By Jams2blues
In the rapidly evolving world of digital art, fully on-chain NFTs represent the pinnacle of permanence and integrity. By storing your artwork directly on the blockchain, you ensure that it remains immutable, censorship-resistant, and independent of any third-party storage solutions like IPFS. But how can artists achieve this without diving into complex code? I'm not saying IPFS doesn't have it's benefits, there are always hurdles to overcome with data-storage entropy in every system.
Welcome to a no-code journey where creativity meets technology, allowing you to mint your art as fully on-chain NFTs effortlessly. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process, using my own art from the Jams2blues Fully On-Chain (FOC) Pixel-Art Project as an example.
Why Fully On-Chain NFTs?
Fully on-chain NFTs are more than just tokens—they are a statement. They embody the belief that art and provenance belong together on the blockchain, ensuring each piece's permanence and integrity. By existing entirely on-chain, your artwork stands resilient against censorship, broken links, and the ephemerality of multiple dependencies.
Step 1: Create Your Artwork with Compression in Mind
Simplicity is key. When aiming for fully on-chain storage, file size matters. The smaller your file, the lower the gas fees and the more efficient the storage.
- Opt for Minimalism: Embrace styles that are less colorful and less complex. Pixel art is ideal due to its simplicity and charm.
- Choose the Right Tools: I use Aseprite, a fantastic pixel art animation software available on Steam. It's affordable, user-friendly, and supported by numerous tutorials on YouTube. However, you're free to use Photoshop, MS Paint, or any tool that suits your creative flow.
- Mind the Resolution: Work with small canvases—100x100 pixels is a sweet spot. It keeps file sizes low without compromising on detail. Or larger if you only intend on minting a single image, and not an animation. As Ella, Brightlight Art Eloquently put it "FAFO" (fuck around and find out)
- Limit Your Frames: For animations, keep it to 6-7 frames for smooth looping without bloating the file size.
Tip: Every frame in an animated GIF adds to the storage size. Less is more!
Step 2: Compress Your Animation
After crafting your masterpiece, it's time to compress it without sacrificing quality.
- Export Wisely: Export your animation as a GIF or a PNG sequence.
- Use Compression Tools
- Gifsicle: A free, command-line program that's incredibly effective. Use the command:
gifsicle --optimize=3 --lossy=100 --colors 256 -o new_filename.gif "filename.gif"
This can often halve the size of your GIF! Plenty of other web based tools too if CMD is too scary for you! All this can be done from a smartphone as well, no need for a PC.
- Photoshop's Save for Web (Legacy): Offers granular control over your GIF's properties—dither, resolution, colors, and more.
Observation: Compressed GIFs tend to result in smaller Base64 strings compared to PNG sequences when stored on-chain.
Step 3: Convert Your Art to an SVG (for SVG Nerds: uses <animate>Â tags for cross compatibility with Apple and Android browsers)
Now, let's transform your compressed GIF into an SVG—scalable and perfect for on-chain storage for pixel art/ascii art/compressionism. You can always just mint it as is too, don't need to have a fully scalable SVG file if you don't want to. Simply using the SVG format provided in my free tool allows your pixel art images to scale up from super tiny resolutions to massive ones, like billboard or Times Square sized, without loosing quality.
- Use the SVG Animation Creator: I developed a free, web-based app that handles this conversion seamlessly.
- Upload Your PNG/JPG/Gif Sequence: Simply click "Upload Batch" or just upload your animated Gif and select your file. adjust timing between frames and total time, and viola! I will be adding more functionality over time, such as automating Sprite sheet animations, and converting Gifs to SVG animations.
- Convert and Compress: The app converts your images to an SVG and then you can compresses it, handling all the technical details with inline JavaScript.
- Download Your SVG: Once done, save the file to your device before, or after compression.
- Always Test Your SVG On different screens/devices before minting to make sure it looks right, and is compatible with devices you'd like it to be displayed on!
Benefits:
- The SVG format ensures your art scales perfectly on any screen size—from smartphones to billboards—without losing quality (This works eloquently for pixel art using the Pixelated setting, can get hairy with high res images or photos, but try stuff!).
