Key Takeaways:
- NFT art can have varying pixel sizes and dimensions, with a recommended starting point of 1,000 x 1,000 pixels, allowing artists to create eye-catching and detailed artworks
- The file size of an NFT depends on factors such as resolution, complexity, and the platform used for minting, ranging from 1MB up to 1GB or more
- The choice of pixel dimensions and resolution should consider the intended use case, target platforms, and potential future display technologies
How Many Pixels Should NFTs Have?
There is no definitive answer to that as you can use as many pixels as you want.
A good recommendation could be to use 1,000 x 1,000 px as a starting point.
The limitation you eventually will get depends mostly on the type of platform you target. It could further depend on the type of art you want to represent or the project itself.
You could take real common picture formats as an orientation if someone wanted to print it and frame it. There are many possibilities you have to decide on how many pixels you want to have.
You can further decide not only the pure size but the resolution, too. NFT is art, so you have no limits. You can use crisp and sharp images or could create images with low resolution for a pixelated look.
You could further decide to use low resolutions so your NFTs are smaller in file size. Smaller file size is always easier to use. As you see, there are no limitations. If you want to sell your NFT, you could then get some limitations worth knowing.
These factors can help you create eye-catching NFT pixel art that will stand out from the crowd.
Discover more about NFT Basics by checking out the detailed exploration in NFT File Type.
What is the Ideal Image Size for NFT Files?
The image size in terms of pixels is one of the key factors for any image.
Just think about a normal image, the resolution is always one of the most important factors.
It will narrow the use cases of your image so you should always think carefully about what image size you choose. Higher resolution images always look better, so it is recommended to choose higher resolutions.
The best size for your scenario will heavily depend on your project. Do you want to display extremely detailed art and maybe include text? Then it could make sense to use resolutions of about 2,000 x 2,000 px or more.
There is no limit and even if you use extremely high resolutions, you could stand out with your project because of it. The average size of common NFTs is between 160 x 160 px and 1,000 x 1,000 px.
Most of these NFTs can be used as avatars or can be just displayed somewhere on a website. For such scenarios, these resolutions are good enough. The most common format is the square format.
The reason for this is that NFTs are mostly used as avatars in different places on the web. Avatars often demand images to be in square format.
What DPI for NFT Images Should You Choose?
This will mostly depend on the type of screen you target.
If you want your NFTs to look great on HiDPI screens like retina screens, consider providing 2 times the resolution.
So if you want to display a 1,000 x 1,000 px image on an iPhone properly, you need to provide a 2,000 x 2,000 px image. This is the case because retina displays use two times the resolution to display their content.
Keep in mind that DPI or PPI are measures which apply to displays, not to image files. An image file always has a resolution and a file size. The DPI/PPI includes the diagonal of a screen into its calculation, so it is irrelevant for image files.
If you want to go for a retro style image, then you don’t need to care about resolution. You could even go for extremely pixelated images as a part of your design. When we talk about NFTs, we talk about art.
Art has no limitation, so you also don’t have any limitations to do whatever you like. But compared to real art, you could get some technical limitations you should know before you create them.
What File Size Do Your NFTs Need?
The file size will depend on the resolution and complexity of the image.
You can choose file sizes from 1MB up to 1GB and more in extreme cases.
You will have some limitations on how big you choose your file to be but overall you can decide it by yourself. It will also depend on the type of NFT you want to create. The design will also specify the file size.
What you can keep in mind is that the larger the file, the slower everything will be. Copying and editing it on your computer and later transferring it over the network will be slower.
Transferring bigger files over the blockchain could also lead to higher fees and the initial fees for the minting process. So costs and performance should be also a factor you need to include in your planning.
Overall, you are free to do what you want but you will find some slight limitations in the maximum size of a file, and resolution depending on some factors explained below.
File Size for NFT Marketplaces Like Opensea or Mintable
The marketplace you choose will have the most impact on the file size of your NFT.
