Making money for artists doesn’t only consist of selling your art. With a little creativity (and some entrepreneurial ingenuity) you can start figuring out how to monetize your practice while still maintaining creative control over what you do. Here are some ideas to get you started. And if you want to dive deeper into each idea, explore the other blog posts I’ve linked to in each section of the article.
What Does It Mean To Develop A Body Of Work?
A body of work or a portfolio is an essential part of being a working artist. I often get asked, “what do you put in one to make it good?”. Your art portfolio should show your best work even if it's not a large number of pieces in the grouping. This curated collection should feature a tight selection that works well together. It also demonstrates your abilities with your specific style, medium, and techniques.
Editing down a grouping of your art into a nice collection helps potential collectors to understand your work and get excited about it. It also helps to keep buyers from feeling overwhelmed about which one they want. Too many options of what to buy can cause buyers to freeze because they can’t easily make a decision.
Organize your work in a way that will give your art a narrative. This helps make the buying process easier and helps your work stand out. The individual pieces should tell a story together, as a whole, if possible.
Tell your art's story and highlight the unique differences your work brings. Do this by sharing the basic information about your pieces in your wall labels or in social media posts. And, be prepared to elaborate on or answer questions about your work. Featuring your artist statement will also help people better understand your art.
Don’t forget to share your accolades and ensure that the sale process is a pleasant experience for your buyers. Learn more about how to do this in my article, 4 Things Art Collectors Look For.
What Does Customer Base Mean?
It may make you feel uneasy, but engaging with past, current, and potential customers is the most important thing you can do to get paid.
Get clear on what type of person loves your art. Where are they hanging out or looking for the type of art you create?
As an artist who sells their work, this also makes you a business owner. I recommend having an email list as part of your marketing strategy to nurture your buyers.
In my article, How To Sell Art In Emails, I dive deeper to show how you can connect with your collectors and VIPs with engaging emails that will keep them coming back for more.
What Are The Benefits Of Teaching Art?
I often get asked Why Teaching Art Is A Great Way To Make Money. If you love creating, teaching art may be a natural extension for you to consider. Tap into areas you're knowledgeable about and share your passion for art while you're at it. This helps you explore your creative side as well.
Teaching connects you with other artists and enthusiasts as you build your reputation. It's also an additional income stream. Teaching art helps you build your brand while helping others create their own art at the same time.
You can choose to teach in person or online. If you are unsure about online classes or workshops, check out my article Is Teaching Online Worth It? You May Be Surprised.
Does An Artist Need A Website?
If you're an artist, it's important to have a website. It doesn't have to be fancy and you don't need to hire someone else to build it for you. There are plenty of free options out there, including WordPress and Squarespace.
Your website can be a simple portfolio of your body of work. You can add a blog where you go deeper into your process and highlight each piece or collection.
Want to sell your art on your site? I recommend you choose a website builder or platform that has a shop option. It simplifies the process of adding your art, pricing it, and processing the digital sale. An online shop allows people to buy your work all year round, not just when you’re exhibiting.
People expect to be able to find the website of a well-known artist, maker, or creative. Having one will present you as a professional artist rather than a hobbyist if that’s what your goal is.
How Do Artists Use Social Media Marketing?
Social media can help you connect with people and get exposure for your work. You can share what you create, get feedback, and find inspiration from others in the community.
Don't let the thought of curating images prevent you from sharing your work on Instagram. Grab the opportunity to share your journey with your fans and get inspired to post your art on Instagram with these tips.
You can also use social media to sell your work. Consider creating a shop on Instagram so you can link your art in your posts so customers can buy your work. This way, you get exposure while earning some money and the customer gets access to quality artwork.
Are you concerned you don’t have enough Instagram followers to make money for artists on the platform? Let’s look at How Many Followers Do You Need To Make Money On Instagram?
Is It A Good Idea To Do Art Commissions?
Art commissions are an integral part of many artists' businesses. Whether you're painting portraits or murals, illustrating books, or creating custom art for a client, there are many ways to make money for artists through art commissions.
It helps to be passionate about creating a positive experience for your collectors. To help with that, make sure to set expectations for them so they know what happens and on what timeline. Check in with them at regular intervals, send them photos of the piece in progress if that’s part of your process, and make sure they're happy with the way things are progressing.
This is important because when a client feels like they're being heard and included in the process, they're more likely to be enthusiastic about the finished product. So take the time to show them what you're doing, ask them their opinions on things, and make sure they're having fun along the way.
Take a look at How To Make Money With Art Commissions, the commission process, and see if it makes sense for you to include it as part of your art practice.
Why Sell Art At An Art Fair?
Technology can never replace a face-to-face interaction with the artist behind a masterpiece. Both the maker and the customer benefit from an in-person kind of experience. One way to get your art out there is to sell it at fairs and pop-up events that are the right fit for your art. It's an opportunity for artists to have conversations with potential buyers, find new customers, and to ring up sales.
Events like this usually charge only for the booth space and it’s specific needs like table and light rentals. This allows artists to make a greater amount on each sale of their work because they don’t have to give a commission to a gallery or store owner. However, making money at events like this isn't as simple as it may seem. It requires research, planning, and the ability to maintain a positive attitude while standing for long periods of time on concrete floors. And to be willing to not make any sales at all, especially if it’s your first year doing that specific event.
Once you decide on which pop-ups and art events to participate in, it's in your best interest to strike up a conversation with the people who seem curious about your work, and naturally break the ice. Too many artists sit around passively waiting for someone to buy their work. Worse yet, they sit there reading a magazine and completely ignore shoppers when a friendly conversation can jumpstart a sale.
Selling is the art of telling stories and starting conversations. Give someone a reason to buy your artwork if they’re interested in it. And give them the chance to know, like and trust you. Something as simple as providing a backstory to an art piece can tip the scales in your favor. But remember, keep stories short and sweet. You want to come across as conversational and not crowd the potential buyer.
If you want to succeed at a market, even shy sellers must work through their fears by interacting with customers. A simple "Hi!" is all you need to alert the customer to your presence, they may simply smile and return your greeting before engaging in conversation.
When you understand who your work resonates with most, you'll start to connect with art buyers everywhere you go. Here are some ideas for How To Find Art Buyers.
Is It Worth Selling Art Online?
If you're an artist who wants to make money from your work, you have more options than ever before. Thanks to the internet, it's never been easier for artists to share their work with and sell their work to art lovers all over the world. Selling your artwork online can be one of the easiest and most lucrative ways to make money as an artist.
Your options include selling through your website, marketplaces like Etsy and Artfinder, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and even through a blog. Selling artwork online presents its own set of difficulties, including visibility, getting potential buyers to buy, and, of course, profit. You can sell art online successfully and make money if you have a good eye, a creative streak, and are willing to put in some focused effort.
Don't let technology stop you from participating in online art sales. There are many options I share with you in my article Sell Your Art Online that will make it easier than ever to sell your work.
How Do You Make Money As An Artist?
There are so many ways to make money for artists. These are only a few of the tips to help you get started on deciding how you want to get paid as a creative human. Even if it doesn’t always feel easy, these steps will help you get started on the right path. The most important way to start making money as an artist is to be willing to try it. Which way of making money as an artist sounds like the best fit for you? Let me know in the comments.