Artistry has transcended the canvas and waltzed straight into the digital era, like a traditional painter caught in the headlights of modernity. If you thought art was all about those fancy galleries and oil-soaked palettes, welcome to the 21st century. Nearly every artist you once knew as “traditional” has now embraced the title “NFT creator.”
Thanks to Blockchain technology, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have become the resounding chorus of changes and redefined the essence of uniqueness and ownership.
Read more: NFTs Aren’t Dead: A Look at the Future of Digital Collectibles
In this article, I will be introducing you guys to the top 10 NFT artists you absolutely need to know. These folks have trailblazed a path into the digital art frontier. Whether you’re an artist, creator, collector, or investor, these individuals are the vanguards of this brave new art world.
The Rise of NFTs in the Art World
Unlike other digital tokens, NFTs are rare digital assets that cannot be replaced or be equivalent to another token. It is a representation of digital items on the Blockchain. This “item” can be anything from art, tweets, virtual land and even a certificate.
For better context, I will focus more on digital arts. The NFT art world is like a digital version of a McDonald’s restaurant where you can find various foods like burgers, fries, and sandwiches with unique flavours and tastes. The NFT art world is a place where you discover a magnificent and indescribable mix of arts ranging from thought-provoking to mind-blowing art. Instead of the aroma of food, you’re enveloped by the boundless creativity of artists pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the art world.
Traditionally, artists used to rely on middlemen such as galleries or record labels to promote and sell their creations. With NFTs, creators can bypass these intermediaries, reaching a global audience while ensuring artists get a piece of the pie every time their art is resold. A win-win, right?
Empowering Artists Like Never Before
NFTs are like the super avengers of the art world and a hail mary of artists coming together to save them from the clutches of middlemen and gatekeepers. Artists can now finally showcase their artwork without being at the mercy of galleries or greedy agents. For instance, the “Right-click and Save As guy” by XCOPY is currently worth $ 7 million. If it were in the time of traditional art, it would’ve been just one of those worthless images. In the NFTs world, it’s not just a picture but a big deal.
This new way out of the financial mess has opened up new possibilities for artists to monetize their work directly, empowering upcoming artists to gain recognition and fulfil purpose from their talents.
Reports have shown that the salary of an average digital artist in the U.S., as of September 2023, is $72k, but the typical salary ranges between $61k -$83k. If you ask me, that is a considerable amount of money. There are more zeros than most of us can count!
The evolution of arts has been a game changer for artists compared to when physical exhibitions were the gold standard, making digital artists feel like the neglected children of the art world. Not anymore! NFTs have become every artist’s golden ticket, bringing them into the spotlight.
10 NFT Artists You Should Know
Beeple NFT
Mike Winkelmann, the creative guru, created Beeple in March 2021. The magnificent Beeple made heads roll and caused controversies throughout the art world. An astronomical $69 million was paid for this masterpiece, “Everydays: The First 5000 Days.” It assembled 5,000 unique images, showcasing Beeple’s talent.
CryptoPunks
This should be considered the OG NFT art. It was created by Matt Hall and John Watkinson in 2017. It represented 10,000 punky-looking arts. Some characters were depicted as male, female, zombies, aliens, and even apes. Many popular figures like Jayz and more own one or more of these unique avatars.
Pak: “The Nothing”
That is what its X page carries. We don’t know who Pak is, where Pak is from, or even if Pak is a real person. What we know is that Pak’s art is appealing, transcendent, and feels divine and intense, just like the Vikings’ Valhalain, a delightful veil of mystery.
In March 2021, a collection of Pak’s NFTs was bought for a jaw-dropping $17 million. Pak’s digital creations represent drawings like shapes and mostly abstract images. Who knew shapes could be worth that much?
Grimes
When you’re dating Elon Musk, expect your child’s name to look like a Wi-Fi password; you’re already living an eccentric life. But Grimes(Claire Boucher) didn’t stop there. She jumped on the NFT and made a name with her trippy and surreal digital art. Grimes witnessed huge success in NFT, with $5.8 million in sales generated in 20 minutes.
Read more: Elon Musk’s Ex-Wife Made More Money From NFTs Than From Her Music Career
XCopy
XCopy, a UK-based digital artist and crypto lover, creates art that feels like a mix of cyberpunk and acid trip. His pieces are a mind-bending journey through the digital cosmos, and they’re worth every byte.
Fewocious (Victoria Lee)
Born in Las Vegas in 2003, the teenage prodigy takes the NFT world by surprise with her incredible character designs and vibrant digital paintings. She’s living proof that age is just a number in the world of digital art.
Banksy
The elusive street artist known for his political and satirical graffiti made his mark in the NFT world. He started with the symbolic burning of “Morons (White),” which was sold as an NFT for $95,000 and then resold for $380,000. Banksy’s foray into NFTs is a true testament to the democratization of art.
Josie
Josie’s art is like a neon explosion in the metaverse. Her vibrant and surreal pieces are a feast for the eyes, and they show us that NFT art is about pushing boundaries and embracing the digital realm. She has featured a collection of unique digital art on the Ethereum blockchain.
Rembrandts
The digital art virtuoso has a flair for inspiring classic paintings with a modern, humorous twist. Their NFTs are known for their meticulous attention to detail, and vibrant use of colour that’s so electric even the colour wheel would be left in awe.
Gary Vaynerchuk
GaryVee sent shockwaves through the NFT world when he dropped his VeeFriends collection on May 11, 2021. In a very short time, VeeFriends has gone from being a newcomer to one of the most influential and innovative NFT collections the market has ever witnessed.
Challenges & Controversies of NFTs
NFTs, for all their glitz and glam, aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. The rise of NFTs has created conversations about the environmental impact of blockchain.
The technology-conscious crowd isn’t too pleased because of the environmental hazards caused by the NFT: carbon footprint, minting and how these digital treasures chug energy like there’s no tomorrow.
However, NFTs operate on various blockchain networks, some of which utilize less energy, thereby reducing their environmental concerns.
Talking about Copyright? It’s a whole circus. Artists sometimes watch their creations get turned into NFTs without their green light. The immutable nature of blockchain means once it’s out there, it’s out there. Policing copyright? About as easy as herding digital cats.
Conclusion
The NFT market is still in its early state, but it’s growing faster than a teenager experiencing growth. The hunger for NFT art is rising, and more enthusiasts are catching wind of it, making it more exciting.
More about NFTs on Hodl:
The top 10 NFT artists we’ve delved into here are just a glimpse of the incredible creativity flooding the space. If you’ve got a desire to dive deeper into NFT, do yourself a favour and explore the works of the above listed artists. – it’s a digital rabbit hole that might lead you to inspiring discoveries.
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