Different marketplaces have different limitations on how big an NFT file size can be. The most common NFT marketplaces have the following limitations of NFT file sizes:
- Opensea – file size: 100MB
- Mintable- file size: 300MB
- Rarible – file size: 100MB
- SuperRare – file size: 50MB
- Foundation – file size: 50MB
- KnownOrigin – file size: 75MB
- Mintbase – file size: 10MB
As we see, the platforms can vary for the maximum file size limit. This is important to know because if you want to go for bigger file sizes, you will have a limited selection of NFT platforms to create an NFT.
The most popular NFT marketplaces like Opensea or Mintable allow for the biggest file sizes, so the selection of a platform won’t be a big issue.
Pixel Size Depending on the Type of Art You Mint
Another factor will be the collection or project you want to bring online.
The more pixels you use, the more detailed you can make your art.
If you plan a collection of NFTs, decide for a specific format and stay with it for your entire collection. If you plan on collaborating with others to bring a new collection of NFTs, the question of formats will be also important.
One thing to note which could be overlooked is the future of your art. Because it is an NFT, people who buy it will store it for many years, maybe several decades. How will a 1,000 px image look on screens in 40 years?
Maybe 8k displays will be the absolute minimum standard and images with low pixel size and dimensions will not look great on it. It could also be a factor to consider.
You could also consider using the newest file formats to future-proof your work as well as you can.
Create an NFT for Physical Formats
The size for an NFT can also depend on if it will be printed to showcase it physically besides possessing it virtually.
Here, it would be optimal to create the NFT in a common physical format used for photos and prints to achieve the most optimal experience.
If you would create NFTs, you could also plan a real art exhibition to present your artwork. It can be cheaper to print in common formats instead of needing to print it in special formats. Another important format is screens.
Often they use 16:9 or 3:2 ratios, so you could also consider these formats for your NFTs. You could also plan your NFTs to be used on social media platforms. Here, you could also take their resolution and aspect ratios as the limit for your work.
What Are the Common Pixel Dimensions of Popular NFT Art?
Some of the most popular NFTs are the Bored Ape Yacht Club, CryptoPunks or Meebits.
These digital art collections come in different dimensions.
The Bored Ape Yacht Club uses a dimension of 631 x 631 px. CryptoPunks use a resolution of only 336 x 336 px. They have a pixelated look, so this low resolution fits into this design. Both use a square format which is common in the NFT space.
Meebits are 3D models and use a higher resolution of 1,024 x 1,536 px, which suits the 3D models and all their details. Another famous NFT is the “Everydays: The first 5,000 Days” NFT artwork.
The file is large and comes with 21,069 x 21,069 px, which is uncommon but shows the versatility of NFTs.
FAQ
How Long Can an NFT Be?
The length of the data stored in an NFT is nearly limitless.
The data stored in the blockchain can go up to 1MB.
Each block in the blockchain can contain this amount of information and therefore, every data you want to send to the blockchain cannot exceed this limit.
Because NFTs can contain pictures, which can easily get bigger than 1MB, these media files are stored separately from the blockchain. The blockchain only stores the data to prove ownership.
What is the Purpose of an NFT?
NFTs have data stored in the blockchain, giving them distinct features compared to regular digital assets.
We now can prove ownership of digital assets, which wasn’t possible until this invention.
We can now own things which are unique and no one else can own. This makes them popular for collectors or even investors hoping to gain value. This proof of ownership prevents counterfeiting, which is unique in the digital world.
We can now own and trade digital assets providing real ownership.
What is an NFT Worth?
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) can have a value from zero up to millions of dollars.
As with other types of art, this heavily depends if someone wants to buy it.
If you are a known artist, then your work will probably have more value in terms of money than from someone unknown. Basically, it is worth whatever someone is willing to pay just like every other collectible.
Conclusion: What is the Size of an NFT Art
As we saw, there are no real limits and every creator and artist can freely choose the best resolution and pixel art size for his NFTs. The size of an NFT art in terms of pixel size and dimensions is flexible and depends on various factors.
There are no definitive rules, but a recommended starting point could be 1,000 x 1,000 pixels. The resolution and file size can be adjusted based on the platform, art type, and desired visual impact. Considerations for future display technologies and physical formats should also be taken into account.
