In our series on demystifying crypto, we’ve explored the different token types, including the NFT, or non-fungible token — a complicated name that simply means a token is unique from all others. (For more background on NFTs, check out part one of this series.) There are two major types of NFTs.

The first is called “one-of-one,” in which just a single NFT is created. The second type is called “generative,” in which a large group of NFTs are created as part of a series where all tokens are similar, but each is slightly different. You can think of the first type of NFT like a unique painting, and the second type of NFT as a series of numbered prints of that initial painting. There is only one original, but there can be any number of prints, each appearing to be the same yet actually unique because of a specific number or other detail.

The “one-of-one” NFT is a great way for an artist to easily create a digital representation of a physical work of art. This setup allows artists to sell the digital version of the art piece — and allows buyers to trade or exchange it thereafter — without requiring the physical piece to change hands.

Generative NFTs, meanwhile, require a little more planning to develop but, once created, allow artists to generate many thousands of versions based on a single original. For example, a portrait of a man in a hat, scarf and jacket could have thousands of versions showing varying combinations of the accessories in different hues. Generative NFTs allow artists to inspire community participation in their work and can help them generate sustainable income.

Ready to make your own NFT? You’ll need a tablet or computer, as this process isn’t designed for a phone. Remember that this is just an experiment, so don’t worry about finding the perfect image or making mistakes — this is just for fun.

Pick an image, any image. (As long as it belongs to you.)

To set up your crypto “wallet,” install either MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet or Trust Wallet. These are the three most trusted wallets on the market. Whichever one you use, you can think of it as your password manager for the crypto world. When you set it up, you’ll be asked to remember a series of special words and create a password. Keep the words in a safe place, and select a password you will easily remember.

Next, head over to the world's largest NFT marketplace, OpenSea.io, where you’ll create your first NFT. Once you arrive at the home page, click the “Create” button. You will then be asked to select a wallet to connect with. Choose the one you just installed, and follow the instructions on the screen to connect. You are now ready to “lazy mint” your first NFT!

So-called “lazy minting” is a way of creating an NFT without paying any fees. Once you’ve connected your wallet, you should see the “Create” form. For the purposes of this experiment, select your image, give it a name and description, and leave the remaining fields set to default. Click the blue “Create” button, and that’s it! You have lazy minted your first NFT.

The image you selected is now a digital asset on the blockchain. At first blush, this might seem like nothing more than a screenshot of an image, but every NFT is unique and linked to a single blockchain address.

The advantage of lazy minting, meanwhile, is that it gets your NFT listed on OpenSea and it’s free. If someone wants to buy your NFT, they’ll have to pay for it, but there’s no cost to you for minting. Which is kind of brilliant, when you think about it.

Now, do you want to try minting NFTs like the pros? That’s next!

on The Carlos Watson Show!

To create generative NFTs, you’ll need an image-editing tool that can work in layers, such as Photoshop or Illustrator. If you don’t have either of those, try a free web-based tool, such as Figma or Pixlr. For instructions on how to create layers for an NFT, check out this YouTube video.

The layers of your image will become the unique traits of your generative NFTs. Think of each layer as an option for the images that will be created: The more versions you create of each layer, the more possible variations. Note that the layers should be the same size to maintain the positioning when layered on top of each other.

Once you create your layers, the next steps are a breeze.

We’re going to use Kairos.art to make NFTs. According to Kairos CEO Katie Chen, its mission is “to enable radical and diverse participation by creating tools that let people play, explore and create projects that are NFT-backed.” Kairos’ online editor is the best we’ve seen to help beginners publish their first generative collection quickly. (They also have a great YouTube tutorial.)

Now that you have created your image with layers, you can export them all from your image editor and import them into Kairos. Important: You need one folder for each layer you export. Then, drag each of these folders into the Kairos editor. It will then process each folder and build out your layers.

Once the layers are imported into Kairos, you can customize your collection by previewing, adjusting or removing a specific layer. Once you’re ready to see your new NFTs, click “generate NFTs.” This will assemble your layers into unique NFTs and display them on the next screen.

A note on rarity: One of the really interesting things about generative NFT collections is what’s called “rarity.” This refers to the chances of a specific layer appearing in any given NFT. For example, let's say you have a bunch of different hat colors, and you set the frequency for the red hat to be very low. This raises the rarity and potential collectible value of a red hat NFT. In the Kairos dashboard, you can change the chances of a trait generating in your final collection by adjusting the percentage.

That’s it! You created your first generative NFT collection. You can now adjust the layers, fine-tune the rarity and publish your collection for sale.

Two awesome projects that have been created on Kairos include Degen Dolls — a great example of a fun, experimental generative project — and Face the Vase, an artist’s first collection and the beginning of a new venture that helps show what is possible with NFT technology.

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