Let’s Explore 10 Viable Ways to Sell Art

You LOVE to create art, right? And in order to continue to create, you need to find ways to sell art, too, so you can pay your bills and equally important, buy more art supplies! Whether you create your art part time for extra money or you are a full time artist that depends on sales to survive, you will need to explore all your options for getting your work in front of people.

I want to share with you 10 viable ways to sell your art. You may try one, two, or eventually all of these options in order to find what works for you.

1. Show your art at local coffee shops, cafes, spas and restaurants

The best places to ask about displaying your work are small locally-owned coffee shops, cafes, spas and restaurants (and Dr. offices or if you paint animals, maybe veterinary offices).  Things you need to consider before meeting with the business owner or manager are

• is your art for display only?
• if your art is for sale, what will the commission be? (25% is reasonable, but I have heard of 10% up to 40%)
• will there be a "meet the artist" opening?
• how long will you be able to display your work?

Make sure you have a signed and dated written agreement to the terms before leaving your art with anyone.

Another option you might want to consider is working with a restaurant that is remodeling or hasn’t opened yet. They may be willing to purchase your existing art outright or commission you to paint for them.

2. Rent booth space at art & craft shows in your area

Make it a point to visit each show before you decide if it is the right show for you. Visit with other artist’s that have similar items for sale to find out what other shows they do well at. By visiting the shows you are interested in, you will also get ideas for booth displays. Booth fees can range from $30 to $225 and up depending on the show.

I have met many wonderful artists and crafters over the years. Most people are very friendly and will share information about shows that have been successful for them. Also, you can join yahoo groups and facebook groups for artists where you can meet other artists and share show information.

3. Sell on your own blog

I believe having a blog is a MUST for every artist. My advice is to build your blog yourself so you can update and make changes quickly and easily. I recommend GoDaddy for purchasing your domain name, Hostgator for hosting your site, and download wordpress.org (thesis 1.8.5 theme) to your hostgator account for building your blog. I have made many mistakes over the years doing it the wrong way, so I want to spare you the wasted time and money by telling you this is the way to go. You will have the best SEO and will find it easy to use once you get use to it. If I can build a blog, so can you. I will be offering step by step instructions for building your blog soon. DO NOT create your site using wordpress.com….that is for blogging only, you do not own your content and if you are caught selling on wordpress.com, they will shut you down.

 

4. Share and connect with people through social media

This is a must as well as having your own website. You need to start a business facebook page where you show your art, share your stories and keep connected. People are not just interested in your art, they want to know more about YOU. So be yourself, be transparent, and be authentic when using social media. DO NOT use social media just to sell art, you will turn people off and they will delete you. They want to connect with you and get to know you.

Twitter, Linkedin, Google+, Pinterest and Intsagram are also good sources for connecting with people. See article "Social Media for Visual Artists".

5. Promote your art through the local art community

Check out your local art scene. Visit local galleries and attend "meet the artist" openings. See if your city has an art council.

Our local community has "Flint Art Walk"  the second Friday of every month in the summer where downtown businesses display local artists work. The artist is usually present to meet and greet. This has become very successful with many, many people attending every month.

6. Submit your artwork to juried art fairs & galleries

Art fairs attract many potential buyers. They are usually outdoors so you’d have to have protection from the elements. Again you want to research the art fairs you are interested in. Art fairs are a great way to introduce yourself and your art to the local market and more importantly a great place to sell art. You may even walk away with an award.

Unfortunately, not everyone who applies gets accepted into the show. Also, most of these shows charge an application fee that is non-refundable. The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair (pictured above) is a huge art fair in Ann Arbor Michigan and it can take years to get into that show, but once you’re in, you’re in!

Galleries are also very particular about the work they carry,  and you can expect the gallery to take 40-60% commission of your sales. Most high end sales are still made through galleries so it is worth trying. I will be writing an article on galleries at a later date.

7. Start accepting commission work

Years ago, I painted commissioned portraits. Whew, that was tough because without knowing the person you are painting, it can be hard to "capture" their personality, however, when you pull it off, there is no greater satisfaction. I once painted a portrait for an elderly man. It was of his deceased wife (I painted her from a younger photo of her). When he saw the finished painting his eyes filled with tears. Where else can you make a connection like that…it was awesome.

Make sure the customer has a clear idea of your style of work. Show them a portfolio so they become familiar with your work, color palette, and style. Once you both understand what each other want, you need to present a contract to protect your rights and theirs. Click here for an example of a contract. You may want to have lawyer look at the contract because each state’s laws may vary.

The downside to commission work is that you are obligated to paint within the guidelines you and the customer agreed to which can limit your creativity. It is a unique challenge and can be very rewarding.

8. Sell your work on an internet gallery or store

This is a fast and easy way to get your work out there. It’s a website built and maintained by someone else so you don’t have to know all the technical stuff. You maintain your page by uploading your art. Most online galleries are free to sign up. Some charge a small fee when you upload an image and some only charge a commission at the time of a sale. Each site will have their own set of rules. The only downfall with this type of selling is that you can get lost in the crowd. There are thousands of people on these sites so make sure when you upload your art, you do your best at putting in tags that people will use to search for your style of art and subject matter.

Some sites will let you create products, such as, t-shirts, mugs, greeting cards, etc. using your artwork. They make it incredibly easy and it is fun to see your art on different products. Zazzle is one site I have created products with and they turn out fantastic. Redbubble and Cafepress are other options.

Etsy is for handmade items only. There is art and crafts on this site. It is easy to use and VERY well known. They charge a .20 listing fee and your listing will be live for 3 months. When the item sells, they also charge a small percentage of the sale.

Artsy Home is a wonderful online gallery and easy to use. They only charge a commission at the time of sale.

Daily Painters online gallery is another great option to sell art.

Ebay is for selling anything and everything. I have not sold my art via Ebay, although I have heard of artists doing well going this route. I recommend selling art on auction and make sure to set the lowest price you would accept.

Amazon is similar to Ebay where anything and everything is for sale. I do not have any experience selling this way but it may be worth a try.

These are sources I am familiar with, however, there are many more if you search online.

9. License your art to individual companies

When you license your art, you enter into a licensing agreement which gives the company (licensee) permission to use your art on their products. Which images they are permitted to use and on what products needs to be clearly defined in the licensing agreement. Read these articles for more information about licensing. "Is Licensing Right for You?"  "Self-Represent or Art Agency" and "Self-Represent or Art Agency part 2"

What is great about licensing is that you can have a single image licensed to many companies/manufacturers (for different product categories, of course). You will get paid a royalty on the sales of the products that feature your art. These royalties are paid quarterly and the percentage you get paid will all be stated in the licensing agreement.This is an exciting and lucrative way to make a living as an artist.

10. Sign with a licensing agency

Signing with an agency means the licensing agent handles all the contracts between you and the manufacturers. You send all your art on digital files to your agent and they work to find companies that want to license your art. An agency will typically get paid 50% of the royalties.

Licensing may not be for you, just like selling your prints on Etsy may not be for you. In fact, many of the methods listed above may not suit you and your art. These are, however, very viable ways to get your art noticed and purchased so you can continue to do what you love! Be fearless! Never give up….if one method doesn’t work, move on to the next. You will find your niche!

I hope this article was helpful to you. How do you sell your art? Anything you could add would be great! I look forward to your input, please comment below.

Tagged as: art, licensing