A Guide To Selling Your Art

3/3/2023

In this blog post, I want to talk about selling your art you create using your photos blended with our backgrounds and textures. There are various ways and marketplaces where you can sell prints of your fine art to consumers. In this post, I'm going over a few of these to give you some ideas to get started if you're interested in selling your work.

Sell Your Art Direct To Consumers

If you're interested in selling your work direct to consumers, these ideas may help you get started.

1.  Art Fairs and Craft Shows - Art fairs and craft shows are great places to sell your photo art in person. These events allow you to showcase your work to a local audience and make personal connections with potential customers. Look for events in your area that cater to your target market and consider investing in a professional display to make your booth stand out.

2.  Farmers Markets and Street Fairs - Farmers markets and street fairs are another option for selling your photo art in person. These events often attract a large crowd, and the relaxed atmosphere can make it easier to connect with customers. Make sure to bring plenty of prints and have a variety of sizes and styles available to cater to different preferences.

3.  Local Shops and Galleries - If you prefer a more permanent storefront, consider reaching out to local shops and galleries to see if they're interested in selling your photo art. Look for shops that cater to your target market and offer a commission-based arrangement that works for both parties. Make sure to have a portfolio of your work and a clear pricing structure to make it easier for the shop owner to make a decision.

4. Pop-Up Shops and Art Exhibitions - Pop-up shops and art exhibitions are temporary storefronts that allow artists to showcase their work to a larger audience. Look for events in your area that cater to your target market and consider collaborating with other artists to create a cohesive display. Make sure to bring plenty of business cards and promotional materials to help potential customers find you online.

5. Private Events and Corporate Spaces - Finally, consider reaching out to private event organizers and corporate spaces to see if they're interested in purchasing your photo art. Private events, such as weddings and parties, often require unique decorations and can be a great opportunity to showcase your work. Corporate spaces, such as offices and lobbies, may be interested in purchasing large prints to add color and visual interest to their spaces.

Creating Custom Art For Clients

Creating custom art for clients is another great way to sell your photo art. Here are some details about doing custom photo art for people, such as pet portraits or wedding portraits:

1. Determine Your Niche - Before offering custom photo art, it's important to determine your niche. Think about what type of photo art you enjoy creating and what type of customers you want to attract. For example, if you love photographing animals, you might specialize in pet portraits. If you have a passion for weddings, you might specialize in wedding portraits. By specializing, you can create a unique selling proposition and attract customers who are looking for your specific expertise.

2. Set Your Prices - When offering custom photo art, you'll need to set your prices based on the type of work you'll be doing and the time it takes to complete each project. Make sure to consider the cost of materials, such as printing and framing, as well as the time you'll spend communicating with clients and editing the final product. You may also want to research what other photographers are charging for similar services in your area to make sure your prices are competitive.

3. Create a Portfolio - To attract potential clients, you'll need to create a portfolio of your previous work. Make sure to showcase a variety of styles and subjects to give clients a sense of your capabilities. If you're just starting, consider offering discounted rates to friends and family in exchange for using their photos in your portfolio.

4. Market Your Services - Once you've determined your niche, set your prices, and created a portfolio, it's time to start marketing your services. Reach out to potential clients through social media, your website, and word of mouth. Consider collaborating with other wedding vendors or pet-related businesses to offer bundled services or cross-promote each other's businesses. You may also want to consider paid advertising on social media or local publications to reach a larger audience.

5. Communicate with Clients - When working on custom photo art, it's important to communicate clearly with your clients to ensure you're meeting their expectations. Make sure to discuss their needs and preferences, the timeline for the project, and any potential challenges that may arise. Consider sending clients a contract that outlines the scope of the project, your prices, and your policies for revisions or cancellations.

Offering custom photo art, such as pet portraits or wedding portraits, can be a rewarding way to use your photography skills and turn your passion into a business. By determining your niche, setting your prices, creating a portfolio, marketing your services, and communicating clearly with your clients, you can create a successful business that offers personalized and unique photo art to your customers.

