. How many NFTs you mint is ultimately up to you.

Mint Your NFT

After you created your artwork, you'll need to mint it as an NFT. The minting creates a unique digital asset on the blockchain that represents your artwork. Most platforms offer a simple minting process where you can upload your artwork, set a price and add additional information such as a description or the edition size.

Promote Your NFT

The promotion should actually start long before your NFTs are minted. Usually, projects start informing their community about their drops much earlier. They announce a specific date and time for the drop of their NFTs. Here you can see how important step 1 is: creating and building your own community. If you have an existing community of dedicated followers, promoting your NFT will require much less effort.

Promotion can be done through social media (Twitter being the most effective), Discord, email newsletters or even by reaching out to potential collectors directly. Many platforms also have a built-in community that you can use to promote your work.

Sell Your NFT

The final step and goal is to sell your NFTs to collectors/buyers. This can be done through the platform's marketplace or through a private sale. Once your NFT is sold, you will receive payment in the form of cryptocurrency, which you can then convert into fiat currency.

Me when I start selling NFTs

The world of NFTs offers artists and creators a new and exciting way to monetize their digital works. With the right platform, unique artwork and a dedicated fan base, you can make a name for yourself in the NFT market.

But it's not just about minting and selling NFTs. To establish yourself as an NFT creator, it is important to build a community around your work. Interacting with other creators and collectors, sharing your creative process, offering exclusive perks and collaborating with others can help you grow your following and attract new buyers.

Like any new market, the NFT world is constantly evolving and it's important that you keep up to date with trends and best practices. This means researching, staying in touch with the community and being willing to learn and adapt.

Ultimately, it's about exploring new ways to create art in the digital age and connecting with a global community of artists, collectors and enthusiasts. If you take the time to develop your skills and build your audience, you can be a part of this exciting and groundbreaking movement.

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