How to Have a Full Time Job Selling Art
Learning how to make money as an creative person is definitely achievable, only information technology includes a lot of hard work and a long-term strategy.
In this article, nosotros'll outline how to make money equally an artist, where to sell your art online, how to go new art clients, and lots more to assist you build your revenue as an artist or artistic.
12 dissimilar ways to brand money equally an artist
There are several ways to make money as an artist and yous can create more than one stream of income. Whether you're a part-time artist or a full-time freelance artist, there are plenty of ways to brand money from your fine art.Selling your artwork
1. Sell your original pieces
You can sell your paintings, sculptures or decorative items and jewelry through your website or due east-shop.
It's still more wise to outset on an established online fine art marketplace, with thousands of clients and millions of visitors, instead of waiting for buyers to discover your fresh website portfolio with almost nil traffic.
Some of those platforms offer yous the chance to accept your art featured, which is a neat promotion.
2. Sell your prints
There are online marketplaces offering artists a place to sell their fine art with print-on-need.
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3. License your art for stock websites
Equally a graphic designer, illustrator, photographer or videographer you tin can license your artwork for stock websites every bit a way to make passive income for artists.
To know where to start, check out our list below for the height websites tosell your work on.
four. Individual commissions
Be commissioned directly by individuals or companies to create creative work from scratch.
Every bit a painter or illustrator, you can fifty-fifty get paid for street art and interior or exterior mural painting and design.
Educational activity and consulting
If you already take feel, you can help other aspiring artists to follow their dreams. Many people nowadays prefer to follow an online class or a webinar from their home, especially those who don't accept many local opportunities to attend a course.
There are several ways to teach, educate and consult people online every bit a freelancer.
5. Teach an online class or starting time a workshop
It'south not then easy to set upward your ain webinar or online class from day one, simply you can start by subscribing to some of them to see how it's organized, or use an already established platform that offers online courses, like Skillshare or How Now .
6. Offer tutorials
If y'all've already built an audition who trust you lot through blogging or social media channels, you lot can beginning selling them tutorials in various forms: pdfs, videos and webinars.
7. Create your own blog
Creating your ain blog is ane of the all-time marketing strategies to attract clients today.
For me, this was the almost successful decision in my career. You build trust and gain authority while y'all're promoting your work. The trick is to write for your target audience, offering them what they're looking for. Whether that's graphic design, social media, photography, or arts, you can find a blog niche for you.
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A blog that gets a lot of traffic can become a assisting business (this requires hard piece of work and dedication), through ads, affiliate links and sponsors.
8. Create and sell an eBook
If yous're into blogging, this is the next stride you'll probably take, afterward having built an audience. Information technology's much easier to promote and sell your eBook to people who are interested in your topic, trust yous and consider you as an skilful.
9. Coaching and mentoring
Many creatives and artists are sharing their experiences through coaching and mentoring. Yous probably won't start your career online as a motorbus, but if yous get seriously involved in blogging or instruction, this is also a potential next step.
ten. Consulting and art direction
Beingness more visually educated and informed about arts and blueprint trends, y'all can advise individuals and companies on their artistic process and artistic projects.
Working for the art industry
11. Work for online marketplaces or galleries
You lot can become valuable experience with the backside-the-scenes work, offer services like curating, selling or promoting art.
Apart from earning money, you open yourself to opportunities you wouldn't have otherwise.
This is a stride you should take anyhow if you're dreaming of getting deeper into the art's manufacture and non just selling your work.
12. Work for magazines and blogs
Writing articles, taking photos and doing fine art direction for the printing and blogs is a fascinating way, not only to brand coin as an artist simply also to make powerful connections and put your name in front of a broader audience.
If you find it extremely difficult to work for a blog or another website, I can assure you lot that it'southward easier than you lot think. All you demand is to be an active follower (that means commenting on their posts or connecting through online groups).
Most bloggers and website owners are probable to hire from their own audience of readers.
