What Art Major Makes The Most Money

There's a common stereotype that fashioning good money as an artist is most impossible.

At to the lowest degree not while you're alive.

That might have been true in the days of Vincent Van Gogh and Johannes Vermeer.

But definitely not the case in today's vibrant digital age when edifice a solid follower (and client!) base is more than realistic.

So if you're a original person, we read—congratulations! You posterior turn your talent into a remunerative occupation that brings you both fame and money.

Start away considering these 8 active and passive income ideas for artists.

1. Marketing art on Instagram

Instagram has get on the No. 1 ethnical media platform for artists and art lovers. That's great news for offse creatives because you don't need to climb the social ladder and wait for big-gens critics to call the shots. Instead, you can connect with buyers across the globe happy to pay for your work.

There's a catch, though.

It all comes down to how many engaged followers you have—the more popular your Instagram account, the higher the demand for your art. So if you feel ilk you could gather more followers, start at that place.

We've already covered the commercial lateral of using Instagram for boosting gross sales in 9 simple tips. When selling art on Instagram, follow these additional tips:

Post high-stepping-choice images
When photographing your artwork, choose a clean background and natural fooling
Cling to your unified vogue or brand—find a certain filter, hashtag, language, etc. that represents you and your fine art
Write creative captions that tell a story
Use relevant hashtags (that correspond to keywords representing your artistic creation)
Write an attractive bio (IT's the only place where followers can mouse click on a link)
Post on a regular basis (at to the lowest degree doubly per week)

Large! Whenever someone sends you a content showing interest in your work, redirect them to your gross sales page or Sellfy computer storage.

Christian Maté Grab is a filmmaker, photographer, and traveller who sells Lightroom Presets and LUTs. Atomic number 2 promotes his Selly store in his Instagram profile bio. Image Source

Pros

Away selling on Instagram, you're shooting two birds with one stone—you showcase and promote your work while guiding the buyers into your sales funnel.

Cons

You probably won't receive world-shattering income right gone, especially if your follower base is still not large.

2. Teaching art online or face-to-face

If you are the proactive and extrovert type of artist, finding students shouldn't be a problem. Merely primary, you have to establish which type of precept will be more suitable for you.

Precept expression-to-face

If you take a closer look, you'll probably find that your neighborhood offers opportunities for making some money with art. Even better if you have an attractive niche like astrophotography, calligraphy or street photography.

Some ideas on how you can contribute to the social life history of your biotic community while gaining experience and earning money:

Offer painting (or whatever your strength is) classes or one-Clarence Day workshops to adults, kids OR high-schoolers in your local anesthetic community nitty-gritty
Direct an exhibition incomparable or invite other artists to participate
Offer short, reciprocal art workshops for corporate events and parties
Direct "quetch air" painting workshops in nature

Teaching online

Teaching online courses can be a better option for stretch a wider audience. However, tutoring various hoi polloi at the same time will equal much more indocile online than boldness-to-face.

Other option is to turn your instruction into a form of inactive income. You'll have to prepare the material at one time, and it throne bring you income justified for several months or years.

Some shipway how you can become an online art tutor:

Trade courses on platforms like Udemy and Skillshare
Betray guides and tutorials on your own web site Oregon Sellfy page (these buttocks pack whatsoever form – video tutorials, ebooks, whole step-by-step guides with images, etc.)
Create your own YouTube channel to give weekly lessons on different techniques (we've already explained that selling tutorials on YouTube is well-off Eastern Samoa soon as you learn the basic principles of this process)

For example, St. James the Apostl Gurney has combined the closing ii teaching options by giving drawing and painting lessons to over 79,000 hoi polloi on his YouTube channel and selling more encompassing tutorials on his Sellfy page .

James Gurney doesn't rightful Edward Teach house painting in and of itself. He has chosen a specialisation that differentiates him from the competition—painting dinosaurs.

Pros

A great way of earning money doing what you already know – and sexual love.
An exciting process that wish also include a lot of encyclopedism for yourself.

Cons

A round-eyed templet is non going to cost substantial amounts – especially if the competition is fierce. To piss it more valuable, make your guide very detailed or specialized.
Creating a course of study tail end be complicated and time-consuming, so arm yourself with patience.

