How To Make Money Selling Art: 10 Profitable Ideas

Last Updated June 27, 2024 by Davina Kelly

Are you an artist trying to figure out how to make money selling art? Look no further, in this post I will share the best ways to make money as an artist including how to make money selling art online.

Making money as an artist can be difficult to navigate, but it is not impossible. You don’t have to be a starving artist, there are many ways to monetize your creativity.

You are going to learn different ways that you can make money selling art, how to get started and the pros and cons of each option.

This post is all about how to make money selling art.

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Best Ways To Make Money Selling Art:

1. Sell Original Artwork At Galleries

When you think about making money as an artist, selling artwork in galleries is probably one of the first ways that comes to mind. It is an amazing feeling when someone sees one of your pieces in person and connects with it.

It can be challenging to sell your art this way because there is a lot that goes into it. But that doesn’t mean it is impossible.

To get started I recommend making a list of the galleries you want to exhibit your art in and visiting them. While you are there get a feel for the type of art they tend to represent and if your art is in line with that then you know it will be a good fit.

Next, you need to write a letter of inquiry to the director of the art gallery. In the letter include your personal information, a brief description of your background, your body of work, and your artist’s statement. Also, include why you think your art would be a good fit for the gallery.

Once you have done this you need to decide which pieces you want to feature at the gallery. I know this part can be tricky, but choose the pieces that are most in line with the feel of the gallery.

Deciding on your price is the final step. I recommend doing some research online to see how much similar artists are pricing their work for. Once you have this information you can make an informed decision.

Having an online presence is important when it comes to marketing because it is an easy way to showcase your work. I recommend creating a website and utilising social media platforms.

Read here to learn more about selling your art at a gallery.

Pros: One of the most prestigious ways to sell your art.

Cons: It can be hard to find a gallery that is the right fit.

2. Sell At An Arts And Crafts Fair

If you are a new artist who wants to immerse yourself in a creative selling environment, selling your art at arts and crafts fairs is a great option.

Selling your art this way offers an in-person experience that a customer can’t get online which is very valuable when it comes to art.

Having a physical presence will also give you a chance to engage with customers, give insights into your creativity, and build relationships with potential buyers.

Before deciding on which fair to sell your work it is important to do your research. A market with a good reputation, high foot traffic and affordable fees is ideal. I also recommend visiting the fairs beforehand to get a feel of what it is like.

It will require some planning beforehand. You will need to consider all of the materials you will need and transportation. This option can end up costing you more than it would if you sold your art online. But the experience you will have as an artist selling in person is priceless. Gaining exposure and having the chance to watch shoppers view your art is beneficial regardless of the amount of sales you make.

Ensure that have business cards and flyers to give out so that potential customers can find you online in case they want to purchase something from you at any time.

Pros: This is a great way to get exposure for your work and meet customers face to face.

Cons: You may not make a lot of money.

3. Sell Your Art On Etsy

Selling on Etsy is one of the easiest ways to make money selling your art online. Etsy is one of the biggest online marketplaces and art is one of their top selling items. This gives you access to a huge audience who are ready to buy your work.

First, you will need to decide which type of art you want to sell. Do you want to sell digital wall art? Portraits? Copies of your original artwork?

Selling digital art is easier, you create your art once and continuously sell it. The customer will receive it as soon as they make payment. But if you are selling copies of your artwork you will need to factor in shipping fees.

Once you have decided which type of art you will sell getting started is pretty easy. You need to create an account and create your shop. Read here for a detailed guide on how to open an Etsy shop.

As I mentioned earlier Etsy is a huge online marketplace which means there will be a lot of competition. To make sales you will need to stand out, this is a no-brainer when you are an artist lol

To stand out your listing photos need to be catchy because this is the first thing the customer will see. If you are selling digital wall art you need to show how it will look in the customer’s home so they can envision it.

The next most important thing is your listing title and description. You will need to use keywords so that your art will show up in search. Keywords are the words a customer will type into the search bar on Etsy to search for what they are looking for.

For example, if you are selling abstract art for a living room your title could be ‘Abstract living room wall art.’ This will let Etsy and the customer know exactly what type of art you are selling.

You can use erank to find the right keyword, optimise your listings and see what shoppers are searching for.

Choosing your price is the next step. I recommend doing some research on Etsy to see how much similar artists are selling their work for and use this as a guide. You don’t want to undersell your craft and similarly, you don’t want to overprice it. You can choose a price that is somewhere in the middle and once you start to make sales you can increase your price if you want to.

