Hi artists! Yes, I am talking to you. Did you know that you can sell your digital artworks as NFT? All you have to do is create a NFT. We will teach you how in this article. After a guide on how to get free NFT drops, it was logical to make one on how to create your own NFT. Ready for this new fabulous?
Some reminders before creating your own NFT
NFT, euh.. what is it?
As a reminder, NFTs are non-fungible tokens (i.e. they are unique, unlike Bitcoin for example). They are registered on the Blockchain (usually Ethereum) thanks to a smart contract. NFTs are not limited to jpeg images to make “NFT lol” or “NFT shark”, contrary to what the mainstream media says.
It’s really anything that can be digitized: it can be images, of course, but also a video of your dog running on the beach on a Saturday afternoon or an audio of you practicing the legendary riff “Come as You Are” by Nirvana. The key is to have the file in digital format, so you can put it on the Blockchain.
The ERC-721, the standard for NFTs
As you probably know, ERC stands for “Ethereum request for Comment”. The most famous standard is ERC-20, but it is only used for the creation of fungible tokens (examples: Shiba Inu, USDT, DAI).
To create an NFT, you have to use other ERC standards, the most frequently used is ERC-721. What is the difference with the ERC-20?
The ERC-721 is similar to the ERC-20 with a few differences, notably the variables. An ERC721 smart contract has a “tokenURI” variable and another “tokenId” variable that points to the address of its owner (ERC20s point to the address of a scale). The second major difference is in the metadatas: unlike the ERC20, there is a file (image, audio, …) to store for your NFT. Except that storing this kind of file on the blockchain would be too expensive.
So we found a solution: give a token URL that points to the NFT rendering. Often, we use IPFS to store the visual of a NFT.
Did you survive the technical explanation? Don’t worry, the rest is less complex, but just as interesting, after all, you will see how to create your own NFT for free. But why should you create a NFT?
What is the purpose of creating an NFT? (use cases)
The first question you should probably ask yourself is: what is the purpose of creating a NFT. There are many uses for NFTs. Let’s take a few examples so that you understand the power of NFTs.
- Example n°1: Let us imagine that you are an artist who creates music. Currently, to get recognized in the industry, you must go through intermediaries (producers, record companies, …). In the end, there is not much left in your pocket. With the creation of NFT, you bypass the intermediaries and you address directly your community. In web2, it is the platforms that write their rules, in web3, it is the communities. Using NFTs can allow you to be financed directly by the community by giving rights to the community (if you have such and such an NFT, you can do such and such a thing).
- Example n°2: Let’s imagine now that you are an artist specialized in digital artworks. You have spent several months on a project that is close to your heart. You proudly publish your work on the Internet. A few weeks later, you see that your work has been copied on other websites, illegally. How can you prevent this? By using NFTs, quite simply. NFTs allow you to guarantee to the owner that he is the owner of the original work.
We could still talk about all the advantages of web3 and crypto in general: decentralization, peer-to-peer network, fast and cheap transfers and means of payment thanks to crypto assets (or crypto-currencies), bulwark against inflation, anonymity, alternative currencies…
Anyway enough blah blah blah, it’s time to see “how to create your own NFT” using the right software.
4 software and apps to create an NFT collection
Before you even think about smarts contracts or coinplicated things like that, you need to think in terms of design. You have to make people want to buy your NFTs! Here is a small list of applications and software to easily create your NFT.
MediBang Paint, the software to create your own NFT easily
What makes MediBang Paint different from the programs below? Its ease of use, perfect if you are a beginner in the creation of NFT.
Your NFT collection will have a very nice cartoon style, so if you want to create a free cartoon NFT, go for it!
Krita, the software to create animated NFT
Krita is an application that allows you to create an animated image. So, instead of having a still image, you will have a moving image, which will allow you to stand out.
This style can be found for example in the NFT Invisible Friends collection.
Blender, the 3D reference for mixing your ideas
With Blender, your NFT will have a beautiful 3D effect. This software is a bit more complex to learn, but it can be very interesting. But the visual rendering is really great.
