Art is the epitome of creativity, fun, and beauty. But most importantly, art is hard work. People appreciate art and are ready to buy and use your work, provided it’s unique, inspiring, and valuable.
Luckily, the internet is full of art lovers, prepared to purchase what you have. You can monetize your artistic skills online, whether you have physical products like paintings or digital artwork like collages.
Not only will you earn by selling your work online, but you may become a celebrity and even start earning money because of your status.
To be successful online, it is crucial to have a strategy that works. I have listed several ways you can easily earn money online as an artist.
Some ways will earn you money instantly, while others may take time. The bottom line is that these methods are easy for you.
Let’s go check them out.
Easy Ways To Make Money Online As An Artist
1. Sell Artwork on Social Media
Social media is one of the best and easiest ways to earn money online as an artist. It is also a powerful tool that lets you share your art with people around the globe. All you need to do is to identify the right platform for you.
Some of the social media platforms you can use to sell your art include
Here are some tips that will increase your success on social media.
Select the right platform – Different social media platforms work differently. Select a platform depending on the kind of art you are selling and your personality.
Define a strategy – The goal is to create an authentic brand. You want to remain human so that you can connect with your audience. The best approach will help you create a fanbase and turn them into customers for your artwork.
Grow your audience – The trick to making huge profits is to grow your audience and build a solid online presence. People who love your artwork will follow you.
Once you have created a considerable fan base on social media, you can sell your artwork to them.
2. Sell Digital Stock Artwork
The internet is the best place to sell your photos if you are a photographer or a vector artist. It does not matter whether you are a beginner or a pro. There is always someone online looking to buy your work.
The first step is to identify the right platform to sell your art. You can sell your work on sites like
- Adobe Stock – You will earn 33% royalties for selling your work here.
- Shutterstock – Artists make between 15-40% royalties on this platform.
- Foap – Artists earn 50% royalties for selling their work.
- Alamy – You will earn 40-50% commission for your art.
- Getty Images – You will earn a commission of 15-20 % for your artwork.
- Stocksy– You will earn a commission of 50-75% when you sell your artwork on this platform.
3. Provide Art Classes
Online classes are now more popular than before. There are so many platforms where you can teach others and many more are popping up.
You do not need to join a platform to teach others. You can sell your courses on your website or social media platform.
If you want to earn money through this approach, here are some ways to become an online tutor.
Sell on online platforms – Join platforms like Udemy, Thinkfic, Podia, and Skillshare. Create courses, then upload them there. This is a fantastic way to earn passive income.
Sell guides and tutorials – You can sell them on Sellfy pages or upload them on your website.
Live classes – You can have live classes on platforms like Google Meet and Zoom.
4. Sell Digital Art on Creative Market
Creative Market is a great platform to sell your digital products in a network of over nine million users. You only need to find your niche within their categories to sell on this platform.
You can sell fonts, web themes, photos, templates, and graphics on Creative Market. The platform is ideal for artists who have a knack for graphic design.
This platform stands out because it’s made it easy for you to reach your target audience. Many people, including companies, come to the platform to purchase digital products for their businesses. You do not need to advertise your work to sell on Creative Market.
You earn a commission of 40% for your designs.
5. Sell Art on Etsy
Etsy is a big marketplace with over 2.5 million sellers, and here you can sell anything from home decor, clothing, personalized gifts, jewelry, and even furniture.
Etsy is a great and popular platform to sell your art. You also get to sell your digital products to people around the world.
The advantage of selling on Etsy is that it is very easy to set up your business. You don’t need a website. You can sell both digital art pieces and physical pieces on this platform.
Etsy attracts a translation fee of 5%, which is low compared to most platforms. The platform also lets you set up prices for your work, and you can display as many products as you want on the site.
6. Work on Freelance Projects
Working as a freelance artist has many advantages. You can choose projects to work on, have flexible work hours, and, even better, choose your rates.
Many people and companies are looking to hire freelancers in this digital age. Companies benefit most from hiring freelancers because they are not obligated to pay them benefits. As a result, they save a lot of money.
But, to earn as a freelance artist, you must find work. First, you will need to create a portfolio to showcase your art. If your designs are excellent, there is a very high chance that you may have more work than you can handle.
Here are some platforms you can use to find freelance work.
Upwork – This is one of the best platforms for finding clients. Many people are looking for high-quality freelance artists on Upwork. You only need to create an account on the platform, optimize your profile, then start looking for work. In many cases, you may find clients seeking you out.
Freelancer – The platform works just like Upwork. You will find many people looking for freelance artists on Freelancer.
Fiverr – This platform is an excellent place for freelance artists. You get to advertise your services on Fiverr and share them on your social media platforms.
LinkedIn – This is a huge platform that connects professionals. LinkedIn lets you customize your profile so clients can easily find you when they need your services. You can also follow companies and pitch to them on LinkedIn.
You can also pitch to companies and individuals that may need your service. Send them an email and let them know of your artwork, share some pieces with them, and wait for feedback. You may land big clients here, which means big bucks for you.
