Introduction
Welcome to the world of digital art. In this brave new world, artists can sell their work directly to collectors. Not only that, but they can also retain 100% ownership over their work—and even resell it later at a higher price if they want! The most famous example of this is CryptoKitties, which has become an obsession for collectors and casual players alike. But while CryptoKitties are cute little cats on their own merit (or lack thereof), there are other artists making money off of NFTs—including Kings of Leon, Beeple and Ron English (yours truly).
Artist: Kings of Leon
One of the most successful artists on this list, Kings of Leon has a whopping 1.3 million fans in the NFTs community. The group’s digital art is some of the most sought-after in existence, with pieces selling for more than $100,000 each. They’ve also been known to sell out their pieces quickly; within hours of being listed on Counterparty’s marketplace, all 50 prints had been purchased and appeared as sold-out on their page.
While many artists choose to use Cryptokitties or other non-fungible tokens for their artwork—which can sometimes be auctioned off instead of purchased outright—Kings of Leon have chosen to sell their NFTs directly via Counterparty’s marketplace for bitcoin cash (BCH).
Link to work: https://opensea.io/assets/0x052b45c1744ec78c79263ba9abf1b9c634a05a8c/38
Check out this artist’s work:
https://opensea.io/assets/0x052b45c1744ec78c79263ba9abf1b9c634a05a8c/38
Beeple
Beeple, who goes by the name of John Sundell on the internet, is a Swedish artist whose art is known for its bright colors and cartoonish style. His work often features psychedelic shapes and patterns that are reminiscent of ’90s video games.
He also creates NFTs—non-fungible tokens—and sells them on OpenSea. These NFTs have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars: one piece recently went for $715,000, while another (a giant floating eyeball) was purchased by the musician Imogen Heap in January 2019 for $300,000.
OpenSea is an online marketplace where users can buy unique digital assets created by artists like Beeple as well as other crypto enthusiasts who want to sell their own creations without going through an auction house or gallery owner.
Artist: Beeple
Beeple, who’s also known as Rob Wilson, is a digital artist who creates digital art using algorithms. His work often uses the medium of an animated gif to illustrate his ideas and concepts. The way he mixes technology with art is what makes him so unique and sought after by collectors. Beeple’s artwork has been featured in museums around the world, including MoMA New York City, Museum of Modern Art and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in California (to name just a few).
Link to work: https://www.christies.com/features/First-Open-What-is-an-NFT-11129-3.aspx
- https://www.christies.com/features/First-Open-What-is-an-NFT-11129-3.aspx
- Untitled, by Jeff Koons, 2019
- $17 Million USD
- “The work is a large scale yellow balloon dog sculpture cast in bronze and including four smaller versions of the iconic sculpture mounted on white marble bases that have been finished with gold leafing and orange enamel highlights.”
- [Artist’s website](https://jeffkoonsstudio.com/)
Ron English
If you’re into street art at all, then you know who Ron English is. The American artist has made a name for himself with his unique brand of pop-culture-inspired works and has since been celebrated as one of the most recognizable names in his field.
He also happens to be an avid NFT collector and has been able to leverage his expertise in the space by launching two successful collections of his own work on Opal: You are Here (for which he won a Grand Prize) and Superb Owl (which won him another Grand Prize).
The success of these collections demonstrates just how much money there is to be made selling NFTs via Opal—even when it’s not your primary business model.
Artist: Ron English
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Link to work: https://opensea.io/assets/0x06012c8cf97bead5deae237070f9587f8e7a266d/3039718
Here’s a link to the work, which has been sold for $2,000 USD:
https://opensea.io/assets/0x06012c8cf97bead5deae237070f9587f8e7a266d/3039718
- Name of artwork: “Gold Master” by @tamerrashid
- Artist name (if applicable): Tamer Rashid
Conclusion
These are just three examples of artists making a killing from selling NFTs. They may be the first to sell digital art, but they won’t be the last! If you’re looking for some inspiration when it comes to creating your own NFT, maybe these artists can help. Or if you’re just curious about what other people are doing with blockchain technology and how it’s changing our world – well look no further!