My personal feel: Millo was one of the first blogs I subscribed to almost 5 years agone when I knew nada about blogging — 2 years later, having launched my own blog and website, I started writing for them!
xv websites to sell your art online as an creative person
For those looking to learn how to brand money as an artist, at that place are several online art marketplaces to sell your work on and different ways to practice it — only a modest sample is listed here. It's recommended to make your ain thorough research to see which is the all-time fit for y'all.
These websites and platforms will offer everything you need to starting time selling as soon every bit you upload your pieces, charging a committee or an initial fee.
Painters, Illustrators, Sculptors, Photographers
ane. Saatchi Fine art
With 12M+ monthly page views, i.1M+ Social Followers and lx,000 artists from around the world, this is ane of the most popular online galleries, to sell your paintings, drawings, prints, photographs and sculptures. They handle shipping, take a not-exclusive policy and charge a 35% commission. It'due south an excellent site to sell your fine art online.
two. Artfinder
Another art market place that offers ten,000 artists the chance to reach 500,000 subscribers around the world. You lot can sell original art including painting, prints, photographs, and sculptures with a thirty% commission.
iii. UGALLERY
A curated online art gallery selling one-of-a-kind works by the top emerging artists in the world. They charge 50% commission.
four. Artplode
Artplode is a high-quality online art gallery where dealers, artists, galleries and collectors purchase and sell fine art with no commission charged. Artplode charges a low, one-off flat fee of $threescore to advertise each artwork. The listing stays on the Artplode website until the seller removes it. You lot may also elect to pay extra to take your art included in i or more of their featured categories.
5. CODAworx
CODAworx is a global online community that showcases and celebrates design projects featuring deputed artwork in interior and architectural spaces. If you are a public creative person, sculptor, painter, you piece of work with calorie-free, audio or video, you tin can become discovered by architects, developers, designers, art consultants, and public administrators.
Photographers, graphic designers and illustrators
half dozen. Shutterstock
Y'all probably already know it and even used their high-quality stock photos, vectors and videos. Information technology's not easy, all the same, to be accepted and have a fully active account.
seven. Creative Market
Creative Market is an online market place for customs-generated design assets. You can sell graphics, WordPress themes, stock photography, and other digital appurtenances for apply by web creatives. Creative Market place has over one million users and more than 250,000 purchasable items.
eight. Zazzle
There are 3 ways to make money with Zazzle, equally a designer, publishing your designs on products, as a maker, selling your products and as an associate, promoting your favorite products. This gives you lot multiple options to sell your art online and brand money as an creative person.
9. Society6
Using Society6, you lot will non only be able to transform your artwork into posters & prints but also phone cases, stickers, t-shirts and whatever tin can be printed.
10. Printful
Printful prints and sends your custom print designs to your customers on products such equally t-shirts, posters, canvass, mugs etc.
Hands and Crafts artists
11. Etsy
Etsy is a very popular e-commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items and supplies. These items cover a wide range, including art, photography, clothing, jewelry, nutrient, bath and beauty products, quilts, knick-knacks, and toys. The site follows the tradition of open craft fairs, giving sellers personal storefronts where they list their goods for a fee of US$0.20 per item.
12. Artfire
ArtFire is another online marketplace for handmade products, designed past artisans worldwide, with no list or last value fees.
Photographers and videographers
13. Alamy
A identify to sell your stock imagery, Alamy claims to be fair, transparent and easy to work with and you get 50% of the sale. You'll be role of a community of over 60,000 contributors and 110,000 buyers.
14. Vimeo on Need
You tin can sell your videos on Vimeo, the famous high-quality video platform, for $20/calendar month billed annually or try it free for 30 days.
15. Amazon
You accept used Amazon to buy something at to the lowest degree once in your life! You can sell simply near anything at that place — you can print and sell your book, DVD, or whatever you can imagine, the possibilities are endless.
