Collecting is Cool, but Building is Better
In September, we shared an article with a few websites and tools the community created to help collectors navigate Art Blocks. It covered general informational sites, rarity tools, and curated datasets. Since then, our community has continued to build awesome tools for the ecosystem, so we thought it would be fun to introduce you to two we’re excited about.
Archipelago.art
Archipelago was created by Dandelion, an Art Blocks collector and web3 builder. Dandelion is known for collecting some of the most sought-after pieces on Art Blocks with strong conviction. For example, their Twitter showcases Archetype #250 by Kjetil Golid — a coveted cube, which is one of few grails in a top-tier collection. They also own a hexagon Eternal Pump by Dmitri Cherniak. I could talk about their awesome collection all day, but I’ll stop here to refocus on Archipelago.
In September, Dandelion started to toy with the idea of someone building an OpenSea competitor. They thought through the idea in public on Twitter and, shortly after, decided to build it themselves.
Dandelion hit the ground running and provided daily updates for a few weeks. Eventually, they enlisted the help of two other builders — William and Ian. Their backgrounds are hugely impressive, and I recommend you check out Dandelion’s Tweet for full context.
Together, this team has laid a solid foundation for a killer marketplace on Archipelago. The homepage has a minimal and intuitive design that guides you through different projects and invites you to explore each collection.
The feature sorting is responsive, and you can easily navigate any combination of features. And if you’re in the market for a specific feature set, you’re able to sort by price.
As the Archipelago team continues to build the site, they will continue adding awesome new features. In their latest update, they said the next new feature rollout would include a marketplace!
Deca.art
Resident Fidenza expert, bonafidehan, created Deca. Deca is a gallery that enables collectors to seamlessly curate their collections, connect with other collectors, and build a deeper connection with their art. I was late to the game with Deca. I was hesitant to download another app and set up another gallery, but I’m glad I did. Deca is one of the easiest platforms to use and share artwork.
You’re able to connect your wallet and organize your collection easily. Like, really easily. When you create a gallery, you’re able to click-and-drag around the gallery, name your sets, and when you’re done, Deca resizes everything into an aesthetically pleasing wall of art. I jumped right in the deep end and threw together some of my favorite pieces in my personal collection. You can check it out here.
Better still, Deca’s phone app is easy to use and serves you a daily dose of art on your home screen and lock screen.
You can even see some of your favorite artists using Deca to display some of their favorite pieces.
The Deca team is relentlessly adding new features, and they recently announced SuperRare and Foundation support as well!
Continuing to Grow
The first article in September showed useful tools created by the community; this update shows the beginnings of web3 powerhouses. I have a feeling the size and quality of projects blossoming from the Art Blocks community will be household names in short order. I can’t wait to see what you all build next.
