Generative art NFTs have taken the world of digital art by waterfall in recent years. Both artists and collectors welcomed this new form of creation, merging the worlds of art and blockchain technology. Hence, if you are new to the world of NFT or that of generative art, it might seem a little overwhelming, but the more one dives into it, the more fascinating it becomes. So, let's look at what generative art NFTs are, the mechanism of their work, and a few most popular projects in this domain.
What Are Generative Art NFTs?
Fundamentally, any artwork that runs through an algorithm and computer code is generative art. It is not completely handmade but proceeds from a set of rules and parameters that an artist inputs into a system. The outcome is an essentially unique and often unpredictable digital artwork ranging anywhere from simple geometric patterns to complex blurry visuals.
Generative art NFTs refer to digital artwork linked with blockchain technology, mostly Ethereum blockchain. Each generative artwork is minted as an NFT or rarity certificate, establishing its ownership and proof of authenticity.
Why Are Generative Art NFTs So Popular?
Generative art NFTs have become hugely popular for a number of reasons, one of the strongest being the advent of blockchain technology.
Uniqueness and Rarity
The generative art pieces are unique because they are made by an algorithm and tied to a blockchain. The algorithm could technically generate similar pieces; however, because of the interplay of parameters and randomness in the generative process, every NFT is considered different. This is the rarity that drives NFT price, making generative art an expensive and collectible means.
Transparency and Provenance
The transparency of blockchain makes it possible to trace each NFT of generative art back to its very first owners. This is crucial in an art world where provenance (certified history of ownership) has traditionally been important for valuing a work. With an NFT, anyone can trace the art back to the original artist, which in turn builds forth the layer of trust on the confidence that the artwork is legitimate.
Accessible to a New Generation of Artists and Collectors
Generative art and NFTs become a window that is often barbed against conventional art-world avenues available to digital artists. Now, artists with a bit of coding knowledge can toy with algorithmic art and display their work in front of global audiences-almost ignoring restrictions posed by the art galleries and traditional auctions. For collectors, blockchain-based marketplaces offer easy access to essentially an infinite list of generative art pieces.
Popular Generative Art NFT Projects
Now that we understand what generative art NFTs are and why they’re so appealing, let us now look at some of the most popular and groundbreaking projects in this space.
Art Blocks
Perhaps one of the most well-established for generative art NFTs, Art Blocks is one of the most renown generative art NFT projects. Since its establishment in 2020, Art Blocks has provided a venue for artists to forge generative art works that function as NFTs issued on the Ethereum Blockchain. The platform covers collections on a curated basis, through which artists submit their works and users mint individual works.
One of the unique aspects of this platform is its emphasis on quality algorithmically generated art. It has since hosted some of the most famous generative art collections, such as Chromie Squiggles by artist Snowfro, Fidenza by Tyler Hobbs, and Ringers by Dmitri Cherniak. These collections have attracted collectors and investors, with pieces fetching several hundreds of thousands of dollars.
CryptoPunks
In terms of classification, CryptoPunks may not entirely fit into the generative art category in the way algorithmically generated projects do, but they certainly prepared the ground for the NFT space and can be considered among the very first generative art projects on the blockchain. Created by Larva Labs back in 2017, the collection comprises 10,000 unique 24x24 pixel art characters. These characters were algorithmically generated by the team, each with a set of attributes such as hairstyle, accessories, and facial features.
CryptoPunks are possibly the very first NFTs ever produced and, undoubtedly, their influence on generative art is unmeasurable. By far, the CryptoPunks remain one of the most premium NFT collections, with some punks achieving sales in the millions of dollars.
Generative.art
Another big name for artists to showcase their algorithmically generated works is Generative.art. Since the site values minimalistic and abstract designs, it has hosted and still does host many generative art collections that examine the relationship between code, randomness, and creativity. This is really an environment where the artists and collectors join to push the limits of how generative art is viewed.
Decentraland Art Gallery
Decentraland offers a unique mix of NFT and virtual worlds, though it is not strictly a generative art platform. Artists can erect virtual galleries within Decentraland to exhibit their generative art NFTs. Users can roam these spaces and purchase works of art right inside the world. Certain artists have also held live coding events, where the artwork is generated on the spot and users can immediately mint the digital works as NFTs.
Autoglyphs by Larva Labs
Created by Larva Labs, Autoglyphs is an avant-garde generative art project that uses code to generate unique images directly on the Ethereum blockchain. Unlike digitized versions of art, such as most NFTs where the images are stored off-chain, each Autoglyph is actually created and stored on-chain, meaning the image itself is written into the blockchain. Thus, it is one of the most decentralized art projects ever conceived.
Each Autoglyph is unique, created through a complex algorithm, and minted as a one-of-a-kind NFT with an unimaginably high price range that could prove Autoglyphs to be a premier example of blockchain art.
Where Algorithms Create Masterpieces
Generative art NFTs are causing a sweeping change in art creation by melding algorithmic creativity with blockchain-based technology. It provides artists with a canvas to play with code and creativity, while the collectors have a market to purchase genuine digital works of art. From the legendary CryptoPunks to the experimental works on Art Blocks and Decentraland, generative art NFTs are creating a whole new exciting front in the world of digital art.