Artpreneur 101: A Beginner’s Journey to Selling Art Online

As an artist, earning money and feeding your family is more challenging than you might think. If you are using art as a business, you have to be as cunning as how creative you are. And the best idea for running a successful art business is to shift it online. 

You can explore different platforms and sites that suit your requirements and start selling art online for beginners. In the USA alone, the global online art market size was estimated at USD 9.18 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.0% from 2023 to 2030.

With these statistics, you might have gotten an idea of how big this online art market trend is. To be a part of it, read the article till the end to learn how to sell your art over the web.

How to Start Selling Art Online?

This section will be your step-by-step guide to how you can sell your first art piece online. Whether you are an independent artist or a corporate designer, these steps are worth your attention:

The term “create or curate” is used whether you want to create your original art pieces or not. If you are a professional artist, you can obviously portray your ideas on a canvas. But, if you have good taste in art pieces, you can be the marketer for those artists who do not have the talent to market or sell their work. 

With an agreed percentage of commission, it would be a win-win situation for both parties. Being a curator, you can run your skills in digital marketing or leverage online marketplaces such as Amazon, etc.

Now that you have chosen to be a curator or a creator, start working on your projects. As an artist, you must be aware of the supplies and essentials that it takes to make a masterpiece. However, as a curator, you must be aware of the nature of the work and the audience that needs to be targeted. 

Before entering the grounds of the online marketplace, it is necessary to go through some paperwork. One of many paramount criteria is to establish a business entity that resonates with your work in the eyes of the law. You will be needing a name, a well-crafted website, and a complete company setup.

This way, you can enjoy all the protection laws and benefits provided by authorities.

Removing plagiarism completely is almost impossible. There might still be some scope for your artwork to be copied or stolen by any other entity. However, what is in your hands is using the copyright claims that the law has provided you.

For both authentic marketplaces and artists, copycat websites are a pain in the ears. That is why, in such cases, you should consider seeking copyright assistance before it gets too late. 

The next step is to finally list your work on various online platforms, where people with good taste in art seek some fresh creativity. These online places include Etsy, ArtPal, eBay, Amazon, etc.

Each platform has its unique type of audience. Choose your audience type carefully and shape your strategy accordingly. Yes, you have to build a proper marketing strategy for your art too, so that it can reach more people.

INTERESTING FACT
This pie chart shows the report segmentation of the global online art market. 

Online Platforms to Sell Art

As mentioned earlier, each platform has its unique set of target audiences. Therefore, listed below are some internet websites where you will be able to reach out to different niche audiences for your art:

• For Corporate Designers: For corporate designers, Fiverr, Freelancer, Upwork, and other freelancing websites would be a great option. Here, you can create your portfolio and reach out to employers, showcasing your achievements.

• For Artists: If you are passionate about art and working on canvas is your hobby, websites like Fineartamerica, Etsy, any social media, or Getty Images would be your go-to place.

• For Businesses: Amazon, Amazon Homemade, Zazzle, and Redbubble, would help expand your business.

Licensing Scenario in the Art Industry

To enjoy all the protection of copyright and other laws provided by the respective authorities, you need to get your work registered and licensed. This is not it. Be it a digital or physical art piece,  Licensing your art involves selling permission for a brand, business, institution, agency, and much more.

The biggest advantage of a license is that you can keep your creativity authentic to yourself. In case of any violation of guidelines, you can consult a contract lawyer. 

Final Words

Selling art online is as tricky as offline. However, with the rise of digitization and sudden trend shifts in people’s buying behavior, it has become necessary for independent artists and businesses to move online. This article shared some steps that you need to know about how to sell art online. If you like it, share it with your artist friends and let them also know.

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