No affair through which channel yous showcase and sell your work, social media is the perfect tool for promotion and networking. Social media marketing can be a full-fourth dimension job, but it'south worth the attempt if y'all put in the time.
Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are the well-nigh popular media for artists, just information technology'southward upwards to you to notice the most suitable for your goals.
Take some time to get used to it and meet how things piece of work earlier you showtime posting. Follow those who do it successfully to learn their secrets – some of them offer free webinars and ebooks.
A few bones tips to follow:
Post only high-quality images and interesting content
Don't connect your proper noun or brand with low-quality images, videos and irrelevant posts just for the sake of being in that location. If yous don't add value, educate or entertain your audience, then yous're just wasting their, and your, time. Aim to have a cohesive look and feel to generate awareness.
Post often and consistently to build a following
One of the most important rules in social media marketing. It takes more than posting once a month to build a considerable post-obit. Be in front end of your followers' eyes constantly, with gorgeous photos and compelling stories.
Generate traffic with paid ads
It's extremely easy and affordable, even for a very low budget, to generate more than traffic and heave your posts with paid ads on Facebook and Instagram.
Link to your website, portfolio or blog
Don't rely solely on social media to showcase your art — you must have your ain basis or e-shop. A self-hosted website or blog is actually necessary, where you don't depend on Facebook or Instagram changes on algorithms or even decay and disappearance (remember MySpace?).
Your goal is to concenter potential clients through social media to visit your website or blog and learn more virtually you and your work, so ever remember to include links to your website or blog. After all — that's the purpose of posting!
Learn how to run a business as an artist
Learn the basics of running a business as an artist
The reason many creative people never master how to make money as an artist is because they spend thousands of hours, late nights, weekends honing their artistic talent. But they spend very niggling time learning about what it takes to actually brand money every bit an artist.
But since y'all're here reading our article on making coin as an artist, I'll estimate that you already knew that. But did yous also know that you can acuminate your business skills with sites like Udemy—where there are literally dozens of business organisation classes (including the 1 below) for incredibly low prices.
For instance, there'southward this form for $49. And this course is only $19! And at that place are lots more than. I hateful, well worth it to go a meliorate understanding of what information technology takes to brand coin as an artist.
Notice your speciality
It's very common for artists and creatives to have many skills and talents. You tin can be a passionate illustrator or painter who works as a graphic designer, or an architect who takes gorgeous photos.
You have more chances to successfully acquire how to make coin as an creative person by selling something you're really skilful at, or is much in demand.
For example, you may find out that yous tin can make more money teaching others the secrets of Adobe Illustrator rather than selling your ain illustrations.
I'd never imagined that writing posts for my weblog would bring 90% of my clients to my architectural studio!
Yous may have to start with what pays the bills (like copying paintings, or curating art), fifty-fifty if that isn't your truthful passion and be open; sometimes unexpected opportunities show the states the right path to making money as an artist.
Cull your niche or invent a new one
There are no limits on how to make money online nowadays, merely one thing is necessary: y'all must find those who intend to purchase what y'all offer. Equally a business owner, it'south important to make decisions based on what the market wants.
There are 2 options yous can follow, each with its pros and cons, both requiring difficult piece of work and patience:
1. You sell something people are ownership already.
You know in advance that what you'll offering is in demand. The disadvantage of an already established market is a huge competition, which requires much harder work, exquisite quality and a lot of promotion.
two. You detect a very specialized niche or you lot create something new and innovative.
In that example, you lot have to work harder in the beginning to attract clients, but if you lot finally make it, you'll stand out hands since in that location won't be much competition.
Offer something unique and innovative was my selection and haven't regretted it. I had to work really hard, notwithstanding, for most iii years before I started seeing results, simply there's still zero competition in the niche I "created".
Develop your skills
Whether you're just starting out or you already have a lot of experience in fine art, practicing and honing your skills constantly, exploring new techniques and testing new tools is of great significance.
Your talent is useless if yous don't work consistently, experimenting and developing your own mode, while staying up to date with new trends and taking advantage of the latest apps, software and technology.
Information technology'due south also necessary to be productive and create a volume of work before you lot starting time selling.
Network for clients
Every person you lot encounter can be a potential buyer or someone who tin can refer you lot to others. Fine art is an interesting subject and many people would be excited to discuss it with a painter, lensman or jewelry designer.
Take hold of the opportunity to talk about your piece of work and make certain they'll recall you, by handing them your business cards or sending them your portfolio's URL.
If you remember that paper cards are outdated y'all're incorrect, in fact, it'southward a groovy way for artists to show a sample of their work.
Be imaginative and innovative, using postcards or photos for instance, instead of a classic business bill of fare. Using your creativity is i of the best ways on how to make coin as an creative person.
A successful tip I used to advertise my blog, was to print some simple, only well-designed bookmarks with just its url on them. I gave them equally a small-scale souvenir to those who wanted to visit my blog – nigh everybody I met!
Social media are the perfect spots to promote your work online and attract clients.
They're as well first-class places for networking and connecting with professionals that are interested in fine art and are constantly looking for new talents or fresh content, i.due east. interior designers, architects, journalists and bloggers.
Adam Wright wrote an excellent mail, covering every possible way to get clients quickly.
Determine your pricing
Whatever way you choose to brand money as an creative person, you'll accept to adjust your prices or rates several times before y'all are finally satisfied. This applies to freelancers in full general — non just artists.
Artists have an reward compared to other professionals, by being able to run across what their competitors are charging. You lot tin can easily go a clear idea about your peers' prices, just by visiting sites where their art is exposed.
Yet, the art market place is much more than complicated compared to other industries. The same piece of art can exist too expensive or too inexpensive, depending on the artist's "value" and timing. (Poor Van Gogh was not such a good marketer as Picasso or Dali.)
This is a secret in fine art marketing — most people buy the artist and not the artwork.
In case you lot cull to sell your photos and illustrations to blogs and stock markets, prices are more fixed. Y'all unremarkably commencement low and the more than in need your items are, your rates get up.
Final tips on making money as an artist
Here are just a few more things to keep in listen equally you work hard to brand money from your fine art.
Be unique or astonishing
Creating astonishing pieces of fine art is non all it takes to make existent money as an creative person. But it'south a very skillful start.
If y'all do what everybody else does and you don't do it perfectly, at that place's not much of a chance of getting noticed.
Proceed up to appointment with new trends and technology merely don't be a slave to them!
Supposing that you desire to stand up out, you lot take to develop your ain style and this takes fourth dimension and practice. Simply this is something you should practice anyway — honing your skills and improving every single 24-hour interval is essential to stay competitive.
Develop the right mindset
Where well-nigh creatives neglect is delivery and patience. They tend to get easily disappointed and quit their plans and dreams, especially if they feel rejected.
As a freelance artist, you lot are more sensitive and vulnerable in criticism than other professionals, because through your work you limited your feelings and reveal your inner cocky.
Your artwork will be exposed and judged — you can't avert it. Therefore, you must develop a thick peel and exist able to distinguish constructive feedback from negative and poisonous criticism.
Don't have things too personally. The fact that somebody doesn't like your creations does non necessarily mean you're a complete failure — maybe they are non qualified to capeesh art.
On the other hand, if nobody seems to like your drawings or photos, or yous inappreciably get noticed, you're probably doing something wrong, which must be fixed.
Be disciplined, organized and mindful of your expenses
There is a common misconception: If you create great fine art, you lot tin simply sit down back and sentry the money curl in.
Running your own artistic business is amazing for the freedom it gives you.
You lot'll have a difficult time making coin as an artist. However, if you are not very organized, you're bad at managing time and non-artistic tasks, atrocious at finances and client communication is not your asset. (All common characteristics amid artists!)
If yous lack subject field and commitment, not having a boss forcing you to meet deadlines can easily cause you to sideslip into laziness and become unproductive.
When you lot start learning how to make money as an artist, you can outsource time-consuming tasks to focus on your artistic work, but in case yous're just starting out you have to habiliment many hats.
Improve your branding and presentation
A picture is worth a m words and in your case, this quote is crucial. Since you create something to be seen, you are determined to get exposed. You definitely demand a place to present your art pieces.
If you haven't built your personal website nonetheless (merely don't look too long), yous can showcase your work using platforms like Behance , Deviantart or Dribble .
Exposure is the get-go step of promotion — and always make certain you do information technology professionally! Commencement impressions are crucial, specially in the art industry — you desire to impress your visitors, not but with your fine art itself but with an amazing presentation.
Branding is not just about a logo, it'south how you make people feel about your art and how they think you. Your portfolio must be upwardly to date and take a decent and cohesive look and feel.
Utilise merely high-quality photos or graphics, choose the right color palette and typography, and use mock-ups of any kind to present your art professionally. Cheque out sites similar Canva that can help yous create quick and custom graphics for your social.
Choose your best, outstanding pieces to include in your portfolio website and not everything you've ever created.
Retailers are using this tactic successfully with their store windows.
Use your most compelling items to concenter clients — when they're into your "shop" yous'll take the adventure to evidence them some of your "cheaper" pieces.
Connect with young man artists/groups
Having relationships with other artists is extremely helpful in many ways.
You lot tin can discuss and solve problems, yous can get an adept'south feedback on your piece of work, you tin can even partner or transport clients to each other.
If you lot feel isolated, social media groups are great places to connect with the creatives community, find support, acquire tips and take access to useful resources from other fellow freelance artists.
Your talent solitary isn't enough to make money as an creative person
Although it seems easier than ever to go out in that location and bear witness your art pieces, it'south extremely possible to go lost in the crowded, hyper-competitive web.
Yous demand hard work, patience and the right strategy to become discovered by prospective clients, sell your artwork, and make money every bit an artist.
There are specific reasons that only a few people ever learn how to brand coin equally an artist doing what they most similar.
Even if you create masterpieces, they'll probably remain locked in your warehouse (or your hard disk drive) if y'all don't develop your marketing skills as well as your artistic mastery.
In case you're wondering how to brand coin every bit an creative person, here'due south a underground: you must stop thinking similar a hobbyist and showtime acting similar a business organization owner.
Changing your mindset is an essential step. Information technology'due south something nosotros get into on this podcast episode:
What follows adjacent is easier: you just implement tested recipes and constructive strategies which bring results.
Start making money as an artist
Although information technology may seem overwhelming following all those steps, don't get disheartened. Many of us who now run an online business felt the aforementioned way in the beginning — lost and confused in the chaotic spider web.
Subscribe to the all-time blogs in your niche (it'due south like shooting fish in a barrel to find them, their posts rank higher in Google searches) and start following swain artists you admire.
Yous'll learn a lot, non only by implementing what they advise you to do but by paying attention to how they do it. Don't only look at their artwork and technique — see how they market themselves.
Every platform has its pros and cons, cull the most suitable for you lot to prepare your website portfolio and sell your piece of work.
I won't prevarication to y'all, the path to success is not easy and effortless. It takes hard work, patience, perseverance, discipline and a smart strategy to brand money as an artist — only a few will terminate upwardly living from it.
As before long as you start conceiving your fine art every bit a concern and not just every bit a pleasurable hobby, you have more chances to exist one of them!
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Mania Mavridou is an Builder, Blogger and Business Coach, owner of DesignMania, the architectural studio where design meets psychology to create spaces for people to live and work in happily. She speaks, writes and teaches almost interior design psychology, color psychology and visual marketing. She launched 2 blogs, Design4Happiness, the 1st Greek blog well-nigh interior pattern psychology and The Successful Blog, which helps creatives follow their dreams and build a successful business organisation.
Read more from Mania.
Source: https://millo.co/how-to-make-money-as-an-artist
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