The rise of crypto and non-fungible tokens have intrigued many investors worldwide. As a matter of fact, almost all investors would agree to the existence of a strong potential for growth of NFTs. Most important of all, NFT art and collectibles have been garnering a lot of attention in the crypto space. Interesting projects like the Art Blocks NFT collection serve the right opportunities for taking NFTs a lot further. The buzz around NFTs has also been increasing largely due to celebrity involvement. On the other hand, non-fungible tokens are more likely to have an enduring impact on the world of art.
Blockchain has supported the development of new and better approaches for purchasing and selling digital art. On top of it, popular auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s are encouraging the auction of NFT artwork. Considering the popularity of Art Blocks in the domain of digital art and NFTs, it has become a focal point of discussion among NFT experts. The following post offers a detailed overview of Art Blocks and how it strengthens the future of generative art NFTs.
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What are Art Blocks?
The first question in any outline of Art Blocks explained clearly emphasizes the definition of the project. Many people might assume that Art Blocks is a massive and unique artwork project. However, the Art Blocks collection is actually a digital platform on Ethereum blockchain, where creators could develop, sell or store generative art. The important components in the identity of Art Blocks could help in finding out its significance for the larger picture.
First of all, you have the ‘generative art’ element. What is generative art? It basically refers to the use of an algorithm for creating unique artworks which are impossible to replicate. The next element, i.e., the Ethereum blockchain, serves a crucial role in ensuring secure storage of the NFTs. The explanations for “What are NFT Art Blocks?” would also stress how they are different from other NFT artwork projects.
One of the best examples you can assume for understanding the unique traits of Art Blocks refers to CryptoPunks. Since all the artwork collectibles in the CryptoPunks collection had been created and minted well ahead of time, collectors could only work on claiming them. Even the Ethereum blockchain did not play any active role in the creative process for CryptoPunks.
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How are Art Blocks Different?
The outline of Art Blocks NFT collection would showcase how it focuses on generative art, the type of art developed through computer scripts written by an artist. At the same time, Art Blocks does not just serve as a platform for creating and selling generative art. On the contrary, Art Blocks also showcases the generative script of the artist. Therefore, a search for Art Blocks on OpenSea marketplace would help you find the script which you can use for creating generative art. You would receive the artwork as the output with loads of randomized variables to ensure that it remains distinct.
Upon minting an artwork on Art Blocks, the user actually creates a token on Ethereum blockchain. The Ethereum blockchain token features unique traits and also includes a seed, which influences the artwork output. The seed works primarily for the allocation of different variables such as geometry, color and other features for rarity.
In simple words, the Art Blocks collection is similar to allowing the privilege of artists to create custom on-demand artwork. Most important of all, the Art Blocks collection has also proved how it is special among other NFT projects with its success. As a matter of fact, Art Blocks projects garnered more than $600 million in NFT sales only in August 2021. How is Art Blocks ensuring its success in the field of generative art NFTs?
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Working of Art Blocks
The guides on Art Blocks project would also draw the limelight towards its work and its different layers. You would come across Art Blocks curated NFTs, the Playground and Factory tiers in the structure of Art Blocks project. You can use the basics of NFTs as a foundation for understanding the working of Art Blocks. Art Blocks have been developed on the Ethereum blockchain, and all NFTs in the collection have unique characteristics along with an algorithm for generating the artwork. It is important to remember that the artwork in Art Blocks collection complies with the ERC-721 token standard.
On a more granular level, artists develop a piece of code that goes on the Art Blocks platform. Subsequently, the project would generate random combinations of the variables. Another important highlight regarding the Art Blocks project is the use of p5.js JavaScript framework, offering support for creative coding. The working of Art Blocks explained in detail would then proceed towards the stages after submitting code to Art Blocks project. Here is an outline of the actions expected after artists submit their code on Art Blocks.
- The randomized hexadecimal string or the seed is created.
- All the elements in the seed would provide a specification for an attribute of the concerned artwork in relevant parameters for the artwork’s appearance. For example, an algorithm would never drop random elements in an artwork unless the artist has specified them.
- In the last stage, you can find your end-product with different variations generated by the algorithm. The NFT artwork could be a static image, an interactive experience or even a 3D model.
The availability of Art Blocks on OpenSea marketplace is a clear indication of the rising popularity of algorithmic or generative art. Random factors in the code make the generative art pieces on Art Blocks different from one another. Artists could generally upload the algorithms to Art Blocks, followed by setting the maximum number of editions which can be minted. On the other hand, collectors could also select different styles for generating the artwork. The newly generated art piece goes directly to the wallet of collectors in the form of an ERC-721 NFT.
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History of Art Blocks
The overview of “What are NFT Art Blocks?” would also shed light on the history of the project. Many other popular NFT projects, such as CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, utilize the generative art workflow for creating NFTs in their collections. However, the NFT profile picture projects feature restrictions over their collections.
On the other hand, Art Blocks is considerably different from these popular projects in different ways. The Art Blocks project arrived in November 2020, with the inspiration behind the project coming from CryptoPunks. The founder of Art Blocks, Erick Calderon, also known as Snowfro, used his experience in CryptoPunks to develop the project.
Calderon utilizes his knowledge of smart contracts and deep understanding of tech for manipulating the minting process, just like in the case of CryptoPunks. He used the technique for minting CryptoPunks collectibles with the rarest traits. The idea supported Calderon in thinking further about creating an NFT project where end-users would not have any idea about the NFT they buy. The founder of the Art Blocks NFT project encrypted the traits of NFTs in code and introduced the first collection.
