Knowing how to sell your own artwork is crucial if you want to pursue a career as a professional artist. Unless, of course, you’re best friends with a Guggenheim. For those of us who are not, these 10 tips for selling art can help us transition from a hobby artist to a professional artist.
If you’ve never sold your art, these tips will help you sell your first painting. If you’ve sold plenty of art, these tips may provide some fresh ideas to help you sell more. Plus, you’ll learn how to create art that sells.
1. Share Your Personal Story
Share your story of becoming an artist and how art has changed you. Tell people about who you are and what you stand for. Describe what inspired you to create your art. This is the best way to sell your art.
When someone connects with your artwork, they often want to continue fostering that connection. It helps them to justify their painting purchase. By sharing your personal story, you provide more opportunities for collectors to connect with you on a personal level, endearing them even more to your work.
Have you ever bought another artist’s work? Most of us buy (or want to buy) from someone we’ve connected with—whether through social media, in person at art shows, or elsewhere. Connecting with both the artist and the artwork makes the experience unforgettable. Human connection magnifies beauty.
2. Create Your Own Website
As a professional artist, you’re also a business owner. You must develop a sense of pride in your selling process. A website is a must in today’s digital era and makes your work more available to a wider range of people. This may seem obvious, yet many artists have not made the investment of time and money to start selling art online.
Selling art in a gallery isn't the only way to generate sales. A website enables you to sell your work to audiences that have never met you. You may even sell your art without even having a conversation with a buyer. There are collectors out there who truly prefer this method!
A personal website, overall, is a huge asset to a successful art career. With your digital storefront, you can sell your art anywhere and anytime.
3. Keep Sold Art on Your Website
Keeping the artwork you have already sold—either on your website or in person—can actually aid in the sale of your other artwork. This lets the collector know that you are reputable, people have purchased your work before, and your art is worth its price.
Leaving sold work on display also shows the collector what they’ve missed out on in the past and creates a sense of urgency to buy the art they’re interested in before someone else does. It gives them a reason not to wait, a subconscious time limit that can be to your advantage.
4. Seek New Venues to Multiply Sales
With increased exposure comes increased sales. When you show your art in multiple venues, you expose it to more people, which will eventually lead to more sales.
Weekend art shows typically draw larger crowds than lengthy exhibitions, but both options expose your art to more potential collectors.
Try to find art shows and exhibitions that fit your style and brand. Even a handful of shows in a year could significantly boost your art business!
5. Have a Cohesive Brand
How do you sell your artwork over and over again? A clearly defined brand is essential to effectively promote your work. A solid handle on your personal brand will help with marketing to the right people in the right way.
Research the different brand archetypes, and work on building your brand around the archetype that fits you best. Use words strategically to entice your audience.
Your brand is not your work; it’s who you are as an artist. A cohesive, consistent brand does not limit your work. It doesn’t mean your art can never evolve or change—quite the contrary, actually. Your work will always be a reflection of who you are, an extension of your brand.
6. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Ever wonder what makes certain websites pop up first when you do a Google search? The answer is search engine optimization (SEO).
SEO is a strategic process of improving your website to increase its ranking and visibility in search results. Search engines consider hundreds of factors—both on-page (what you see) and off-page (the technical behind-the-scenes aspects of the website)—to determine what a web page is about, the quality of the content, and which websites are the best sources of information for specific search queries.
If your website ranks at the top of search results, you’ll gain more visitors who are genuinely interested in your work. This is called “organic traffic”. You can learn how to implement SEO strategies yourself (learn more about SEO for artists here) or you can hire a professional. Either way, effective SEO can be a game changer for selling art in 2024.
7. Leverage Social Media Platforms
Social media is a powerful tool for artists to showcase their work, connect with a broader audience, and potentially attract buyers. Utilize platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to share your art regularly, engage with your followers, and participate in relevant art communities like the Milan Art Community.
To generate interest in your artwork, post content like:
- Countdowns to your gallery shows or a new series release
- Product previews
- Behind-the-scenes photos from your art studio
- Videos of the creative process
- Tips for potential collectors or others in the art world (e.g. how to choose quality oil paint)
- Tutorials (e.g. how to draw human hands or paint a textured background)
Consistency and authenticity in your online presence can significantly contribute to building a loyal following and increasing your chances of selling your art. Your social media platform is an ideal place to share your personal story and increase brand awareness.
8. Participate in Art Shows and Exhibitions
Explore opportunities to showcase your artwork at local art shows, galleries, and exhibitions. Participating in these events not only exposes your art to a wider audience but also allows you to network with other artists and potential buyers. Be prepared with professional presentation materials, business cards, and a captivating display to make a lasting impression. These events can open doors to collaborations, commissions, and direct sales.
Think outside the box and pay attention when you’re out in public. Local establishments like restaurants, banks, and health clinics sometimes welcome local artists to showcase their work. It’s a win-win because you get exposure and the venue gets free decor.
9. Offer Limited Editions or Prints
Expand your market by offering limited edition prints or reproductions of your original artwork. This allows you to reach a broader audience with varying budget ranges.
Limited editions create a sense of exclusivity, encouraging potential buyers to make a purchase before the prints run out. Ensure that the quality of the prints meets high standards to maintain the integrity of your artistic brand. Additionally, clearly communicate the limited nature of these editions to create a sense of urgency among buyers.
Check out these five tips for pricing your paintings to help you determine your asking price.
10. Stay Positive
Artists can be dramatic. We criticize our work with the sharpest knives, digging in, ripping it apart piece by piece. This is not a helpful tactic when it comes to selling your artwork.
People may relate to pain and criticism, but they don’t want to be reminded of that pain and criticism every time they look at a painting. When you talk about your paintings, leave out your own criticism or any negativity. Instead, look at everything you love about it and find a positive message in the piece.
People want hope and light. They want to be surrounded by uplifting things. Let your artwork and your story be one of those things.
The 1 Thing You Need Before You Sell Your Art
Before you can sell art, you need to create art. How do you know if your art is sellable? In How to Create Authentic Art That Sells, you’ll learn about trending subjects and colors, how to meaningfully and authentically connect cultural indicators to your art, and how to anticipate future trends so you can ensure more art sales. Start creating sellable artwork by downloading this free ebook today.
In today’s art market, anyone can become a successful professional artist. There are so many ways to improve your art-selling game. A combination of great branding, story-telling, website hacks, diversifying and expanding your market, and staying positive are helpful ways to sell paintings.
Start with these tips for selling art and keep adding to the list with things you learn as you go along. Go after your passion and make art your profession!
COMMENTS