Etsy is a great option for selling your art online, but it isn’t the only option. Here are some other places to sell your art online.

Saatchi Art
Amazon Handmade
Shopify

Pros: This is one of the easiest ways to make money selling your art online.

Cons: It can take a while before you start making sales.

4. Print On Demand

If you want to delve into the idea of selling your art online without having to buy expensive equipment, print-on-demand is a good option.

Print-on-demand is a drop shipping service where products with your design are created as orders come in. This process is handled by an outside company so all you need to do is focus on creating the art. Your art can be used on a variety of things like t-shirts, mugs, bags, etc.

To make more money you can niche down and create art for a specific audience. For example, you can create positive art for kids.

Pros: A good way to sell your art and make passive income.

Cons: There are lower profit margins because the heavy lifting is handled by another company.

5. Licence Your Artwork

Licencing your art is a great option if you want to sell your art but don’t have a lot of time to put into it. This type of income is passive, you create the art once and it continues to be sold even while you are sleeping. To get started you can make a digital catalogue to let potential clients know what your art will look like on their products.

If you are in the US you will need to get copyrights for your artwork. This is what most manufacturers require and it will allow you to take legal action in case of copyright infringement. You can read more about the process here.

If you are in the UK, you don’t need to register for a copyright. You automatically get protection when you create an original piece of artwork.

Next, you need to make a list of manufacturers and reach out to them. If there are any companies you have in mind make a list and send them an email. In your email let them know why your art will be a good fit for their audience and include links to your work.

Once this process has been completed you will need to read and sign the contract agreement. Read here to learn more about licencing your art.

Pros: This is a great option for artists who don’t have a lot of spare time. It is also a steady form of income.

Cons: There aren’t any cons.

6. Be a Street Artist

If you have a hustler’s spirit you can try selling your art on the streets. Choose a busy area like a tourist spot because this will have high foot traffic.

If you are from the UK Bayswater is a good option. Every Sunday while I am on my run I see vendors selling there and there are always people looking at the artwork. I often have to run around them lol

You can set up your space and either sell completed artwork or draw or paint on demand. Make sure that you aren’t obstructing pedestrians and be sure to check your city’s laws to ensure you won’t be in violation.

This is a fun and exciting way to sell your art. Many artists have gone viral by selling their work this way, you never know it could happen to you.

Pros: This is a fun and exciting way to sell your art and connect with people.

Cons: You may not make a lot of money.

7. Sell Commissioned Art

Selling commissioned artwork is a great way to grow your audience and make money as an artist. With this option, you will be approached to make something bespoke for a client or company.

People are willing to pay more for this type of project because the artwork is personalised for one person or brand. If you build up a good reputation and have a good art portfolio this will increase your value.

To get started you need to ensure that your portfolio is up to date whether that is your Instagram or personal website. If you have done any commissions or personalised artwork ensure you include those.

Next, you will need to calculate your fee. It is important to charge a fair price, you definitely do not want to undersell yourself. A simple way to do this is by charging the estimated time it will take to complete a piece x your hourly rate.

Don’t forget to include the cost of any materials and shipping costs. If there is extra work required like intricate details or it is a tight turnaround you can charge more.

Clear communication is important during this process. You need to be honest with yourself and your client regarding the timeline. If anything unexpected arises that will affect your deadline you need to let your client know. Approaching this as a collaboration instead of a service will make the process more enjoyable for you and your client.

If you want an easier way to offer commissions you can sell personalised items such as greeting cards, holiday cards or invitations.

Pros: You can make more money by charging a premium price for this personalised service.

Cons: It can be stressful and take up a lot of your time.

8. Become a Freelance Illustrator

If you are an illustrator artist you can sell your art by becoming a freelance illustrator. You can register on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and Indeed and publish your portfolio to find clients.

There will be a lot of competition on those platforms so you will need to stand out. Your work will do that for you, but you can also do this by getting good reviews and staying consistent.

To ensure that you charge a competitive price I recommend browsing the art category beforehand to see what other artists are changing.

If you are a beginner offering your illustrations as commissions is a good option to try. This is very popular and you can make some good money.

You can also sell your artwork as vectors, this is a good way to make passive income as an illustrator. Read here to learn more about how to make money as a freelance illustrator.

Pros: This is a flexible way to sell your artwork.

Cons: It can take a while to get clients and build a portfolio.

9. Create An Artbook

Another way to make money selling your art is by creating an art book. You can create an ebook or a physical book with your artwork and make it available for sale.

