When I graduated from art school 15 years ago, I had mastered the color theory and watercolor techniques, but I didn't know anything about business. As an end of the year project, we learned how to create a very basic portfolio website. No e-commerce, just samples of our work and a contact paIn my.
In my first week as a working adult artist, I learned a difficult lesson: to be successful in art, you must also be successful in business. And my sad little Flash website wasn't going to work.
E-commerce wasn't that accessible 15 years ago, and social media was practically non-existent. The question "where can I sell my products online for free?" It didn't even enter my mind For unknown artists like me, the money was in corporate and advertising commissions.
The ability to easily sell your art online completely changed the game.
In 2017, the starving artist is a dying breed. E-commerce and social selling have become increasingly effective means for freelance artists to self-sufficiently finance their craft and, more importantly, to gain the independence to sell the work they want to create directly to their audiences. Niche. For galleries, the change in the last two decades has allowed curators to represent more artists and expand into affordable prints to reach a wider audience around the world.
How to sell art online
Since my career as an illustrator lasted only months, I consulted two Shopify merchants, an artist and a gallery owner, who actively made a living selling art.
Side hustle vs full time
Many new artists get their break on social media and gain a devoted following by consistently sharing their work and participating in online artist communities. Maria pursued her dream of becoming a working artist after being fired from her advertising job, but the success didn't happen overnight, and she topped up her income earl on while growing her fan base on Instagram.
However, her full-time job taught her business skills that were critical to getting her store off the ground and promoting herself as an artist.
There is also something to be said in favor of taking the plunge. When Ken, unable to secure a temporary pop-up space, signed a two-year lease on a space, the risky move helped him quit his job as a waiter within a few months.
Selling work versus selling other artists' art
If you are not personally an artist, you can still get into the game of selling art as a curator. Artists uninterested in the commercial aspect of their craft depend on agents, galleries, and other merchants to do it for them. There are various ways of working with artists, from selling originals or prints to licensing works to be printed on merchandise. Generally, the artist would make a fixed commission on the works sold.
While Maria has her shop, where she sells prints and merchandise, cutting out the middleman and keeping her costs low, she relies on relationships with experienced galleries to display and sell her original art.
Galleries can expose their work to new audiences and have access to resources and professionals to help promote, manage, and submit artwork.
What to sell: original vs reproduction
Some media, like sculpture, are more difficult to reproduce or use for commercial applications (but consider 3D printing or collaborations with toy manufacturers). Most 2D media, however, have multiple options for generating unlimited sales in a single job.
Consider the following:
Original fine <a href=http://burmabrown.com/>Art for Sale</a>
Limited or Open Edition Prints - Giclee or Canvas
Digital Downloads - Wallpapers, Inspirational Quote Prints, personalization/commissioning: original works in traditional or digital media
Merchandise: hats, mugs, T-shirts, enamel pins, etc.
Repeat prints on fabric or wallpaper
Work license to other e-commerce merchants
Collaborations with merchants and creators
Sell photos online
Apps to help you run your Art for Sale business online:
If you sell your artwork through prints and products, apps like Kite, Gooten, or Printful can sync with your store, taking the burden of shipping and compliance out of the equation.
Photograph and scan art
Photographing and representing your products clearly and accurately is important in all areas of e-commerce, regardless of the industry. Without the ability to feel a product, customers need to get the best idea of what they are buying through clear and detailed images.
Photographing art is a bit more difficult than photographing other products, and a basic light setting can still cause glare or color unevenness. Consider hiring a professional to film artwork or larger artwork with any three-dimensional element.
Printers and printing
You can create quality prints yourself with the right paper, ink, and printer. You can also offer your clients frame and DIY framing options. As a new artist, this method can keep costs low, but it is not sustainable or scalable. A local or online printing company can reproduce your work in bulk with wholesale pricing strategies if you plan to do your shipment or want to sell your prints offline too.