Selling Online - Print on Demand Websites

There are many websites online where you can sell art prints or place your photo art on various products. I discuss a couple of my favorites below. For a super comprehensive list of places to sell your art online, visit this website where you'll get a list of 250+ places, many of which are print on demand websites.

Selling Art On Fine Art America

If you're an artist looking to sell your artwork online, Fine Art America is a great platform to consider. I've been with them over 14 years! Founded in 2006, Fine Art America has become one of the largest online marketplaces for buying and selling art, with millions of visitors each month. Below, I give you a basic introduction to selling your art on Fine Art America.

1. Create an Account

To get started, head over to Fine Art America's website and create an account. The signup process is straightforward, and you'll need to provide basic information like your name, email address, and a username. Once you've created an account, you can start uploading your artwork.

2. Upload Your Artwork

Fine Art America allows you to upload a variety of artwork, including paintings, drawings, photographs, and digital art. When you upload your artwork, you'll need to provide some basic information like the title, medium, description and tags which describe your work.

You'll also need to choose which products you want your artwork to be available on. Fine Art America offers a wide range of products, including art prints, framed prints, canvas prints, greeting cards, phone cases, and more. You can choose to make your artwork available on all products, or you can select specific products.

3. Set Your Prices

Fine Art America allows you to set your own prices for your artwork. You can choose to set a fixed price for each product or enable the "markup" feature, which allows you to add a percentage markup to the base price of each product. The markup feature is useful if you want to earn a specific amount of money per sale.

4. Promote Your Artwork

Once your artwork is uploaded and available for sale, it's time to start promoting it. Fine Art America has a built-in social media sharing feature that allows you to share your artwork on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. You can also create your own website or blog and embed Fine Art America's "buy now" buttons to make it easy for people to purchase your artwork.

Fine Art America also has a built-in email marketing feature that allows you to send newsletters and promotions to your customers. You can use this feature to announce new artwork, special promotions, or upcoming exhibitions.

5. Fulfill Your Orders

When someone purchases your artwork on Fine Art America, the company handles all the fulfillment for you. YAY! They'll print your artwork, package it, and ship it directly to the customer, which is absolutely wonderful, as this leaves you more time to create. You'll receive a notification when a sale is made, and you can track the status of the order through your account dashboard.

6. Get Paid

Fine Art America pays you for your sales on a monthly basis. Payments are only made via Paypal, so you'll need to have a Paypal account set up to get paid. You will receive your markup on the product once the sale clears, so there is a slight delay in getting paid to cover possible customer returns.

Selling your art on Fine Art America can be a great way to reach a wider audience and make money from your artwork. By following these steps, you can get your artwork uploaded and available for sale in no time. Remember to promote your artwork and engage with your customers to build a following and increase your sales.

Selling Art On Zazzle

Selling on Zazzle.Com is another way to monetize your creations. Zazzle is an online marketplace that allows artists to create and sell their own custom products, such as clothing, accessories, home decor, and more. Here are some tips for selling your art on Zazzle:

1.  Choose your artwork carefully - When selling your art on Zazzle, it's important to choose your artwork carefully. Consider what types of products your artwork would look good on, and what types of customers might be interested in purchasing those products. Additionally, make sure that your artwork is of high quality and resolution, so that it looks good when printed on products.

2.  Set up your store - Once you've chosen your artwork, it's time to set up your store on Zazzle. This involves creating an account, choosing a store name, and designing your storefront. When designing your storefront, make sure to choose a theme that complements your artwork and reflects your personal style.

3.  Create products - After setting up your store, it's time to start creating products using your artwork. Zazzle offers a variety of products that you can customize with your artwork, including t-shirts, phone cases, stickers, and more. When creating products, make sure to choose high-quality materials and printing options, so that your products look and feel professional. When you create your products, you can select your preferred royalty for each product. You can set a specific percentage across the board for all products, or you can set a different royalty for the different products.

