High School

Take as many art classes as possible in high school, including painting, drawing, computer art, sculpture, and courses in other creative fields. Artists need to understand business and financial concepts and practices, so it’s important to take classes in business, mathematics, statistics, and finance. NFT artists must be skilled at using social media and other promotional tools to attract customers and market their work to collectors and investors. To build these skills, take marketing and advertising courses and become comfortable using social media. Other recommended classes include English, speech, psychology, and social studies.

Postsecondary Education

You do not need a college degree to create or sell your art, but many artists have a degree in their area of interest—such as fine art, videography, film studies, computer game development, the performing arts, or another creative field.

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer art-related certificate programs. They typically last six months to a year and are a good way to explore a field without committing to a four-year education. It’s also a good idea to complete a certificate program in business, marketing, advertising, or finance. You do not need to be an expert in blockchain technology to sell NFTs, but it wouldn’t hurt to learn about this technology. A growing number of colleges and universities offer certificate programs in blockchain technology. For example, Portland State University offers a Business Blockchain Graduate Certificate. Classes include Blockchain Fundamentals; Blockchain Fundamentals Lab; Blockchain in Business; Blockchain in Business Lab; Blockchain Uses and Applications; and Emerging Topics in Blockchain. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California-Berkeley, Georgetown University, and Cornell University also offer blockchain certificate programs.

Other Education or Training

Artists spend their entire lives experimenting with different art forms and styles, learning new skills, and seeking better ways to market and sell their work. As a result, many participate in continuing education classes and webinars that help them develop these skills. These educational opportunities are offered by colleges and universities, professional associations, online learning platforms, and other providers.

Certification or Licensing

No certification or licensing is available for NFT artists.

NFT artists need artistic talent and experience to be successful in this field. They can obtain experience by creating art, taking classes, and talking with other artists about their work and techniques.

The recipe for being a successful artist features a combination of talent, creativity, excellent promotional skills, and a little luck. Other important traits include confidence, ambition, a good imagination, inquisitiveness, flexibility, and strong problem-solving, organizational, and time-management skills.