Nowadays, numerous artists are conscious of the numerous possibilities that digital art presents, which include gaining online popularity, establishing a business, or even forming a community around themselves.
After the pandemic and the resulting job loss, digital art has gained significant recognition in the entertainment industry. Additionally, the rise of small businesses, online work platforms, and cryptocurrencies has further highlighted the various marketing opportunities available for digital art.
If you have a purely creative background, looking at your art might feel like a long and difficult journey. However, there’s no need to fret because we are here to assist you. This article will provide a highly useful guide on selling digital art, even if you lack sales experience or are just beginning.
About Yourself
Although it may not sound appealing, it is crucial to take a moment and consider yourself.
- What kind of artist are you?
- What do you want to do with your art?
- Do you want it to be a side hustle? Or do you want it to be a full-time business?
The best marketing and sales strategies for your art depend on the type of art you create. If you are a designer, targeting websites, brands, and selling designs as stock images might be the most suitable approach for you.
If you happen to be a photographer, then the ideal options for you could be selling prints, stock images, and collaborating with a print-on-demand service. Alternatively, if you are a concept artist, your audience might be interested in purchasing prints, stickers, tutorials, or even the brushes you utilize.
And that is another crucial issue.
Do you possess an audience? If so, are you aware of what your audience is seeking?
To initiate selling your art, it is important to engage actively on social media and understand your target audience. Your art enthusiasts and closest followers are likely to be your potential buyers or supporters, so do not hesitate to inquire about their preferences. The response you receive may pleasantly surprise you.
If there is a situation where you lack an audience, it could be due to your limited activity on social media or being new to the digital art industry. However, do not let this become a problem and continue reading to discover the optimal method for generating income from your creations.
Here are the best methods for selling digital art on the internet.
1. Commissions and General Support
Commissions
The most common way for artists to start selling their art is through commission art, which does not require a large following. Even beginners can sell commissions to anyone online, with platforms like Behance, Art Station, Dribbble, and Deviant Art being the popular places to showcase and offer artwork for sale.
The crucial aspect of commission work is promoting your art to attract the specific type of commissions you are seeking to sell.
For example, let’s say you want to take commissions on character art. Then make a few samples of your own characters or making some fan art would help you not only show your art style but calculate the approximate price you want to put on your commissions.
In addition to social and selling platforms, it is advisable to give thought to establishing your own website as a platform for showcasing your items. Several website builders for artists are available to aid in accomplishing this task.
If you are committed to your work in the long run, it is always better to own your own domain. Even though hosting on a platform’s subdomain may be free, you do not have ownership and there is always a risk of losing it.
Considering that the price is an important aspect of commission work and can be quite challenging, we suggest creating a few art samples of the desired type for commission. By doing so, you can determine the amount of time required to make each sample.
By following a systematic approach, you can rephrase the given text while keeping the meaning unchanged. Remember not to add new information or remove any existing information. To begin, utilize a basic hourly rate to determine the foundation price. Afterwards, additional charges can be applied for factors like level of intricacy, speed of delivery, or purpose of use. You have the option to undertake commissioned projects on social media channels like Twitter or Instagram, or alternatively, utilize external platforms such as DeviantArt or Ko-Fi.
2. Fan Base Support
Using platforms such as Patreon, Ko-Fi, or Buy me a Coffee is an alternate method to sell your art and generate income from your content.
By offering exclusive content for a small fee, you can ensure that your fans will follow you and show their support in this manner.
Merchandise is the latest addition among the many things that can be offered on certain platforms. These platforms provide a print on demand service, allowing you to send merchandise to your most loyal supporters for a small portion of your total income. While there are some conditions, this is still an excellent method to not only sell your art, but also expand your fan-base and engage with your audience.
3. Create an e-Commerce Art Shop on your Own Website
If you already have your own website or online art portfolio but do not want to involve a third party marketplace, you have the option to sell your work on your own website. Selling your work in an online gallery or anywhere else still requires you to have your own website or online portfolio.
The design of your website should serve as a display for potential buyers and fans of your artwork, reflecting your artistic style and showcasing your best quality work. Furthermore, it should accurately represent your brand in a virtual form.
