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An Introductory Guide to Generative Art

Recent technological advancements have made generative art more accessible than ever. From NFT marketplaces and minting platforms like Art Blocks to AI models like DALL-E and Midjourney, more and more people have been able to experiment with the art of creative coding of late.

But, what exactly is generative art? In this article, we'll explore the exciting world of generative art in Web3 and provide you with actionable tools to explore this innovative field.

What is Generative Art?

Generative art is a form of art generated by computer code. Typically, artists create a set of images and add certain rules of what can and cannot be combined and how, to the code. Using an algorithm, artwork is then generated through the combination of various images or patterns in accordance to the rules set by the artist.

It is also why many generative artists refer to themselves as creative coders.

The History and Evolution of Generative Art

Generative art first emerged in the early 1960s, through pioneering artists such as Harold Cohen and Herbert Franke. In fact, these artists had been exploring the intersection of AI and art for nearly 50 years, well before the rising popularity of new machine-learning tools.

Over the course of the last six decades, generative art has gone through a metamorphosis and now encompasses various forms from static images to interactive installations. This has led to a groundbreaking fusion of data and art, such as Ryoji Ikeda’s Code Verse, which are audiovisual compositions created from various kinds of data.

More recently, generative art is experiencing a renaissance with the advent of blockchain technology, resulting in the creation of iconic collections like Cryptopunks that made use of generative art rules. This movement has been further fueled by Art Blocks, a leading generative art NFT marketplace and curation platform that has facilitated hundreds of millions of dollars in generative art sales.

Notable Generative Art Collections

If you are new to generative art, start off by familiarizing yourself with some of the best-selling generative art NFT collections.

• Fidenza by Tyler Hobbs: Fidenza is one of the most sought-after generative art NFT collections on the Art Blocks platform. With 999 unique NFTs featuring mesmerizing structured curves and blocks, each piece is a colorful masterpiece.

• Solvency by Ezra Miller: Enter the dynamic world of WebGL simulations with Solvency, Ezra Miller's limited edition collection of 500 generative NFTs. With each artwork having unique traits, patterns, and textures based on seeded values generated by the token hash, every piece is a rare gem.

• Lost Poets by Pak: Experience the future of generative art with Lost Poets, a groundbreaking AI-powered strategy game and NFT collection by renowned digital artist Pak. Having sold the most expensive NFT artwork to date (The Merge for $91.8 million), Pak's latest project is considered the first major collection produced with AI.

• Chromie Squiggle by Erick Calderon aka Snowfro: Get a taste of the Art Blocks platform with Chromie Squiggle, the generative art NFT collection created by the founder of Art Blocks himself. Each Squiggle represents the character of the platform, making this collection an essential piece of Art Blocks history.

Where to Buy Generative Art NFTs

Curious about where to find the best generative art collections? Naturally, Art Blocks comes to mind, as it has made a name for itself by curating some of the most exceptional generative art NFT collections on the Ethereum blockchain. Their focus on "genuinely programmable on-demand generative content" has made them the go-to destination for fans of this unique and fascinating art form.

Alternatively, if you are looking to explore generative art on Tezos, fxhash is a great option as an open platform for anyone to create and collect generative art.

How to Start Creating Generative Art

If you’re curious in building generative art principles into your arts practice, the best way to get started is to watch a good step-by-step tutorial - as they will aid you in grasping the fundamentals and familiarizing yourself with the techniques of generating algorithmic artwork.

In addition to an instructional resource, you will require software that is specially designed to facilitate the creation of generative art with minimal coding. Below are our top recommendations for the finest generative art software options:

#1: openFrameworks

This open-source C++ toolkit is perfect for creative coding. With its cross-compatible libraries, you can access common resources for fonts, 3D modeling, graphics, computer vision, and more. It's a simple and collaborative tool that's ideal for beginners.

#2: Nannou

Nannou is a powerful code library that empowers artists to express themselves through simple, reliable, and portable code. Whether you're working on a long-term installation or a quick sketch, this framework gives you access to all the tools you need for generative art.

#3: Processing

If you're looking to learn and grow as you create art, this platform is the one for you. Processing is a robust platform that lets you prototype and learn to code while creating stunning art.

Other helpful resources

For a more in-depth exploration of generative art, be sure to check out the following:

• Joanna Ngai's fantastic resource guide compiles books, tools, guides, and more that will help further your generative art journey, no matter how new you are to this field.

• Fxhash's tutorial walks you through all the concepts you need to know to understand how you can build and publish a generative token on their platform.

• Tender.art is a curated hub and community for all things generative art.

Closing Thoughts

Generative and algorithmic art already have a place in the annals of art history, but combined with blockchain technology, we expect this art medium to further revolutionize the art world.

While seemingly daunting, we are bullish on emergent platforms that are making it easier for anyone and everyone to experiment with generative art.

Interested to learn more? Join us on Twitter Spaces this Thursday at 4:30PM ET, as we talk to artists James Richard Fry and thisismycryptoname, as well as new generative art platform Artgene for tips on how to get started.

In the News

Industry News

• HUG (yes, us!) announced the closing of a $5M seed round led by Yuga Labs and MoonPay investor DIGITAL, with participation from OKX Ventures and L’Oreal’s Bold Ventures, to build a social marketplace for artists to sell both digital and physical goods.

