People are increasingly living their lives online, and interacting with digital items is becoming regular. The present phase is all about digital-first inventions compared to the early days of the web when individuals tried to integrate the physical into the digital.
In the art world, digital art has taken over the classical outline of the art we know as such. Instead of selling visible work like paintings or real estate, NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are those that are gaining importance and attract people to invest in them. If you are an artist, you’ll probably be a seller, and you’ll bring the best of your skills to the new digital market.
But how can you make an NFT, let alone sell one?
People are earning tens of millions of dollars from the sale of a single NFT. We are all wondering how that is possible. What is so special about NFTs? Many want to grab a piece of this sweet digital cake, but they give up when they hear about the range of gas fees that need to be paid once they enter the market. Even while specific markets demand high gas fees to mint your digital artwork, new markets are developing more affordable and effective minting methods. To learn more about NFTs read our in depth article.
This article will go through all the steps with one mission: to teach you how to mint an NFT and do that for free.
What is an NFT?
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a token generated on a blockchain to represent an extraordinary asset, such as a piece of real estate, drawings, music, poems, in-game items, and videos. Because each NFT is a one-of-a-kind digital asset with a unique identity, they are not fungible. No matter how similar two NFTs appear, they can’t be replaceable.
What Are They Worth?
NFTs’ popularity is rising alongside their value. The value of NFTs is increasing, and it depends on the maker’s supply and demand. Each NFT has a distinct rarity, and each has a unique collection.
However, several additional factors can impact how much an NFT is valued. For instance, limited series NFTs with particular use cases often have a higher value. People can use them for play-to-earn games as gaming items and metaverse land. The more they mean, the higher their value is.
What is Minting an NFT?
Minting an NFT means creating something completely new. It is the act of reversing a digital file into a digital asset and publishing a unique token on the blockchain to make it buyable. The token is then stored in a decentralized database where it can’t be edited, altered, or deleted.
As a creator, you mint an NFT to make it accessible for sale to others. The action of converting your digital work into a blockchain-based asset is still one that looks encouraging and has the potential to (ultimately) fundamentally transform how creators are compensated. However, creating and selling NFTs shouldn’t be seen as a way to increase your wealth quickly. Selling your digital assets this way may involve some upfront expenses, and there is no assurance that anybody would be prepared to pay for your work.
Even so, if you want to try it and mint an NFT from scratch, we are here to help you.
The initial step is to select the right marketplace and a crypto blockchain.
You can pick OpenSea, Rarible, or Zora as a marketplace. But keep in mind, if you are looking for a marketplace where you can mint an NFT for free, pick OpenSea or Rarible.
Before you start minting NFT, we need to clarify one more thing related to transaction costs. You must pay gas fees on some blockchains (e.g., Ethereum). Compare them to gasoline. If you want to drive a car, you must put gas in it first. The same thing is with gas fees. For the blockchain network to operate, we must pay gas fees. Alas, we found a way to avoid paying unnecessary costs.
Minting NFTs for Free on OpenSea
OpenSea is doubtlessly the best and biggest decentralized platform for non-fungible tokens in which both total beginners and those who are already experienced in collecting and trading irreplaceable tokens will find their way easily. If you’re still unsure if you understood the concept, think of Amazon and eBay, and imagine them as a market for digital objects and collectibles.
OpenSea is a game-changer. All around the world, people are trading digital currency and utility tokens. The fact that they feel at ease with owning things digitally rather than physically proves that the digital native era has arrived. You’re allowed to buy and sell any digital items in the form of assets kept on the blockchain. The only thing you need to do is double-check your transactions to avoid being scammed.
With a focus on expanding the marketplace for artists, sellers, and buyers, it supports a number of blockchains, including Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana.
With an OpenSea, you can skip gas fees easily and mint an NFT by following the next few steps.
Step 1: Create a MetaMask Wallet Account
Before signing in to OpenSea, you must create a digital wallet for cryptocurrency. The crypto wallet will allow you to store your crypto for all the crypto transactions, like the ones you’ll have once you create an NFT.
The most frequently used wallet on OpenSea is MetaMask, which can be made and used without cost. It’s the most reliable and efficient among the rest and is made for Ethereum cryptocurrency called Ether. Whether you are a seller, buyer, or want to store crypto, you must have this wallet.
Before creating a MetaMask wallet, you’ll need to download and install the official https://metamask.io/ extension for the right browser.
Once installed, click the “Get Started” and “Create a Wallet” buttons.
Pick a password. We recommend you use a password different from the ones you’re already using for other apps.
You’ll then see the 12-word backup phrase you must write down in the exact sequence as they appear on the screen. If you ever lose access to your computer or decide to set up a wallet on new devices, these words will be necessary to retrieve your wallet. Keep this backup phrase confidential since anybody who knows it can access the money in your MetaMask wallet.
Step 2: Create an OpenSea Account and Connect a Wallet
When you create a wallet, go to https://opensea.io/, click the “Create” button and link your MetaMask wallet to it.
Step 3: Mint an NFT
Before creating an NFT collection, you must prepare the digital file. You may post images in PNG, JPG, or GIF format, music in MP3 or .Wav formats, videos in MP4 format, or 3D files in GLB format. Decide whether you want to create a single NFT or a collection.
You’ll see the option of adding a logo, name, and description. Try representing your art in the best possible way because it will help you sell the NFT faster. And above all, you’ll earn money which is the goal of many operating on the blockchain.
After setting a collection, go to the final step, which is minting an NFT or, in other words – adding some items to the group. The process is straightforward.
- Go to your collection and pick “Add item”
- Upload an image, audio, or 3D models
- Add details to your items, like name and a description
- Fill in all the information in the “Collection” section
- Choose the number of copies that can be minted, which is “Supply.”
After the “Supply” part comes the step you were waiting for.
Step 4: Select Polygon Blockchain
The gas fees depend on the current situation in the market. The more people using the network, the higher the gas fee. But, you can eliminate this fee by switching to the Polygon Network to make your minting process gas-fee-free.
After switching to Polygon Blockchain on OpenSea, you also need to connect the Polygon to MetaMask.
First, open MetaMask, click the network dropdown menu, and choose “Add Network.” Then, you’ll need to add the details on the open page. After adding all the necessary information, click “Save,” and that’s it. You are successfully connected to the Polygon Network.
After this step, click on “Create,” and your new item will show as a new NFT in your collection.
Congrats, you made it! Now, you are ready to sell non-fungible tokens and break through the mass of those creating undreamed-of pieces of art.
Conclusion
Blockchain technology and the expansion of NFTs made it easier for artists and creators to share and cash in their talents. Nowadays, they are seen and worshiped. People are reading and talking about artworks. They are craving to be a part of this world.
As we have demonstrated, anyone can mint a non-fungible token in a couple of minutes. There is no need for coding expertise because the technology is user-friendly and sufficiently developed. So, why are you still waiting? Start minting as many NFTs as you want by letting your imagination wild.