A good example is the NFT Clone X- X TAKASHI MURAKAMI collection by the famous artist Takashi Murakami.
Pixilart, the site that brings pixels to life
If you want to create a collection of NFT in pixel form, Pixilart is for you. Easy to use, ergonomic and efficient.
You think that art with pixels “doesn’t interest anyone”? Do we really have to remind you of the success of Cryptopunks, the first NFT in history?
How to create your own NFT easily and for free?
Note: This guide assumes that you are starting an NFT collection on Ethereum. If you are creating an NFT on another blockchain, you may need to use a different wallet. Moreover, you will need to own not ETH, but the native currency of your blockchain (BNB for BNBchain, SOL for Solana).
Create your NFT wallet
To start, you need to create an NFT wallet or have a wallet that supports them. We recommend Metamask.
This step is essential before continuing!
Once the extension is installed, you will be asked to import or create a wallet. When creating a digital wallet, you will have to secure it with a password and a seed phrase. This 12-word seed phrase will allow you to retrieve your wallet, even if you lose your computer or uninstall Metamask. It is therefore crucial to carefully write down each word and keep it in a place where no one else can access it.
You will also need ETH to deploy your smart contract and mine your NFT on the Ethereum blockchain.
Using the Rinkeby testnet
In order to jump into the deep end, it’s best to understand the NFT creation process. In order not to pay money when testing, the developers had the good idea to create a Testnet. This is a network where you can claim ETH for free to run your tests without spending a cent.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Open your Metamask;
- Press the tab that allows you to hide/show the test networks;
- Activate the test networks;
- Select “Rinkeby”;
You will now need to get “fake Ether” to complete the transaction. But then, how do we do it? Well, we use what we call a “faucet”.
You have the choice between several by typing in Google “Rinkeby Faucet”, the one of Chainlink for example is fast and efficient. Then follow the instructions and wait for your ETH Rinkeby.
Using IPFS
Once you have received your ETH, you have to use a program called IPFS (editor’s choice : InterPlanetary File System, if you are curious). It is a kind of decentralized cloud where you will store the image of your NFT.
You just have to go to the site and install the plugin and launch it. Go to files and upload your jpeg (naming it I̶m̶G̶o̶i̶n̶g̶T̶o̶B̶e̶R̶i̶c̶h̶T̶h̶a̶n̶k̶s̶T̶o̶T̶h̶e̶N̶F̶T̶I̶m̶G̶o̶i̶n̶g̶T̶o̶C̶r̶e̶a̶t̶e̶M̶a̶x̶i̶m̶e̶A̶n̶d̶C̶o̶i̶n̶p̶r̶i̶Y̶o̶u̶A̶r̶e̶T̶h̶e̶B̶E̶S̶T̶.̶j̶p̶e̶g̶ 0.jpeg).
Then you need to fill in the metadata associated with your jpeg with the Json file (named 0.json). Fill in the Json file as in the image below.
In the “image” part, you must indicate the URL of the IPFS image of the file you just uploaded. Go to IPFS to get your link and paste it. Save your Json file and upload it to IPFS.
How to create your own NFT ? With Remix !
Remix is a website that allows you to edit, compile and deploy Ethereum smart contracts. You can go directly to the site by clicking on this link.
Let’s start by editing the code
Are you good? Let’s start editing the smart contract:
- Create a new file for your smart contract;
- Copy/paste the code below;
- Change the name and the symbol of the NFT by the one of your project;
- Save the file. Don’t forget to put the extension “.sol” (for solidity).
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity 0.8.0;
import "https://github.com/0xcert/ethereum-erc721/src/contracts/tokens/nf-token-metadata.sol";
import "https://github.com/0xcert/ethereum-erc721/src/contracts/ownership/ownable.sol";
contract newNFT is NFTokenMetadata, Ownable {
constructor() {
nftName = "Le nom de mon NFT";
nftSymbol = "NOM";
}
function mint(address _to, uint256 _tokenId, string calldata _uri) external onlyOwner {
super._mint(_to, _tokenId);
super._setTokenUri(_tokenId, _uri);
}
}Ready to compile the code ?
