A smart contract is simply a digital agreement that automatically follows its instructions. Think of it as a vending machine.
The Vending Machine Example
You insert £1, press a button, and the machine checks: did you pay? If yes, it releases the chocolate bar. No cashier needed. A smart contract works in much the same way — if certain conditions are met, it automatically performs the action it was programmed to do.
A Real NFT Example
You mint a painting as an NFT on Mintelier. A collector decides to purchase it. The smart contract automatically checks: has the collector paid? If yes — payment is processed, ownership transfers, the blockchain records the transaction. No gallery assistant, no paperwork, no middleman.
Smart Contracts and Royalties
A smart contract can be programmed so that a percentage of every future sale is automatically sent to the original artist. A permanent instruction that says: *"Whenever this artwork changes hands, send a portion of the sale back to the artist."*
Do Artists Need to Learn Coding?
Absolutely not. Platforms such as Mintelier handle the technical side. Artists simply focus on creating and presenting their work.