3. Selling transmitter designs on Sellfy

If you take over a knack for graphic design, there's a whole sunrise spectrum of spry and passive income types you can make use of.

Selling vector designs might make up one of the Best ways for you to wee money as an artist while realizing your creative potential.

Connected Sellfy, you can trade all kinds of artworks, from illustrations, logo designs, icon packs, character designs, along with various opposite types of graphics and templates. Your opportunities aren't limited to visual arts—you can also deal out music online , offer ebooks, knitting patterns, etc.

The unsurpassable part? Putting a product on cut-rate sale takes no more than 5 minutes.

Pros

An effortless and quick way to pee your appendage nontextual matter easy purchasable.
Away oblation different designs and uploading new products regularly, you can generate a steady passive income stream.

Cons

Putting your digital products on sale South Korean won't be enough. You'll still have to market them to boost sales. Fortuitously, the Sellfy platform offers merchandising tools that help with this: netmail marketing, upsell, discounts, etc.

4. Applying for grants and competitions

Many world programs, section communities operating theater non-profit organizations offer grants for artists. The aim of these is either to support young artists, promote culture Beaver State address a particular problem . Other times local institutions need actual pieces of art to decorate new buildings operating theatre give a nice touch to an event.

How to apply to these programs?

Try a simple online search like "grants for artists" Beaver State "artist contests". To narrow-minded the search down, you can add your taxon country, state operating room city. You will credibly find at the least several contests or programs that you are eligible to enter and deliver the goods hard cash or other prizes, and the chance to show your work.

Also, be sure to follow the news on social media and your aesthetic or professional circles, like the university, creative person association operating theatre NGO.

Pros

Some grants and prizes can be substantial and so pay you a chance to induct in New materials, skills, etc.
Ane of the go-to-meeting ways to gain exposure and recognition for your work, as the participants and winners will be mentioned in the confirmed publications and media, seen by exhibition visitors, etc.

Cons

Not a steadfast and tried means of income, as the grants and contests are not regular (and you won't always win).

5. Earning passive income by selling wall art

Painters, illustrators , designers, graphic artists and even sculptors can earn money aside selling high-quality prints or copies of their function.

There are two ways how you can turn your art into high-quality posters:

Digitize your artwork with the help of professional photography OR scanning
Use Adobe Illustrator or another written design program to create posters in a printable format

Some ideas on how to sell wall up art:

Deal out integer copies on Sellfy leaving the printing go with to the customer
Use one of many mark-on-need websites that leave print and ship the posters for you
Offer your art to your multiethnic media followers OR set up an online shop on Facebook
Set high a shop on Etsy, one of the biggest international platforms for selling fine art and handicrafts
Sell photos from your portfolio website

Pros

This case of gig makes your art procurable to fans who may not follow able to pay for an pilot man, allowing you to diversify your butt audience.
A convenient form of passive income that can bring you earnings for an unlimited clock time.

Cons

Small earnings per piece mean that you'll have to sell many to clear a fair add up.

6. Selling other ware with your art

The easiest way to beat your artistic production printed along tangible products is using a mark-on-demand, surgery drop shipping military service. This type of service will take like of printing, promotional material, branding, and shipping of your custom products to your customers. Some well-known print-on-exact services are Society6, Zazzle, and Printful.

Some merchandise you can sell with your art on it:

Wedding invitations, party decorations, etc.
Greeting cards (Christmas, Birthday, Thanksgiving, etc.)
Diaries, journals, planners
T-shirts, hoodies, kids wearing apparel
Pillowcases, towels, and other home decors
Phone cases, mugs, and other souvenirs or gifts

Pros

A pleasant and hassle-free elbow room to earn money by creating a real-life product.

Cons

A significant cut (~25%) of your earnings will attend the print-on-demand service.

7. Seeking commissions for original work

Commissions are a popular strategy that many beginning artists and illustrators potty use to make money—some online and offline.

The best place to start is by showcasing your work connected your societal media. Don't forget to mention in your bio that you accept commissions—constitute it portraits, esthetic photo sessions, or whatsoever separate make of art.

With whatever luck, your first customers will spread the word, and your next clients will glide path you themselves.

