Being a professional artist isn’t easy. It takes a lot of time, energy, and luck to be able to make a living solely from creating art. If you’re an artist who wants to sell your work, it can seem quite daunting to get started. There are many different ways to go about selling your artwork — where do you begin?
Selling your art isn’t easy. However, if you approach it from many different angles, you stand to make some money, get your name out there, and have your art in homes and offices in your area — or even around the world.
Sell Online
The internet is one of the most easily accessible tools available to you as a working artist. One of the main difficulties when it comes to selling work is identifying the people who want to buy it. With the internet, you can contact people not only in your area, but across the country and around the world.
There are many sites for selling your artwork. Depending on the kind of work you make, some sites may make more sense than others. For example, if your work is crafty in nature, the large community of shoppers on Etsy can serve as your very first customer base.
Before signing up for an online art selling service, read the fine print. Most sites take a small cut of every sale you make. You can mark up the price of your work slightly to compensate for this.
Putting your work on third party sites isn’t the only way to sell online. Having your own website to showcase and sell your work is key to having a strong internet presence and getting noticed as an artist. There are a lot of simple platforms, like Tumblr, which can be easily customized to fit your vision even if you’re not well versed in web design or programming.
Talk to Local Businesses
Displaying work in your community is another great way to sell. Many coffee shops, restaurants, and bars hang work by local artists — that could be you! You can approach businesses through email, phone, or in person.
When deciding what businesses to approach, consider the work they have already displayed, and if your work fits in with the image the business wants to present. If you’re not sure, it never hurts to ask. Assemble a portfolio with just a few pieces so your contact person can quickly get an idea of your work.
Display in Shows
Local art shows are some of the best places to sell your work. You can sell your art on the spot with new payment technologies now available and affordable. People who come to art shows are looking to buy. Some are looking for cheaper purchases, so if your work is two dimensional offer some inexpensive prints for guaranteed sales.
Displaying in shows also helps get your name out into your local art community.
Conclusion
Selling your art is work. The hardest part is getting started. Once you get on your way, your sales will only increase, bringing you closer to becoming a professional artist.