'Sleeping Mallard' - My 1st NFT Release! ..
After a few nudges from this one and that one (Thanks @bozz), I had decided to investigate the world of NFT's as it pertains to art. I’m a hands-on physical artist, and can probably be referred to as old-school. So the idea of creating an NFT for my creations, is kind of a weird concept for me.
What is an NFT? .. An NFT or otherwise known as Non-Fungible Token, is ummmm.. yeah it was hard for me to wrap my mind around at first, as well. It's basically an original non-duplicatable token written into the blockchain.
I read an article on Forbes a few days ago and they explain it pretty well I think..
Most simply, an NFT is an entry on a blockchain, the same decentralized digital ledger technology that underlies cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. But unlike most bitcoin–which is fungible, meaning that one coin is essentially indistinguishable from another and equivalent in value–tokens on these blockchains are non-fungible. That means they are unique, so they can represent one-of-a-kind things, like a rare William Shatner headshot or even the title to a piece of real estate.
And because they’re unique and stored on the blockchain, they’re unquestionably authentic. That’s especially important when the asset they represent is digital. Since digital files can be copied infinitely and perfectly, it’s hard to own (or sell) a rare digital photo of Captain Kirk. An NTF token solves the riddle by proving that one digital file is the one-and-only “original.”
Source - Adam Brown - Forbes - Feb 26, 2021
Needless to say I was intrigued.. Being a crypto fan. So all I had to do was find an avenue for me to accomplish creating an NFT for a piece of my own art. It was a bit easier than I thought. I found, rather quickly, a place right here on the Hive block chain that fit the bill! NFT Showroom.
Here Is The Link toNFT Showroom
Now I Just Had To Choose A Piece Of Art ..
Like I mentioned previously,.. I’m more of a hands-on physical artist. I don’t really consider myself a digital artist. I’ve played around with a few digital programs, creating some images but I don’t feel as though it’s as easy or comfortable for me. I do have a few and I chose one of them as my first listed piece. All I have to do now is create the NFT for my creation and it will be official and it will be original.
I chose a fully digital art piece.. called ‘Sleeping Mallard’. I created this digital artwork utilizing Adobe sketchbook. It wasn’t as hard as I expected it to be but there was some hangups glitches and a learning curve that was quite huge. In the end I think the piece came out fairly decent given my experience using digital formats.
I created this approximately two years ago and did so after taking a walk down to the lake behind our home. I observed a female mallard fast asleep on the water on a very calm day. The ripples around her body and her shut eyes, along with the tranquility of the day, put me at ease and combed my spirit. I wanted to duplicate this image in my mind digitally. Maybe I should have went with something easier but why not challenge yourself?!
I tried to capture the easy gentle feeling and the calmness of a duck floating on top of the water's still surface. I tried to capture some of the colors that I had observed that day. The water was more or less a green color with tinges of blue and purple. You could see a slight reflection and the bright orange color of her webbed feat, as they balanced her body under the surface.
The reflection was the hardest part for me besides her head. I erased the reflection several times and re-drew it. Her beak, was another area of difficulty. Although to me at first glance all I see is a banana, no one else has pointed this out. So I suppose it looks like a ducks beak.
I wasn’t too worried about the feathers, I’ve had a little bit of experience with that and had practice that in the past. I wasn’t going to be able to create a crisp image so our utilized methods that created the visual impression of feathers. I did a lot of blending and smudging to create a softer look.
In three dimensional art, it’s always a challenge to present an image that looks three-dimensional, Rather than two dimensional. Or utilize darker undertones, blues and purples, in order to create shadows and deliver an effect that appears to be three-dimensional. This is most represented in the bottom of the duck, below her tail feathers, and around her head and beak.
I wanted to keep the water very simple and add a few rings to deliver the feeling of movement. I feel like I pulled this off pretty well. Again there was a lot of smudging and pushing the paint around, in a digital way of course, to create that movement. I did get frustrated with this.. I have to admit .. from time to time. At least erasing is a little easier digitally over the physical way. I haven’t been able to figure out the layers feature yet but I feel like that’s almost a necessity, or will be in the future. Like I said there’s a learning curve to this new experience.
So I’m super excited to list this on NFT show rooms website. Who knows it may not be purchased, but that’s OK. It was just exciting to list the first one. I think for this piece, I’ll create only 3 editions and I will hold onto the rights to the work. This is all new for me and I would be grateful for any advice, if you have experience with this sort of thing.
I am discovering more and more, every single day!
I'll keep you posted if there are any new developments with this new endeavor, or if I list any more.
Again, Here Is A Link, in case your interested in listing something yourself!.. NFT Showroom
“Don't let the expectations and opinions of other people affect your decisions. It's your life, not theirs. Do what matters most to you; do what makes you feel alive and happy. Don't let the expectations and ideas of others limit who you are. If you let others tell you who you are, you are living their reality — not yours. There is more to life than pleasing people. There is much more to life than following others' prescribed path. There is so much more to life than what you experience right now. You need to decide who you are for yourself. Become a whole being. Adventure.”
― Roy T. Bennett
Thank you for swinging by my blog and checking out the post. Have a great day!
All words, pictures and art pieces are the sole property of B D Miller Gallery, unless otherwise noted and credited, and are not to be reproduced or copied without the prior written consent of B D Miller Gallery.
About Me ~ The Artist
My art work incorporates a wide variety of subject matter, including landscape, seascape, cityscape, and still life images. My works are the product of a continuing process of exploration through which I seek to portray personal and visionary interpretations of my surroundings. My paintings are impressions of places and events from everyday life, an interpretation of my imagination, and personal responses to what I see and feel on a daily basis. More recently I have invested generous amounts of time into my landscape painting. I am surrounded by natural and man made beauty, which inherently presents itself in the tri-state area, and almost demands that I paint it.
Not everything is art. Art is not everything, but it comes close. Art is everywhere and all the time. Art makes you experience the beauty of the world, the people in it, and the places we call home. Art itself is so influential that it can tell stories, show feelings, and express passion or fury. Art exists in addition to language; expression of sensations and thoughts, revealing a way of thinking too subtle and delicate for words.
For me art requires love, honesty and perseverance. In return, it reveals some personal, non-analyzable, and creative untamed passion. For the public, art with its magnificent beauty, improves mood and health and builds better human beings and communities. It engages the intellect, softens the heart, strengthens the soul and frees the spirit.
If Your Interested In Purchasing Any Of My Work:
They can be found for sale on
Saatchi Art
Or
Etsy
If you don't see the piece in either shop, It may still be drying. Let me know and I can upload it as soon as possible to be available. Or you can always make me an offer (in HBD, Hive or any other crypto) in the comments section of this post. If we agree on a price, I will then ship the painting to you. (shipping costs will be determined by your location).