If you choose to make an ebook Amazon KDP (Kindle direct publishing) is a good option for this. Getting started is pretty straightforward, you just need to create your ebook, upload it and make it available for sale.

There is a little more that goes into selling a physical artbook, you will need to factor in printing and shipping costs. This is important to keep in mind when deciding your price.

Pros: This is a low-cost way to passively sell your art and make money.

Cons: It can take a while to make sales.

10. Sell On Social Media

Thanks to the continuous evolution of technology you can now sell your artwork on social media. This is a great way for you to connect with your potential customers and make money.

To do this you need to build up trust and a connection with your audience. You can do this by engaging with your audience in an authentic way instead of bombarding them with shots of your artwork and sales prices.

For example, you can share the inspiration for some of your pieces and show them some behind the scenes footage of you working. It is also important to remain active and respond to any questions or comments.

The best social media sites to sell your art are.

Tik Tok
Instagram
Facebook

Pros: This option is an easy way to sell your art directly to your followers.

Cons: It will take time to build trust with your followers. Also, algorithm changes can impact your ability to get new followers.

Tips For Selling Your Art:

Register Your Business

Before you start making money selling your art you need to register your business. It is very important to have your paperwork in order.

You need to keep track of your business income and expenses and make yourself aware of tax deadlines. Once your business starts to grow you can hire employees if you need to.

You can register as a sole trader or Limited Company (sole proprietor or LLC if you are in the US). Consider your circumstances, do some research and choose the best option for you.

Registering your business is quite straightforward. You need to choose a name and register on your government platform.

Decide What Type Of Art You Want To Sell

To start making money selling your art you will need to decide what type of art you want to sell. There are many options to choose from. I recommend thinking about the type of art you enjoy creating and the time you have available to commit to your craft.

This is important because to make money you need to be consistent. If you work full-time you may prefer to choose an option like selling digital art on Etsy because it doesn’t require a lot of your time. Take some time to think about this before making a decision. I recommend reading articles or watching YouTube videos from other artists to learn from their experiences.

Here are some options of art you can sell. I have shared more about how you can make money with each option in this post.

Original artwork
Digital artwork
Personalised artwork

Determine Your Pricing

When you are an artist it can be challenging to decide how much you want to charge. It is important that you are paid fairly for your work so do not undersell yourself.

Once you have decided what type of art you want to sell I recommend taking some time to research how much similar artists are charging for their work.

Create An Online Presence

Having an online presence when you are selling your art is super important regardless of the option you choose to make money.

Even if you decide to sell your art on another platform like Etsy you still need to have your own online presence. This is an easy way to show your work and it will help potential clients find you. If you are networking or looking for galleries to sell your art you need somewhere to direct them to see all of your work. You can utilise social media to do this.

Once you start making money I recommend creating your own website. This way you can build an online portfolio and also offer services without having to pay fees to a third party.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do Beginner Artists Make Money?

If you are a beginner artist trying to make money I know it can be difficult to get started. It will take time to build your portfolio and find customers.

When you are first getting started I recommend utilising the internet and selling your artwork online. This has become a lot more popular since the crisis.

Here are some examples of ways you can make money as a beginner artist.

Sell your artwork online
Licence your artwork
Sell images or illustrations

What Is The Fastest Way To Make Money As An Artist?

When it comes to making money as an artist it will take a lot of time and patience. You will need to create a portfolio, have an online presence and have some good reviews. Once you have this the money will start rolling in.

The fastest way to make money as an artist is to sell your art as a service or sell your artwork in person. If you are selling a service you will get paid for the service once the work is completed.

Similarly, with in-person sales, the customer will see your work and pay you for it straight away. Whereas if you sell your art online it can take a while to make sales.

Here are some examples of the fastest ways to make money selling art.

Sell commissions
Sell paintings at art exhibitions
Sell your art at art fairs

Final Thoughts

Making money as an artist can be difficult especially when you are first getting started. But with some patience, hard work and consistency, you can start to make money selling your art.

In this post, I have shared some ideas for you to make money as an artist. When making your decision factor in the amount of time and energy you have to commit to your craft. This is important because you don’t want to feel overwhelmed when you are creating.

Also, a lot of these options can be used in conjunction with each other. For example, you can sell art on Etsy and sell your art at fairs. This will increase your income and exposure.

Don’t be disheartened if things don’t take off straight away. If art is your passion use that as inspiration to keep going when things get tough.

Have you found these ways to make money selling art helpful? What are some of the ways you make money as an artist?