4.  Promote your products - Once you've created your products, it's time to start promoting them. You can do this by sharing links to your products on social media, creating email marketing campaigns, and using Zazzle's built-in promotion tools. Additionally, consider reaching out to bloggers or influencers in your niche, and offering them a discount or free product in exchange for a review or feature.

5.  Monitor your sales - Finally, make sure to monitor your sales and adjust your strategy as needed. Pay attention to which products are selling well, and consider creating more products in similar styles or themes.

There are other print on demand websites similar to Zazzle, such as Cafepress, Society6, and Redbubble. I've had stores on all of them at one time or another. Society6 only lets you set your preferred royalty on prints, and the royalty on the other products is standard across the board for everyone. Make sure you read the pricing/royalty arrangements for each website you consider before setting up shop.

Selling Art On Etsy

I personally don't sell on Etsy, but I know many people who do, and I do shop on Etsy. Etsy is a popular online marketplace where artists and creators can sell their handmade or vintage items, as well as craft supplies and unique digital products. If you're an artist looking to sell your art online, Etsy can be a great platform to showcase your work and reach a wider audience. Here are some tips for selling your art on Etsy:

1. Set up your shop - The first step to selling your art on Etsy is to create an account and set up your shop. This involves choosing a name for your shop, creating a profile, and adding your artwork to your shop. Make sure to take high-quality photos of your artwork and provide detailed descriptions, so that potential customers can see the details of your work and understand what they're purchasing. Some artists have prints and other products made ahead of time and sell those on Etsy. Some artists and photographers drop ship from other companies, such as Fine Art America, who makes the prints and products and ships for them after they receive an order on Etsy. And others sell digital downloads of their art and designs on Etsy.

2. Research your competition - Before you start selling on Etsy, it's important to research your competition. Look for other artists who sell similar types of artwork, and see how they're pricing their items and presenting their shops. This can give you a better idea of what's selling well, and how you can differentiate yourself from other artists on the platform.

3. Price your items - When pricing your artwork on Etsy, it's important to consider your time, materials, and overhead costs. Make sure to factor in the cost of shipping and packaging as well. It's also a good idea to look at what other artists are charging for similar items, and price your artwork competitively.

4. Promote your shop - Once your shop is set up and your items are listed, it's time to start promoting your shop. You can do this by sharing your listings on social media, creating email marketing campaigns, and using Etsy's built-in promotion tools. Additionally, consider reaching out to bloggers or influencers in your niche, and offering them a discount or free product in exchange for a review or feature.

5. Provide great customer service - Providing great customer service is key to building a successful shop on Etsy. Make sure to respond to customer inquiries promptly, and provide clear and detailed information about your products and shipping policies. Additionally, consider including a personal thank you note or small gift with each purchase, to show your appreciation and build customer loyalty.

6. Continuously improve your shop - Finally, make sure to continuously improve your shop based on customer feedback and sales data. Pay attention to which items are selling well, and consider creating more items in similar styles or themes. Additionally, consider running sales or promotions to boost sales during slower periods.

No matter which direction you go with selling your finished art, I want to make something clear -- it's up to YOU to promote your art! Yes, you can have random sales from those who find your prints and products, but you'll do much better if you invest time and even money in advertising and promoting your work. These websites are just a platform - they are not going to help you sell, despite what marketing language they give you. Like everything else in life, if you want something, you're going to have to work for it. :) The various companies have made sharing on social media relatively easy, but creating your own website or blog to draw customers in and direct them to your various platforms is a must, in my opinion. You can see my website here where I do this.

In conclusion, selling your photo art created using textures and backgrounds can be a rewarding way to earn money from your photography and art hobby. With the right platform, pricing, cohesive body of work, high-quality images, and promotion, you can turn your passion into a business. Good luck! ~Jai

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