Mathew's to-do list included:

1. Create NFT

2. Mint NFT

3. Sell NFT.

Did he do it? What were his challenges? What is his advice to artists who want to do the same?

Creating an NFT was on Mathew's to-do list for at least six months, but he had no idea how to start, what to mint, and who could help. But once he started his journey of learning about Web3, things began to fall into place.

Why create an NFT?

Mathew Heggem is the founder of 10kCreators.com, a community of artists who learn how to improve their cash flow and maximize their financial position. When he learned about using NFTs to fund and support artists, he realized he had a lot of homework to do. If he created his own NFT, he would be able to speak from experience, thus making it easier to assist his clients interested in Web3.

But first, he needed to find some help and reached out to his network.

Connecting with HeyLayer

Mathew searched through his contacts and reconnected with Gary Riger, founder and CTO of HeyLayer.

HeyLayer is a platform where you can mint NFTs, manage them on their marketplace, and provide ease of purchase with either cryptocurrency or credit card. HeyLayer is also different from other platforms. They offer a simple and inexpensive minting process that secures NFTs on Bitcoin on the Stacks blockchain.

Mathew felt comfortable that this was a great place to start his first NFT project.

He's Hooked - Now What?

One of Mathew's strengths (and charm) is his relaxed and professional ability to lead others in thought-provoking conversations. Twitter Spaces was the perfect place to lead discussions around NFTs and Web3 for artists. He soon began to sweat as the virtual room filled with "experts" and left this first space thinking, "I better mint an NFT before this gets awkward"!

Wallet Stress

The first hurdle was getting over the worry about setting up a wallet. He had one a while ago but lost the paperwork with the passcode on it! Since he didn't want to repeat that same mistake, he was more diligent and thoughtful while opening a new Hiro wallet, the kind of wallet needed to transact on HeyLayer.

Buy First

As he embarked on the journey of minting his NFT, Mathew realized that he needed to understand the process of buying an NFT first. What motivates someone to purchase an NFT? How do they select that first piece of digital art minted on the blockchain? In the HeyLayer marketplace, an NFT of collaborative work between a human being and artificial intelligence caught his eye. He spent $19.46 for DALL-ELlama4.

What to Mint (Create)?

Mathew thought about making the artwork himself, but digital art isn't his forte as a choreographer. So, he looked around his home and chose one of his mother's paintings from her collection. He selected a large blue abstract acrylic painting called "Blue Compassion" and snapped eight photos of it.

The Details

Taking a photo is just one step; next, he needed to answer the following questions: Should it be a one-of-one minting or a complete collection? How would he describe the title & describe the work? How much should he price the NFTs? What about the rights to the piece or the percentages on the royalty splits? Buying his first NFT helped him determine the answers to some of these critical questions.

Pricing Dilemma

Mathew considered the price ranges within the HeyLayer marketplace and decided on a moderate starting point of $47 to keep the work affordable. But he also wanted to price it higher than the NFT he purchased because it was an original physical painting rather than computer generated.

The Collection

He decided to create 8 NFTs as a collection with three editions for each one. With several editions, multiple people could then own a single NFT. He spent time collaborating with his mother on the name and description of the pieces. The joint titling between the generations, art & tech, and this personal connection, coupled with its originality, help to set this NFT collection apart from others in the marketplace.

People are drawn to stories and meaning because it provides more value to the piece. A well-thought-out description will give more significant importance to the art, knowing that it would be on the blockchain forever.

The Marketing

Now that he has his first NFT collection ready and available for purchase, Mathew took to his social channels and community to talk about the work and his experience. He is proud to promote his mom as an artist and that her work is visible to new audiences.

His Advice

First, buy an NFT before you even start creating one. You need to understand the emotional experience of researching the artist and understanding their story; this will shape your story.

In Mathew's opinion, he says that minting a collection of NFTs is more effective than a "one and done ."People who resonate with your work will want to choose from a selection of offerings.

Create your profile on HeyLayer (or your platform of choice). Potential buyers will need to know who you are and your story.

Community is Key

The success of this journey was the support and guidance from others along the way. When he had questions or doubts, he knew who to reach out to and find the answers. His most important advice is to find a community where you feel comfortable asking for help. There are many ways to get distracted down different paths. Having an informed guide along the way is valuable.

Conclusion

For artists earning a living, it is challenging to market their work so their fans can support them financially. By using NFTs, you have another option available to sell your work and receive royalties. The most significant benefit is the proof of authenticity because it is permanently on the blockchain with full ownership transparency.

*If this is a journey you are interested in, Tokens Square can help you get started.

PS. Shortly after writing this article, Mathew sold his first NFT!