NFTs WTF?!
Beginning resources for your NFT journey
Over the past couple of weeks, multiple people have asked me about NFTs. If you were around me in 2012 you probably remember me banging the Bitcoin drum nonstop. There were some people who took interest and others that thought I had lost my mind.
Almost 10 years later, I can now comfortably say that I was correct in following my intuition around cryptocurrencies. I purchased my first bitcoins at $ 90.00 USD in 2013. I also wrote a dream-inspired proposal about art & the blockchain which was submitted to various investment groups wayyyy too early. The excitement I felt in 2012 is amplified even stronger now around the subject of NFTs. The community that is forming around this technology is one of the most supportive and inspiring that I have ever seen.
Before we dive in, I feel it’s important to relay a very important point about your intent to enter this space. The community that is rapidly growing is comprised of many talented and insanely creative human beings. It’s founded on support for one another, shared education, and promotion of all to create rising tide opportunities. If your plan is to attempt to attach yourself to projects that you bring no value to, this isn’t for you. There is a paradigm shift happening that is empowering artists to create without limitation and support themselves accordingly. Buy the art, create art, find artists that resonate with you, collaborate, and take that journey with them.
Now for the basics:
NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token.
Great, what does THAT mean?
Bitcoin and other crypto “coins” are fungible, meaning they can be traded or exchanged for one another. One bitcoin equals the value of another bitcoin, the same as 1 US Dollar equals 1 US Dollar, and can be used as equal value.
NFTs shift the crypto paradigm by creating each token as unique tokens making it impossible for one non-fungible token to be equal to another. They are digital assets that are not equal or identical to one another.
For starters, it’s a great idea to have some general working knowledge of the blockchain and how to acquire crypto currencies. It’s also extremely important that you understand the safety and security centered around holding digital assets. Many before you have horror stories of losing their seed phrases, passwords, or exposing their private keys publicly and seeing their assets disappear. If you don’t feel you are ready to enter that realm, you most likely aren’t. I am available to you to answer questions, just send me a text or a DM. CryptoDad (on YouTube) is an excellent resource to learn about crypto:
The team at Opensea.io have made an “NFT Bible” that in my opinion is required reading for anyone new to the space. Take the time to educate yourself and read the entire piece:
https://opensea.io/blog/guides/non-fungible-tokens/
Here are some key first steps.
- Sign up for a coinbase account: https://www.coinbase.com/join/kschember
- Download the MetaMask browser extension: https://metamask.io/
- Purchase some Ethereum (ETH) on coinbase and send it to your metamask wallet.
- Sign up for the platforms that interest you for creating or collecting NFTs. Connect your metamask wallet to each marketplace you want to join.
Here’s a list of comparisons of the various platforms where NFTs are created(minted), sold, and traded. Shout out to Nicole Patrice and the Tech Optimist Team for putting this list together. This is an excellent overview and comparison of the various marketplaces.
Follow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tech0ptimist
Last and certainly NOT least, this link is the one that will support your NFT dreams in the best possible way. Alexander Mazzei has founded an amazing online resource and community. Visit: NFTs.tips sign up for the newsletter and join us in the rooms on ClubHouse under the same name. The best education you can receive is to simply introduce yourself to the community, share what you can bring of value, uplift and support your fellow artists and revel in this amazing energy that is surrounding this creative space.
Website: NFTs.tips
If you need some one on one guidance or help with something specific,text me or send me a DM on Twitter: @Subtractive or IG: @TestShotStarfish
If you’d like to see what we are doing on any of the platforms, follow us: @subtractive