Alternatively, these online platforms unite artists and people who want to commission portraits Beaver State other artwork:

Artfinder
Artists&A;Clients
ArtCorgi
Art Delight

Not sure how such to charge?

Start by determination multitude WHO are on a similar skill level to you, and see what they consign. Alternatively, undergo your average hourly rate, multiply IT by the approximate number of hours needed to complete the chore and add the price of the materials used.

Note that original work tends to deal out for way higher than prints, thus use this every bit an statement when explaining the price to your customers.

Pros

Earning a living from selling your master copy work is the dream of every artist, right?

Cons

It can be complicated to deal with some customers, and you won't deflect dealing with them like you would when selling your prints online.

8. Writing an art blog

It's real that artists are usually more into visuals than words. Withal, thanks to online courses and guides present anyone posterior become a author. Likewise, your web log hindquarters be richer in imagery than words. For lesson, if you Blackbeard your readers a particular picture technique, the texts will only have to support the visuals and explain the actions pictured.

So, if you wear't resent piece of writing altogether, hither are more or less ideas for an prowess blog:

Tips or tutorials on how to accomplish the best result in your master technique
Reviews of new art supplies
Opinion articles about new art trends and movements
Interviews with local artists
Reports along newfangled exhibitions and galleries
Tips about freelancing as an illustrator
Make videos showing how you rouge, and then share written tips active it

You might be speculative:

This is great, only how do I earn money from it?

At that place are many ways to earn unneeded income aside blogging. Or s of the most common ones are affiliate marketing, cashed ads, creating commissioned reviews and promoting your other products via your blog. Get out more virtually how to earn with blogging in this clause.

Note! Your art blog and your portfolio are two contrastive things. In your portfolio, you should flaunt your artwork, discuss yourself and mention how to order your services. However, in your art blog, you lurch the focus to the reader and produce useful substance about various topics. Portfolio and blog can be merged into one website only should have separate sections.

Lisa Glanz's blog is an excellent example of combining useful content for the lector and promoting the artist's personal products.

Pros

In your blog, you'll have straight-out opportunities to express yourself, share your public opinion and interact with your fans.

Cons

Unless you deal blogging like a full-clock time job, you probably won't realise enough to score a living.
Blogging can be time-consuming and yield results only in the long term.

9. Selling art on Etsy

Have you been looking for a manner to sell art online? Separate from Sellfy, Etsy is another option. This mart gives you the chance to showcase your artwork to a wider object audience and take your business enterprise to the next level . Hundreds of Sellers have been able to wee-wee a steady income by selling on Etsy.

What makes this marketplace so pop is that you can sell almost anything creative and tasteful:

Jewelry and accessories
Clothing
Surround interior decoration
Sensory system arts
Art &A; collectibles

Not only is Etsy known as a rank for finding unique handmade items, but also for awesome digital art. Etsy's diversity attracts different types of customers to their marketplace, which can really work in your favor.

selling art on Etsy

The LigaKandele shop features handwriting-painted silk scarves happening Etsy ⁠—a pretty singular way to earn money as an artist!

Pros

Relatively easy to set aside up if you don't take up a website.
Offering free shipping rump give you a significant advantage—your items volition rank higher.

Cons

Harder to endure exterior among competitors. The best fashio to beat the tough competition and get noticed is to sell niche nontextual matter.
Etsy has a transaction fee of 5% on each sale.

10. Selling digital art on Creative Market

Spell Etsy lets you sell both corporal and non-physical goods, Creative Market is a marketplace that is meant for selling digital art particularly. It narrows down the target audience but attracts customers specifically looking digital assets.

Examples of what you can deal on Creative Market:

WordPress themes
Clip art
Stock picture taking
Templates
Fonts
Clientele and premade blog logos
Branding kits
Lightroom presets
Illustrations

So, if you have a hang for graphic innovation, why non try it out? For tips on computer graphic design tools, feel free to manoeuvre over to our web log post connected 17 graphical design tools all designer should use .

selling on Creative Market

The nigh hot WordPress themes sold on Creative Marketplace are delivery in rather an income for the sellers.

Pros

Easier to get through your target audience as the platform is rattling popular for appendage art.
Adroit and simple seller's interface.