With a primary emphasis on combining generative output with provenance, Calderon released the Chromie Squiggle collection of Art Block NFTs. The Chromie Squiggle NFT collection featured a smart blend of simplicity and uniqueness, with all the 10,000 pieces in the collection being basically same. All the NFT pieces were actually colorful squiggles with different opacities and textures.
The Art Blocks project registered over $100 million in sales volume with more than 9000 traders and collectors. Subsequently, the project gained more attention in March 2021, particularly due to the launch of the Fidenza collection by Tyler Hobbs on Art Blocks platform. As of now, all pieces of the Chromie Squiggle collection have been appreciated for their historical significance in the early stages of NFTs. The average floor price of Art Blocks on OpenSea is around 6 ETH, and the most expensive Squiggle sale fetched around 750 ETH.
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Types of Art Block NFTs
The three distinct tiers in the Art Blocks project showcase methodic excellence in designing the project. You can learn about each tier and its contribution to the Art Blocks project. Here is a brief overview of the different types of offerings in the Art Block collection.
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Curated NFTs
The first entry among Art Blocks NFTs would refer to Art Blocks curated platform. It is the top tier of Art Blocks for generative art NFTs and artists selected at the top tier can create NFT drops. The NFT drops planned by artists in the top tier could be a part of the official Art Blocks collection.
Any project at this tier has a distinctive appeal in the world of generative art NFTs. As a matter of fact, many Art Blocks projects at the ‘curated’ tier were considerably inexpensive for minting. However, most of them have multiplied in terms of value by the margin of thousands.
The first example of a curated NFT drop on the Art Blocks platform, Chromie Squiggle, shows how the top tier of the Art Blocks project delivers the foundation. The Chromie Squiggle collection utilized minted token seeds for allocating traits such as rate of gradient change and the number of segments in each art.
The Fidenza collection launched recently in the Art Blocks NFT project is another important highlight of the curated NFT tier. It is practically a versatile algorithm that emphasizes developing curvy, vibrant and completely random patterns. Another popular example of curated NFTs on the Art Blocks project refers to the Ringers series by Cherniak. The Ringers utilize different methods for wrapping a string around a given collection of pegs.
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Artist Playground
The second critical highlight in the architecture of Art Blocks would refer to the Artist Playground. Artists creating NFT drops in the curated NFT collection could also develop their own series in Artist Playground. However, the projects in Artist Playground are not included in the official Art Blocks collection. On the contrary, the Artist Playground serves as a promising platform to try out their experimental ideas.
The advantage of Artist Playground over the Art Blocks curated tier is the freedom for artists. The Playground has served as the foundation for many interesting ideas, like the Alien Clock series with 362 NFTs. Another notable Playground project, “Beatboxes,” also points out the potential associated with generative art NFTs. The Art Blocks NFTs could use Ethereum blockchain for creating different VR rooms with audio-visual elements.
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Art Blocks Factory
The final tier in the design of Art Blocks project refers to the Art Blocks Factory component. It is an alternative for any artist who does not wish to wait to be accepted in the curated tier. On the contrary, artists can launch their code in the factory tier with a less refined approach.
The Factory NFT drops play a vital role in introducing the element of spontaneity and playfulness for expanding the scope of generative art. Most important of all, the factory is all about maintaining the balance between going completely berserk on the playground or worrying about the intricacies of the curated tier. The Factor tier lets you try out your whims while maintaining a responsible approach.
The Dino Pals series by Hideo is a perfect example of a Factory NFT drop. You can find only 100 NFTs featuring simple drawings of prehistoric dinosaurs with unique traits. Interestingly, Dino Pals registered around $16 million in sales in one day of August 2021. Another example of Fake Internet Money shows how Art Blocks NFTs can take over the NFT landscape in future.
How to Get Art Blocks NFTs?
The discussions on basics of Art Blocks explained in detail would also draw the light on methods to get one. Interestingly, you can rely on the NFT drops with the Art Blocks project. However, the NFT drops on Art Blocks can be extremely competitive. Therefore, you can have limited opportunities upon minting your own Art Blocks NFTs. Use a crypto wallet and connect to Art Blocks for exploring open projects with a fair share of mints remaining in the series. Once you purchase the mints, you can have the unique generative art piece in your connected crypto wallet.
On the other hand, you always have the option of buying Art Blocks on OpenSea and other secondary marketplaces. The OpenSea marketplace can help you view the curated artworks you want from Art Blocks, along with options for filtering results. Most important of all, you could also use conditions for additional verification, which can avoid any concerns due to scams.
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Final Words
The collection of NFTs on Art Blocks is an example of how non-fungible tokens can revolutionize art. On top of it, the answers to “What are NFT Art Blocks?” shows that NFT art is not all about unique art. Art Blocks rely on the use of generative scripts, which are accessible to buyers upon purchasing the NFTs. Upon executing the scripts, the buyer would receive an NFT drop on the Ethereum blockchain directly to their wallet.
At the same time, beginners should also notice the functionalities introduced by different tiers of the Art Blocks platform. For example, the Artist Playground can provide the basis for generating new NFT projects and collections. Learn more about Art Blocks and generative art in detail.
*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!
