The irruption of NFT technology has meant that digital art has finally found a mainstream vehicle to become more appealing to the masses and have a bigger collector base. So, do NFTs have to be digital art exclusively? Well, as it turns out, there’s more potential for NFTs than people may realize. From the more pragmatic use cases, like tickets and passes, to a wide array of events in the art sector. You even have use cases that appeal to art historians, like an NFT representation of a historical painting that raises funds to repair and maintain the physical painting. Finally, music is still a form of art, and NFTs have empowered artists, many of whom prefer to distribute their music in this format rather than through audio streaming platforms like Spotify which provide very little revenue to the artists.
NFTs don’t need to be digital art exclusively. However, artists should ask themselves why they want to create art in the form of NFTs. There are many ways NFTs can create meaningful experiences for collectors and artists, so one should always take those into account as one creates art in the blockchain.
What are some use cases for NFTs that are not digital art?
You can have an NFT of a physical painting that collectors can display on the metaverse if they choose to do it. So, you can include an NFT when a person buys a physical painting as a perk. Or it could be a way to monetize on two fronts: the sale of the physical artwork and the sale of its NFT. This means that there could be two different owners.
One of the fun things about NFTs is that they have smart contracts. That is self-executing code that performs a function if a condition is met. An old-fashioned artist might want to have a painting harness these possibilities. For example, to give additional perks to a collector. An NFT artwork could serve the purpose of a ticket to a new exhibit of the same artist or a different one. It opens the door to collaborations among artists if there are shared communities. The NFT can also entitle its owner to a more intimate connection with the artist through calls and hangouts. But even if there is no smart-contract functionality behind the NFT, just knowing where an NFT is opens the door for communication between the artist and the holder.
So, do NFTs have to be digital art exclusively? No. Does it make sense for non-digital visual artists to join the NFT space? Absolutely yes. There are many ways artists can benefit themselves and their collectors through NFTs. So if the massive adoption of NFTs was creating anxiety because you are not a digital artist, rest assured that you can still reap the rewards that non-fungible tokens provide.
What are some avenues for innovation in NFTs for non-digital art?
Artists can find ways to make innovative art, especially when it is done through collaboration. As it has been said, music is not technically digital art (even though it is produced through digital means) and has found great promise in NFTs. Can you remember a time when you bought your favourite artist’s album, and the visual art aspect was important? Well, thanks to NFTs, musicians are empowered to offer this experience to their listeners again. The inverse process can occur, in which a musician can provide music that enhances a visual artist’s artwork. You could even add an audio-visual component to an NFT and delve into filmmaking. Another possibility is to display several art pieces in the NFT, like a presentation.
Even in a highly digitized environment, traditional artists can come together to create innovative partnerships. The fact that NFTs are a digital solution so that artists can become empowered on the Internet does not mean that NFTs have to be digital art exclusively. On the contrary, they can be a democratizing force in the arts. All you have to do is understand the technology and what it allows, and do your research.
If you asked the people over at SOPRG NFT art gallery the question “do NFTs have to be digital art?” they would reply “of course not”. After all, they help traditional artists get into the interesting space that is Web3 art and NFTs. Thanks to them, you can display your traditional, handmade art in the metaverse, and from there you could have people buy your NFTs.
If you are wondering how that can be, it’s pretty simple really. This NFT art gallery, based in Prague, scans your artwork using top-tier technology, and —once it is digitized— you will be walked through the legal copyrights aspects to ensure your art is protected, as well as the marketing of it.
Having SOPRG as your NFT art gallery partner opens the door to a world of possibilities. All you have to do is ask and see what’s possible. You will learn, gain exposure, and —most importantly— create art.
Painting by Mrs. Pojarová – you can buy the NFTs via our shop.
