New opportunities for CG artists are emerging with the advent of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency; available episodes feature industry experts including Magnopus’ leading AR/VR developer Sally Slade and NYU professor and chair of finance David Yermack.
Chaos Groups’ CG Garage podcast is launching a series focused on NFTs (nonfungible tokens). With NFTs sweeping through the art world, turning digital artists into sudden millionaires, the opportunities can seem limitless. But NFTs also come with a bunch of questions, especially for artists unfamiliar with cryptocurrency. The series seeks to explain what they are, why they matter and how to get started, so artists can make more informed decisions about their careers.
“CG Garage has always been about shedding a light on what matters to CG artists, whether that’s how they came up, interesting projects, or just making sense of emerging opportunities,” explained CG Garage host and director of Chaos Labs Christopher Nichols. “The DeFi world is fascinating, but it also needs a guided introduction for most people. In these episodes, we’re talking to artists and experts in the know, who can easily illuminate the many facets of NFTs, from basic ideas like ‘what is Ethereum?’ to their carbon footprint. If you’re curious, this is where to start.”
NFTs are digital tokens that can be used to track the ownership of a digital asset. Because they live on a blockchain (or decentralized ledger), these digital tokens can be easily validated as totally unique, giving the owner access to an evolving investment or bragging rights. While online superstars like Grimes and Beeple have already sold NFTs for millions, they also offer a new way for CG artists to sell and profit off their art, moving them from social media likes to recurring royalties without any help from the traditional gallery system.
Two episodes are available now, including a discussion with the head of NYU’s finance department, David Yermack. More will be released in the coming weeks. The current series will include:
Sally Slade on NFTs:
- Slade, Magnopus’ lead AR/VR developer, explains what she had to do to get her digital drawing onto the NFT market, using a $100 budget as a constraint.
David Yermack — Professor and Chair of Finance at New York University - Leonard N. Stern School of Business:
- Yermack, NYU Stern cryptocurrency professor, breaks down the key concepts behind NFTs in the most accessible way possible, getting into issues of ownership, the value of digital copies and the role digital artists can play in the NFT market.
Coming May 10:
- Alex Coulombe & Samuel Arsenault-Brassard will join the podcast to talk about how they created an art exhibit using virtual architecture and NFTs.
Coming May 24:
- David Levy, Avatar 2 concept artist, will explain how the changing profit model and new financial opportunities are impacting the artist community,
CG Garage is available to download and stream (for free) on the Chaos Group website, Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Gaana.
Source: Chaos Group