• Camera company Canon is launching a photography NFT marketplace on Ethereum known as Cadabra, which will offer photos across various categories, including wildlife, sports, lifestyle, and landscapes, among others.

• adidas announced ALTS by adidas, a dynamic NFT that transforms based on audience engagement, as part of their personalized, token-gated Web3 loyalty program.

• Mastercard released a free Music Pass NFT, which will grant holders access to features like an AI-powered music generator app, as well as educational material and access to a virtual showcase event in June featuring artists in the company’s musician accelerator program.

• Sotheby’s relaunched its glitch-themed sale “Glitch: Beyond Binary” after taking in feedback from the community to reflect more diverse participants. The new auction features the work of 31 artists aimed at providing a diverse range of perspectives in glitch art and the subgenres it encompasses.

Tools and Resources

• Inspired by last week’s issue about curating your own gallery? Check out Shavonne Wong’s tips from launching her first solo digital art exhibition.

• Still feeling vexed about your taxes? Check out this guide for everything you need to know about taxes for NFTs.

• Venture capital firm a16z released its annual State of Crypto report, which provides an overview of the state of the current crypto market, as well as industry developments to keep an eye out on.

Notable Creators

• NFT Now announced its second annual NFT100 list, which recognizes 100 influential creators and 100 influential community leaders for their contribution to Web3 in the past year. Check out the full list here.

• Want to learn more about generative artist Emily Xie? Check out this interview of hers in the latest issue of the Monty Report.

Artist Grants and Opportunities

• Want to get your work shown in the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia? While submissions to be curated by HUG are currently closed, you can submit your work directly in NFT Bali’s open call. More details here.

• Interested in launching art on the Avalanche blockchain? Apply to Avaissance, Avalanche’s newest artist-in-residence program which offers mentorship, resources, and other opportunities. Learn more and apply here.

• Get featured in the Daily Ralpha, a Web3 newsletter with a daily circulation of 75K. All you have to do is apply for your own HUG artist profile, and submit your interest here.

• Bethany Arts Community offers residencies to emerging and established artists for the development of both new works and works-in-progress. BAC welcomes artists working across any discipline and medium, including visual artists, sculptors, writers, playwrights, choreographers, musicians, composers, performance artists, filmmakers, and more to our Fall Multidisciplinary Residency. Any and all artistic mediums are encouraged to apply by April 26th.

• Post your best work to Creatively every week, let the community vote, and stand a chance to win a $5,000 cash grant each month.

This Week’s Art Drops

• Vanilla Cake by Julia Siutkina (1/1, 0.1 ETH): Part of Julia’s Nymphs collection, this piece celebrates women empowerment through bright colors and bold illustrations.

• IN A FIELD OF DREAMS by ifeelslick (1/1, 0.15 ETH): A colorful and animated piece that is inspired by how people can be blinded to the beauty around us.

• Soaring Agoras: ROSHI! by smoothcolorator (1/1, 0.11 ETH): A floating rock vessel that is a small paradise and refuge for those who seek peace from a turbulent world. Hand-drawn, with final colors and renderings done in Photoshop.

• Alpine Rise by Brandon Yoshizawa (1/1, 0.25 ETH): A perfect display of city and nature in harmony, created from pristine conditions caused by a winter storm over Mt. Badly. The first full moonrise to be added to this collection by photographer Brandon Yoshizawa.

• Right Hook by Dan Woo (Timed Open Edition, 0.009 ETH): Street photographer Dan Woo is a fun of hunting for stickers during his works. This minimalistic piece brings a sense of peace, which he hopes for everyone to enjoy.

• Aerial Views by Amber Vittoria (Limited Edition, 100/100, 0.05 ETH): "Aerial Views" is inspired by the beautiful, humbling landscape we see through the plane window. The poem for this piece is: “Aerial Views” / Whisper the clarity / We can listen to, / If we so choose. One holder will be eligible to win the physical piece.

• The PiRIS Project by James Richard Fry (Timed Open Edition, 0.00314 ETH): A generative art experiment that produces 10s of millions of potential outputs as visual representations of π (Pi), in protest of the scarcity mindset and unhealthy hype cycles in Web3.

• Tensegridad by Franco Bellavita (1/1, 0.5 ETH): An analog collage piece inspired by Carlos Castaneda's fascinating body of work where he introduces the ancient ways of knowledge from the indigenous people of Sonora, Mexico.

Creator Spotlight: Melissa Wiederrecht

Melissa Wiederrecht (1988-) is a Generative Artist from America, living and working in Saudi Arabia. She chose generative art as her career after earning an MS in Computer Science in 2014. Having been fascinated by code-generated art for more than 20 years, Melissa continuously pushes the boundaries of generative art as a medium, both technically and aesthetically.

She is an Artblocks Curated artist and has also released several collections on fxhash. Prior to joining the NFT world, Melissa worked for several years on generative Surface Pattern Design, creating dozens of collections of seamless patterns to be digitally printed on surfaces of products.

Learn more about Melissa in her HUG Artist Profile or follow her directly on Twitter.