www.blockgen.art v2 - upgrading the on-chain genart platform

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Charles Machin

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

4

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

www.blockgen.art aims to address this gap by offering an intuitive platform for code artists, enabling them to create, mint, & showcase generative art securely on the Cardano blockchain.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

No

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

We may open source some code but our canvas core code is highly compact - specifcally designed for minting onchain art on Cardano. It's the result of months to years of work and multiple iterations to refine. It's less than 5kb in size, so months of work could take a few seconds to copy.

[METADATA] Horizons

NFT

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

www.blockgen.art V2 takes the platform to the next level by providing artists with enhanced tools for frictionless creativity on the Cardano blockchain. Our revamped platform focuses on updating our 'canvas core' specifically for advanced gallery screen displays. The new standard brings in 1:1 pixel scaling for displays and gallery screen displays. 

Additionally we will streamline the entire generative art and NFT creation process, allowing artists to easily produce and manage their collections with advanced tooling. 

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

Our platform will showcase the technical advantages of Cardano for digital art creation, helping to position it as the go-to blockchain for artists looking for both creative flexibility and scalability. By focusing on a creatives-first design, www.blockgen.art will help artists, developers, and collectors engage more deeply with Cardano’s ecosystem, driving innovation in generative art and NFTs.

This will help promote broader adoption of Cardano as a platform for decentralized art. As more artists and collectors join the platform, the demand for Cardano will grow, reinforcing its position as a leader in the NFT space. Additionally, by educating the community about NFTs and blockchain technology, www.blockgen.art and our community will play a role in building a vibrant and knowledgeable Cardano art community, ultimately enhancing the blockchain’s visibility and reputation.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

We are a team of subject matter experts in coding, generative art and Cardano blockchain minting. 

As per previous projects, such as delivering our V1 platform, we will create a Trello board to track the overall plan, tasks, progress, and problem areas. 

We commit to having a monthly public progress report. 

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Create the proof of concept Canvas Core 

Expand Art creation platform to use the new canvas  

Minting and back end upgrade 

Gallery hardware testing and mint testing of new Canvas core 

Canvas core documentation and finalization 

Promotion and onboarding of existing Artists to this new canvas 

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Charles Machin: 

• Technical artist and developer with an extensive career in game design, technical programming, 3D modeling, visual effects creation and VR simulation programming. 
• 5 years developing games and interactive virtual world features on the Playstation Home platform. Development lead on several of those games including SodiumOne, Sodium 2 project velocity and Tank Top 2.0.  
• Core developer on the Oxford Medical Simulation VR platform used in many university hospitals for nurse, doctor and specialist training.
• Co-founder of blockgeneration.art & co-creator of www.blockgen.art V1 (the above mentioned NFT minting solution).
• Generative artist with many successful on-chain projects released on Cardano (Eternal Chaos, Prototype Cadence, Sol-Journey1, First Diversion)

Adam Gorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adgorman

• Developer and QA specialist with an extensive career working on commercial scale software implementations.
• Co-founder of Blockgeneration.art, A generative art focused NFT platform and artist support initiative.
• Co-creator of an NFT minting solution on Cardano that can accommodate both ipfs style and on-chain collections.
• Solid experience with cardano-cli/node, API endpoint integration & NFT creation

Matt Hook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hook-13798078/

• Experienced development manager, Full stack ERP developer, Cloud solutions, Web and Cardano developer.
• Lead developer for the bitfins project, creator of the bitfins 3D aquarium environment.
• Creator of a 3D art gallery for Cardano NFTs, fully integrated with blockchain data for dynamic population of projects and artwork.
• Creator of an android app for displaying on chains NFTs as a live wallpaper.
• Lead developer of the Cur8 platform for artists, collectors and curators to help bring digital art into digital and physical art galleries.
• Generative artist and creator of the on-chain project Cardano Block Clocks.

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Blockchain Developer: 15k ADA

Role: Responsible for upgrading the core infrastructure of the platform, focusing on the integration of on-chain generative art functionalities and Cardano blockchain interactions. Deliverables:

• Integrate the new Canvas Core with the Cardano blockchain.
• Updates to the minting process to handle advanced generative collections.

Estimated Time Commitment: 2.5 months of part-time development.

Web Integration & Backend Development: 30k ADA

Role: Handles the creation of a seamless user experience, integrating the platform’s frontend with backend systems for generative art creation, minting, and showcasing.

Deliverables:

• Deliver user interface (UI) upgrades for enhanced generative art creation tools.
• Update Construct backend and editor upgrades for managing collections and gallery displays.
• Implement advanced webGL shader support Ensure security, scalability, and reliability of the platform for users and artists.

Estimated Time Commitment: 4 months of backend development, testing, and deployment.

Artist Framework & Technical Lead: 30k ADA

Role: Oversees the artistic and technical aspects of the platform, ensuring it meets the creative needs of artists while functioning seamlessly on the blockchain.

Deliverables:

• Develop and implement new Canvas Core
• Implement 1:1 pixel scaling and gallery display functionality.
• Lead testing and validation of the platform’s user experience for artists.

Estimated Time Commitment: 4 months of leadership in design, testing, and onboarding.

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

As a value for money decision, the cost of developing www.blockgen.art V2 represents exceptional value for the Cardano ecosystem by addressing several key areas that will have long-term benefits far outweighing the initial investment.

Increased Utility: By providing a platform that makes it easier for artists to create, mint, and sell digital art on Cardano, the project directly increases the utility of the Cardano blockchain. This drives more transactions and demand for ADA, which benefits the entire ecosystem.

Attracting New Users: www.blockgen.art is specifically designed to appeal to a niche audience of creative coders, as well as artists looking to enter the digital art space. By catering to this group, we bring fresh talent and creative energy into the ecosystem, which in turn expands the Cardano user base and fuels wider adoption.

Streamlined Innovation: By offering sophisticated tools like real-time code editing and parameterized collection generation, www.blockgen.art removes friction for creators and encourages more innovative art on Cardano.

Economic Opportunities: wwwblockgen.art provides artists with a direct pathway to monetize their work, generating revenue for them and increasing ADA’s circulation. This creates a thriving marketplace on Cardano, benefiting both creators and collectors, and boosting Cardano's position in the growing NFT market.

Ultimately, the investment in www.blockgen.art V2 will pay off by driving broader adoption, increasing transactions, and cementing Cardano’s reputation as a top blockchain for creators.