Not so long ago, people thought that there was no money in art degrees, but that’s definitely not true now. The rise of the internet and technology has helped artists expand their careers and business opportunities. It gives them a whole new platform that is equal ground to both novice and veteran artists.
More than just expanding their reach, artists now have a variety of options that they can pursue. It doesn’t necessarily have to be selling art or making Facebook posts for companies. For those who want to make a living out of their talent, here are some things that you can do.
Connect artists to publishers
A career as an artist isn’t just about making individual artworks, but it can also mean working alongside writers. Visual novels and comics are becoming more and more popular, and many people would pay good money for good art and story. Nowadays, publishers can look through the various artists online and get in touch with them to do illustrations for their books. It could be for an art book, a self-made children’s picture book, or a cover for a doujinshi.
It’s not uncommon for publishers to reach out to artists they want to work with online. This is why showcasing your work online is so valuable. What’s great about this method is that they can reach out even to those in foreign countries. The internet has made it much easier for you to reach out to potential clients without having to physically move.
Marketing platform for traditional artists
It’s not all about digital art. There is still a huge market for traditional artworks, and you can further increase your sales through online promotions. You can take pictures of paintings and sculptures that you have done and post it on your social media. Naturally, this relies heavily on having a good following.
If you really want to grow your art empire, then you can learn more about the process of digital marketing. It teaches you how to grow your followers and increase sales all through social media platforms. You can optimize your personal portfolio and posts to make sure that it reaches the right audiences. The only major difficulty you will be facing is shipping, especially if you catch the eye of someone from another country.
Being able to take quality photos is key in this kind of business. Reports say that 92 percent of art buyers consider the quality of the image and the amount of information provided online as two of the most important factors that they consider. It’s best to have as many details available to help them visualize better. Aside from the prices, this can include the size of artwork delivery details.
Turning art into merchandise
For those with a talent for crafts, you can try turning your works of art into merchandise. It doesn’t even have to be complicated. Even stickers or laminated key chains would make good business ventures. If you don’t know how to do it yourself, you can partner with a third-party establishment that will do the printing for you.
This is actually a popular choice for many as more and more artist marketplaces pop up. In fact, Etsy, one of the top platforms for hand-made items, already has over a million active sellers. These range from anything between key chains to engagement rings. A lot of people come here to buy cheap and low-cost items.
An additional service that you can provide is customized or commissioned work. This has actually become a main source of income for many because personalized work will cost more. When doing this, make sure that you always accept a down payment first to prevent yourself from being scammed. There are some clients that tend to haggle the prices, but you must stay firm with your pricing.
Sell their knowledge
For those that have a good following and artworks posted, one thing that you can do is make your own tutorial service. Lots of people are looking for guidance and help with making art. Not only is this a great way to earn money, you can also give back to the art community by helping budding artists.
There are different ways that you can do art tutorials. The most common is through Youtube videos, but you can do it in places like DeviantArt as well. Some even have their own custom website that gives tips and suggestions on creating art.