Ok, we are now going to compile the smart contract.
Press the third tab on the left and choose the compiler according to your version of Solidity. Then press the [Compile] button.
Time to deploy the contract
Finally, you have to deploy your smart contract. Press the fourth tab on the left. For the environment, choose “Injected Web3”.
If you haven’t already done so, connect your wallet and make sure you are on the Rinkeby network.
Press the [Deploy] button. Metamask will launch. You will be asked to confirm the transaction.
CONGRATULATIONS YOU NOW HAVE THE ANSWER TO HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN NFT
Very last step, you have to mint your NFT (that’s why we are here, right?).
A few seconds after deploying the smart contract, you will see that your smart contract is well deployed.
Scroll down the menu on the bottom left and scroll [Mint] and fill in the information as follows:
- Mint : put the Metamask address of the NFT owner (0x….);
- Tokenid: leave 1;
- URL : put the URL of your metadata that you have filled in for IPFS.
Press [Transact]. You still have to sign the transaction with your Metamask.
That’s it! Finally finished! To verify that you have received your NFT on the testnet, go to testnets.opensea.io. Log in and admire your beautiful NFT.
If you want to create your NFT on the Ethereum blockchain, just repeat the previous steps by connecting to the “Ethereum network”.
Note: This time you will need real ETH and therefore spend some money.
If you want to create a collection, you will have to repeat the operation by changing the images and IDs. There are websites to make it easier for you…
The best marketplaces to ̶s̶e̶l̶l̶ create your NFT
How to create a NFT on Opensea
Once you have created your NFT, it will of course be a matter of selling them. But on which marketplace? Well, on Opensea, of course!
Opensea is the decentralized marketplace that dominates the market today, on this platform you can buy and sell your NFTs.
It is clearly this platform that has the largest volumes, and which has the largest number of pieces for sale (over 4 million works).
This one works on the auction mode, a bit like eBay, but crypto version. There are all kinds of content on this platform: domain names, music, photos, art, collectibles, and many others. It should be noted that Opensea takes 2.5% of each transaction made on the platform.
But selling is not the topic of the day, let’s stay on the creation, because yes, Opensea also allows you to easily create a NFT to then easily put them on sale.
Here is how to create an NFT on Opensea:
- Go to the “Create” page;
- Login with your wallet;
- Upload your image;
- Fill in the different fields;
- Fill in the properties of your NFT if you want to create more or less rare NFTs;
- Determine if you want hidden content;
- Choose the Blockchain you want to use;
- Click on the [Create] button.
Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
How to create a NFT on Binance NFT
Binance NFT is also a good alternative to Opensea.
The platform dates back to June 2021, but promising when you know the daily transaction volume on this exchange, as well as the asset capitalization in dollars (USD) and bitcoins.
Binance NFT aims to help content creators create and sell their digital works. Collectors can also import tokens from other exchange platforms and resell them.
As a reminder, Binance NFT has over $42 million in daily volume, 120,000 daily sales, and nearly 800 collections.
The Binance catalog is constantly evolving and growing. When you sell your NFT on the marketplace, the creator and Binance each receive a 1% royalty.
Here’s how to create an NFT on Binance NFT:
- Make sure you have a verified (KYC) profile on Binance;
- Make sure you have at least 2 followers on your Binance NFT profile;
- Make sure you have enough BNB/ETH in your wallet;
- Go here and look for the “Create” menu;
- Fill in the different fields;
- Select the blockchain;
- Click on the [Create] button.
Conclusion
As we have seen, getting free NFT drops is good, creating them yourself is better. Of course. But you still need to know where to sell your NFTs. In the next episode, we’ll explain to you the best marketplaces to buy and sell your NFTs. Stay tuned!
Coming from a teaching background, I’ve become passionate about the world of Blockchain. I’m eager to learn more and share the fruit of my research through my articles.