Cons

USD is the only currency, which might be inconvenient if your business isn't registered in the US.
Yeasty Market takes a 40% commission on each product sale.

11. Selling canvas fabric paintings along Saatchi Art

Contempt the popularity of member art connected the internet, fine artistry is noneffervescent considered to stimulate more value than integer art pieces. Why? Because traditional art cannot be easily reproduced.

Since canvas paintings are handmade, they're unfeignedly unique pieces of art. If you're skilled with a encounter, you could sell paintings to homeowners looking for timeless pieces to fall on their walls.

For example, you could try selling your study paintings happening an online locus like Saatchi Art. One time you've set raised an account, you can start promoting on social media. When a customer makes a buy up, you'll have an email confirmation of the sale.

The succeeding step would constitute to pack the artwork, print tabu the merchant vessels documents, and helping hand it over to the courier happening the united pick-up date.

selling canvas paintings on Saatchi Art

As you can attend, Saatchi Art's featured paintings are priced quite piping. Yours could equal upwards at that place too!

Pros

You can make over an account for detached.
If you don't want to trade original pieces, you can also sell prints of your original whole caboodle connected Saatchi.

Cons

You volition follow liable for packing and shipping your own nontextual matter pieces according to the requirements by Saatchi Fine art.
Saatchi takes a 30% commission on each sale.

12. Earning income with YouTube art tutorials

If wadding and shipping or merchandising happening an online marketplace is not your affair, perchance filming artistry tutorials or speed painting videos is. With over a cardinal users, YouTube is the faultless platform for promoting your artistic talent.

Video tutorials are highly wanted after as people love sense modality learning. All you pauperism is cinematography equipment and a willingness to put yourself prohibited there for the existence to attend.

To pose noticed on YouTube, here are a fewer steps you can take:

Define your ecological niche and fair game hearing
Research keywords and your competitors
Upload at the least twice a week, if not more

For filming, you can exercise a smartphone, DSLR or video television camera. Urinate sure that there's enough light in the elbow room when you'Ra filming.

Obscure from artistic production tutorials and speed house painting videos, you give the axe also:

Film art supplies reviews
Start a vlog of your life atomic number 3 an artist

earning income with YouTube art tutorials

Pypah's Art channel grew wildly favourite with populate interested in digital nontextual matter tutorials.

Pros

You give the axe become an online authority and influencer in your niche.
With high quality videos, there's huge potential for gaining subscribers and becoming best-selling.

Cons

A challenge if you're camera-unconfident.
Filming and editing can be quite time-consuming.

13. Selling at artistic production fairs, conventions, or festivals

Earning money with your warmth doesn't always make to cost done online. In fact, going local can also embody a great way to betray art if you're able to unite with the right people.

Although a life-size percentage of young people love life online shopping, more or less still prefer seeing items personally (much as the old) before making a buy.

So if your neck of the woods happens to be extra mutual and engaging, you're in chance. The best way to head start would represent to search for local art fairs or festivals in your expanse.

Once you've registered for one, make a point you bring:

Business card game with your brand name operating theater logo
Items to decorate and individualise your booth
Ready-to-be-sold artwork operating theatre handcrafted items

selling at art fairs and festivals

Selling at fairs or festivals gives you a chance to case your art and meet likely customers opposite!

Pros

If people making love your products, your name testament likely bring you local fame.
A potential manner to increase your sales within one day if the light-haired is large and attracts a lot of populate.

Cons

Lower chances of earning if the fair doesn't get sufficiency visitors (however, you can still give your contact entropy — someone might still decide to make a buy in later).
Your natural science presence will equal required for the smooth duration of the fair. This could stand for fetching a break from school or a day off from work (if you have a regular task).

Don't sell yourself short

Your freelance prowess career is your adventure and a chance to pursue your dream up. So even if the results aren't impressive opportune away, be patient and don't sell yourself short meantime.

The Golden Rule is this:

Always have several incomes. That way, if one of the areas is experiencing problems or doesn't bring steady earnings, you buttocks safely rely on other sources of income. Ideally, make predestined that at to the lowest degree ane of those is a origin of supine income .

If you'd like to know Thomas More shipway for artists to make money and read detailed tips for earning with your original products, download our ebook $1000 from 1000 subscribers.