- The app makes your SVG resolution-agnostic, meaning it looks crisp and clean everywhere.
Step 4: Minting Your Fully On-Chain NFT
With your tiny animated SVG (aim for under 120KB), you're ready to mint.
- Create a Smart Contract with Manifold: Head over to manifold.xyz and create a custom ERC-721 smart contract.
- This gives you full control over your NFT collection, even if one day manifold DIES
- Embed Your SVG Using Efficax:
- Visit https://efficax.diid.art/, a no-code tool developed by the generous 0xDiid.
- Connect Your Wallet: Ensure it's the same wallet controlling your smart contract.
- Follow the Prompts: The site guides you through merging your SVG with the smart contract.
- Pay for Gas: Only the gas fees are required—no additional costs.
Outcome:
- Your NFT is now fully on-chain, with your SVG stored within the smart contract itself.
- No reliance on IPFS, no middlemen, no centralized storage—pure decentralization.
Step 5: List and Share Your Art
- List on NFT Platforms: If you're minting on Ethereum Mainnet, you can list your NFTs on platforms like Foundation in the usual way.
- Alternative Networks: Consider minting on Base Ethereum for lower gas fees and faster transactions. Platforms like OpenSea and Rarible support it.
- Ensure you're connected to the correct network when interacting with your wallet and these sites.
Reminder: Always double-check the network to avoid any mishaps!
A Real-World Example: Jams2blues Fully On-Chain Collection
I've walked this path myself, minting several scalable, hand-drawn pixel animations in my Jams2blues Fully On-Chain Collection.
- Explore the Collection: Check out the pieces, test them on different screens, and see the magic of fully on-chain art.
- Affordable Art: Starting bids are at 0.01 ETH, making it accessible for collectors.
Join me in this art movement—let's push the boundaries of what's possible together.
Why This Matters
Creating fully on-chain NFTs isn't just a technical achievement—it's a statement about the future of art and ownership.
- Permanence: Your art becomes a permanent part of the blockchain, immune to censorship and decay.
- Integrity: By avoiding external storage, you eliminate points of failure and ensure your art remains exactly as you intended.
- Empowerment: These no-code tools democratize the process, allowing any artist to participate without technical barriers.
Join the Movement
I've built these tools for artists like you—for us—to simplify the process and foster creativity without constraints.
- Try It Out: Use the SVG Animation Creator for your next piece.
- Share Your Work: I'd love to see what you create! Tag me on social media @jams2blues.
- Collaborate and Connect: Let's be there for each other, sharing, collecting, and growing in this vibrant art community.
Art thrives when we support one another. Let's make waves together.
Final Thoughts
Creating fully on-chain NFTs is more accessible than ever. With the steps outlined above, you can mint your art securely and confidently, knowing it will stand the test of time.
Embrace the paradoxes, challenge the norms, and let your art resonate across the decentralized world. I would also like to extend a personal thank you to all the brilliant #Compressionism artists making a huge wave out there. Without Peng1, Ella, 0xdiid, @Maniinng and so many more, I would have never made it this far. Their contributions to Art NFTs and the most proliferate art movement since pop art in the 60s is paramount.
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Ready to dive in? Start creating today and be part of the future of art.
🔗 My personal favorite Catchall file compressor and editor: https://squoosh.app/ 🔗 Aseprite: https://www.aseprite.org/
🔗 Gifscicle: https://www.lcdf.org/gifsicle/ 🔗 Jams2blues free SVG Animation Creator & More!: https://www.jams2blues.art/w3tools
🔗 Manifold: https://manifold.xyz/ 🔗 Efficax: https://efficax.diid.art/ 🔗 More Artist Resources by PENG1: https://peng1.art/Artist-Resources/
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Author's Note:
This guide is born out of passion and a relentless drive to push boundaries. I believe in the power of art and technology to transform the world. By sharing these methods, I hope to empower fellow artists to take control of their creations and contribute to a decentralized, vibrant art ecosystem.
Let's make art that lasts—art that's truly ours.
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Stay bold, stay creative, and never stop challenging the status quo.
Save The World With Artâ„¢ -Jams2blues
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