If you’re an artist, I’m going to show you how to sell your art online and make money in 2023.
As an artist myself, I can tell you that it’s possible to make a living from your art. The great thing about the time we live in is that no matter what your skill, there’s someone out there who’s willing to pay for your work.
Whether you take photographs, make jewelry, or create knit or crochet pieces, there’s money out there to be made.
Below, I’m sharing my favorite websites and resources for making money selling your art.
If you’re looking for business ideas for artists, make sure you read our post sharing 60 Creative Home Business Ideas for Women.
Important Note! I won’t be covering the legalities of starting your business; however, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have a Terms and Conditions for your business. I highly recommend The Contract Shop for attorney-approved Terms and Conditions. This is one of the BEST ways to protect your business!
Etsy
Etsy is an online marketplace where people sell handmade, vintage, and craft items. I think that Etsy is the best online marketplace for selling your art. Not only is Etsy attractive and easy to use, but the platform has millions of monthly users. That means there’s a built-in audience for you to promote and sell your products to.
Additionally, when you have an Etsy shop, you can use Etsy to advertise your products in the Etsy search results as well as other pages on the Etsy platform. What I love about Etsy ads is that you can advertise your products for as little as $1 a day.
Start an Art Blog
As a blogger myself, I can tell you that starting your own art blog is one of the best things you can do as an artist. You can use your blog to sell your latest products, get to know your customers and potential customers, and so much more.
UPDATE: Bluehost has a great deal! If you purchase your hosting through Bluehost for just $3.95 a month, they’ll give you a free domain name. I recommend following my step-by-step tutorial for setting up your blog, installing your beautiful WordPress theme, and more.
Along with selling your art, you can also use your blog to earn a commission promoting other people’s products. This is called affiliate marketing.
For example, if you make jewelry you can write a blog post on how to clean jewelry. Within that post, you can include a referral link to your favorite jewelry cleaner on Amazon. Whenever someone clicks on your referral link and buys a qualifying product on Amazon, you’ll earn a small commission.
Artfinder
Artfinder is an online art marketplace that allows you to sell your original artwork. Artfinder is great for anyone who wants to sell paintings, photography, sculptures, and digital art.
One thing that’s different about Artfinder compared to other online marketplaces is that you have to apply to be a seller on the platform. This helps ensure that customers are purchasing high-quality original artwork from real people.
Artfinder offers three seller plans, and the monthly fee for using the platform ranges from $0-$12. Additionally, they deduct a 33% or 40% commission on each art piece you sell.
Start a YouTube Channel
YouTube is an amazing platform for putting yourself out there as an artist. If you’re a drawing artist, for example, you can create draw with me videos, drawing tutorial videos, and more. Within each video or video description, make sure you’re pointing your viewers to your online shop or another way for people to buy your work.
As you channel grows, you will also be able to make money by doing sponsored videos or earning money through Google Adsense.
Patreon
If you decide to start a YouTube channel, joining Patreon could be a great next step for you. As an artist, you’ll make money on Patreon via monthly subscriptions from your supporters. This fee will give them access to exclusive content and a behind-the-scenes look at your creative process.
With the Lite plan, you’ll pay 5% of the monthly income you earn on Patreon. They also have a Pro and Premium plan. Additionally, there is also a payment processing fee that ranges from 2.9%-5%.
Zazzle
Zazzle is an online marketplace that allows graphic designers and illustrators to easily upload their designs to t-shirts, mugs, invitations, and so much more on Zazzle.
Once you upload your design to Zazzle, they will handle the rest. From printing the design on the products, to getting everything shipped out to the customer.
Other platforms that work similarly to Zazzle are:
- Printful (can be connected to an Etsy shop)
- CafePress
- Society6
- Teespring
Shopify
Shopify is a popular online e-commerce platform. Because Shopify requires more work in order to market your online store, I recommend setting up a Shopify store in conjunction with having a blog or YouTube channel. This will make it easier to direct customers to your online store.
Although Shopify does require more work on the promotional front, I will say that the platform is quite easy to use, which is a big plus in my book.
Shopify offers a free 14-day trial, no credit card required and plans start at $29 a month.
If you can build up a loyal following, Instagram can be a great place to sell your art. The only thing you’ll need is a way to collect payments. Some options for collecting payments are PayPal, Stripe, and CashApp.
Think Outside the Box
There are other ways to make money as an artist besides selling your art. Did you know that there’s money to be made in teaching others your knowledge? You can create an online course teaching others how to do what you do.
A popular platform for selling creative courses is Skillshare. Skillshare is an online course marketplace. On the platform, artists are sell courses teaching students photography, watercolor painting, and more.
More Ways to Make Money as an Artist
If you’re looking for additional ways to make money with your art, check out these helpful articles: