The NFT world is growing a lot more every day, and the most famous place for NFT creators is undoubtedly OpenSea. The biggest problem, especially for new creators and digital artists, is the enormous Ethereum smart contracts’ gas fees.
The price requested just to upload the digital assets can be more than hundreds of dollars depending on the content volume and Ethereum price. This made the platform add a new way to mint an NFT for free.
The process called lazy minting became a true savior for artists beginning with NFT art. This article will show you how to do this process correctly and avoid paying gas fees.
What Are NFTs
Non-Fungible Tokens (or NFTs) are unique digital assets that can not be replaced by anything else. Like Bitcoin or other payment tokens, they are stored in blockchain technology.
The difference between NFTs and cryptocurrencies is that digital coins can be replaced by identical ones, and all of them will have the same monetary value. On the other hand, as previously mentioned, the NFT assets don’t have equivalent tokens. Their value is not fixed or restricted, giving the NFT artist total freedom in deciding it.
What Is OpenSea
When it comes to art and uploading an NFT collection, OpenSea is definitely the most influential and important marketplace available today. The platform counts hundreds of thousands of users buying and selling NFTs.
OpenSea offers support for many coins and blockchains, with Ethereum being the main one. The only problem with using Ethereum is the enormous gas fee that users have to pay for the NFT minting process.
Why Is OpenSea So Important
Along with the fact that it is currently the biggest NFT marketplace, there are several reasons people still prefer it, even with the high fees. In case you don’t know, the fees are a consequence of the blockchain used and not because of the NFT marketplaces. Even if you use another market, the gas fee is the same if the blockchain is the same.
The importance of OpenSea comes primarily from the fact that it was the marketplace used by the leading artists and collections of NFT history, like BAYC. The fact that it has hundreds of thousands of active users also makes the mission of NFT minting way easier, being almost a standard in digital art.
Gas Fees
Many people don’t understand what gas fees are and why we pay them. This fee is basically the pricing mechanism used by the blockchain.
It is charged for executing the transactions and smart contracts. This fee is always paid in the same coin of the blockchain.
Why We Pay Gas Fees
It is obligatory because when we pay gas fees, we also pay for all the miners and computational power required to sell NFTs. Without this price, the blockchain would not be able to sustain itself, making it impossible for people to create NFTs.
How to Mint an OpenSea Collection for Free
If it’s your first NFT or you’re on a low budget, you definitely don’t want to pay enormous fees to mint your NFT collection. These quick steps will show you how to upload your digital asset to OpenSea without paying these colossal values.
Don’t forget to follow the correct order to avoid problems when minting an NFT. Here are the steps you need to follow:
Create Your Metamask Wallet
Before uploading your digital art or NFT collection, you must create your digital wallet. It will be responsible for any transaction that will happen in OpenSea.
We highly recommend using Metamask. It is a safe and simple-to-use wallet that can do anything you need when trying to mint NFTs.
Create Your Account on OpenSea Marketplace
To create your OpenSea account, open the OpenSea marketplace and go to the top right corner. You will find all the options for setting up your profile on the platform.
Make sure to fill in all the information correctly to avoid any problems. After creating your account, go to the same corner and find the option to link your crypto wallet address to it. This way, you can do any transactions on the platform.
Upload Your Digital Asset or NFT Collection
Now that your account is correctly set up, it is time to upload your project. It will work for both cases, whether a single piece or a collection.
To do this, you only have to hit the create button that you can find right next to your profile. Then you add all the pieces that will compose your new collection.
After uploading the items, add your banner and icon images. It is not obligatory, but creating specific images for both can be a great way to make your collection visually appealing, making it easier to sell, especially if it’s your first NFT.
Fill in all the relevant fields and click create. By doing this, OpenSea will automatically redirect you to the selling options.
Choose the Polygon Network
This is the main step for not paying the initial fees. The polygon blockchain lets you do the lazy minting process.
By choosing it, you can mint NFTs gas-free and still work with Ethereum. The fees will be directly deducted from the sale price, and you will have no other costs when uploading the collection.
Upload It
Now you just have to post it and wait for someone to buy it. Adding social media links and joining communities can also make this part faster. The more visibility you create for your profile and projects, the easier it gets to sell NFTs.
Conclusion on Minting NFTs for Free on OpenSea
If you are new to the NFT world and want to mint your NFT for free, OpenSea is a great option and the best place for your collection. You can expose your work to thousands of people with a simple process daily.
The high gas fees can be a problem once you want to work entirely in the Ethereum blockchain, and having a free option is definitely welcome. This way, people can create an inclusive environment that any artist can join.
Now it is time for you to grab a pencil and start writing the concept of your next NFT piece. Don’t forget to properly set up your OpenSea account and digital wallet to avoid problems with payments in the future.