4. Consider Print-On-Demand Products
Print on demand websites are platforms that are growing in popularity for artists and designers to earn money from their artwork. By uploading a high-quality image of your artwork, you can have it printed on various items. The advantage is that the website handles all the necessary steps after you have submitted your work.
5. Get Social Media Savvy
For independent artists, art marketing is an important part of selling your artwork especially online. The art world is saturated with fine artists trying to do the same thing. You’ll find that it’s a lot easier to sell your work to an existing audience.
If you utilize social media to connect and interact with individuals who have a keen interest in your artistic talent and are already motivated by your Instagram page, you will have an attentive group of people who are eager to make purchases.
Utilize various social media platforms like Blogs, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even TikTok to share additional information about your recently created or ongoing art projects. However, be cautious as excessive self-promotion typically does not result in increased sales.
By providing insights into your artistic process and sharing personal details about yourself and your art studio, you can establish a sense of authenticity and establish a bond of trust and confidence with your audience. Revealing the experiences or influences that inspired your pieces can help your audience understand your artistic vision and connect with your work on a deeper level.
6. Know your Worth, And How To Price your Art Accordingly
In order to properly price your art, it is crucial to conduct research on different approaches, ensuring that you avoid undervaluing or overvaluing your artwork.
If you are new to selling your work and have no prior experience, it might be beneficial for you to utilize an art pricing formula as a starting point instead of arbitrarily determining prices. As you gain experience, you can make necessary modifications to the formula.
There are several online tools available that can assist you in determining a price for your artwork, such as the Free Art Calculator app. It is a valuable tool to have, even though it may not be completely precise, as it serves as an excellent starting point.
By specifying the dimensions, medium, and artistic approach of your artwork, you can instantly determine its price. It may be necessary to make certain modifications to the price, either higher or lower. Additionally, please note that the prices mentioned are in US dollars, thus if you are located outside the US, currency conversion will be required.
7. Make Professionalism a Priority
To ensure customers’ trust and confidence in purchasing your products online, it is crucial to have a highly secure eCommerce store that can accept payments securely. Additionally, it is important to ensure the payment process is both easy and secure. Moreover, it is essential to abide by the policies regarding returns and refunds of goods.
It is important to consider that you should not begin selling until you have figured out your approach to packaging and shipping. Additionally, ensure that you have a clear understanding of the destinations to which you are willing to ship. For accepting online payments, it is recommended to use PayPal as it seamlessly integrates with nearly every platform and website builder. Moreover, setting up and using PayPal is both free and straightforward.
8. Get to Know the Legal Side of Things
In order to sell art online, it is important to have knowledge of and comply with the laws and regulations concerning the buying, selling, and trading of artwork. Our Resources Library provides helpful websites, courses, and books to aid in this understanding. Additionally, it is crucial to comprehend your own intellectual property rights.
If you came across someone on the internet who is selling your artwork as their own, do you know what actions to take? You can find valuable information from A-N insurance’s website, as well as the Business and IP Centre at the British library and ArtLaw. These sources offer numerous resources and free legal advice specifically tailored for artists.
9. Know your Customer
In order to effectively target online art consumers, it is crucial to comprehend their identity and preferences. It is essential to identify and understand the specific audience you are aiming to attract and their desired requirements. Take note of compliments received for your work and keep a close watch on your social media presence.
Which posts receive the highest number of comments, likes, and shares? Are you repeatedly receiving feedback on the same art pieces? These are indications that these particular art pieces are the ones that sell the most to the people who are most likely to buy them.
10. Describe your Artwork with The Love you Put Into It
Lastly, the reason you are probably here is because you want to increase virtual sales, therefore it is crucial to effectively convey the worth of your products to online customers, as you do not have the opportunity to engage with them face-to-face like you would at art fairs or artist markets.
By connecting with people online and sharing the stories and inspiration behind your art, as well as discussing the process and materials used, you could effectively enhance their understanding of the artwork’s quality and value and establish yourself as the artist responsible for it.