7. Start a Print-On-Demand Brand
This is a great opportunity for talented designers to make money. This business model has the following advantages.
- You will not need to invest in printing equipment.
- You will not need to pay rent. Thus, there will be no need for inventory or storage concerns.
- Products will be drop-shipped to clients.
- Because the business model has less hustle, you will have time to work on creating more art.
- This is a no-risk business, and you will not need to invest thousands of dollars.
Below are some of the best print-on-demand platforms you can join to sell your artwork. You can select one that works for you or join all of them to increase your reach.
Sellfy – You can create a beautiful online store on Sellfy and start selling your print-on-demand merchandise.
Printify – If you already have an Etsy store or an eCommerce store, then Printify is the best option. It has a print-on-demand fulfillment service integrated perfectly with platforms like Etsy, Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify.
Printful – The shop works the same way as Printify, but you will pay more for higher-quality merchandise on Printful.
8. Start a Blog
A blog is one of the best platforms to market your artwork and create a fanbase. Blogs are ideal for artists because they help you build trust with your followers and gain authority.
The trick to creating a successful blog is finding your niche. Some blogging niches for artists include photography, graphic design, digital painting, collage art, and more.
You can do many things on your blog, including educating your followers or selling digital products to them.
Eventually, if your blog gets a lot of traffic, you can convert it into a profitable business that earns you revenue through sponsors, ads, and affiliate links.
9. Start a YouTube Channel
Starting a YouTube channel will be very easy if you are already an artist.
Making money on YouTube as an artist requires patience and dedication. That said, you may not earn much initially but once you upload more videos, and garner more views and subscribers, you will have enough of an audience to monetize with.
To make it big on YouTube, ensure that you give your followers engaging, valuable, and entertaining content. Ultimately, your fanbase will grow.
Some of the tips to grow your fanbase on YouTube include:
- Defining your niche and target audience, then creating videos that target that group
- Using keywords to increase your visibility
- Looking at what your competitors are doing and offering better-quality content
- Uploading frequently, at least twice weekly, or even more. Be consistent, also.
Here is how you will earn money on YouTube:
- You can market your digital products and direct your followers to where they can buy them.
- Become an influencer and market products for businesses.
- You can include affiliate links in your video descriptions and earn when viewers click on those links and make a purchase.
- Earn through ads.
10. Take Part in Art Contests
A contest is a great way to showcase your creativity and win cash prizes. When you participate in online contests, ensure that you showcase your best products. Even though you may not win, you may end up bagging a big client.
You can find contests online through simple searches on your browser. Use keywords like “Online + Art + Contests.” If you want to be specific, you can add your niche to the keywords and press enter. You can then select a contest that interests you and see if you qualify.
You can also check out the following websites for opportunities.
- Fine Art America – Here, you can find contests for photographers, artists, and graphic designers.
- Art Show – You can participate in online international art competitions and win as much as $3500.
- MoMa – You can find competitions here and stand a chance of winning up to $1000.
- Call for Entries – You will find various competitions on this website.
11. Create and Sell an eBook
Some artists are excellent writers, and selling ebooks is a great way to make money online. Ebooks are inexpensive and easy to make, and you can self-publish them if you don’t want to spend money on publication.
You can convert ebooks into on-demand paperbacks so buyers who want a hard copy of your book can still purchase it online.
You can market your book there if you already have a YouTube channel or an active Facebook or Instagram account. Many self-publishing authors have blogs, and they use them as a platform to promote and sell their ebooks.
Here are some ideas for creating books as an artist.
Art tutorials and DIY instructions – This is the most obvious option for artists. You can sell your knowledge and skill in a book. Create an instructional book for children and adults and earn money from it. You could use artwork or photos in your book.
Art history book – If you are passionate about art history, writing a book about it is the best way to monetize your passion. You can even showcase some of your best work as you relate it to the works of other artists throughout history.
Collection of art essays – You can write a book of essays, poetry, or a collection that centers around a certain theme, then create a book. Use images and art from your collection and attractively layer them.
Coloring ebooks – Coloring books are very popular among children and adults. Traditional coloring books are hard copies, but now it is possible to create digital coloring books. The opportunities are endless, and you can make many copies and sell physical copies online.
A book for new artists – If you have been an artist for a while, you probably have some tricks on starting and being successful. You can share your knowledge with new artists so that they can learn from you.
Children’s books – Children’s books contain a lot of pictures and fewer words. In fact, books for toddlers and infants contain only pictures. Creating picture books will be the best way to earn money if you struggle with words.
After creating your book, you will need a platform to publish it. Here are some great platforms to publish your ebooks:
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing – This platform lets you earn up to 70% royalties from your ebooks. You can even choose a print-on-demand option if you wish to sell them in hardcopy. Your books will be available to Amazon Kindle users globally.
IngramSpark – This is a self-publishing platform for ebooks and print books. You can publish your ebooks, hardcover, and paperbacks. The platform will list your books in popular online stores like Apple, Walmart, and Barnes and Noble.
12. Affiliate Marketing
Making money through affiliate links is very popular nowadays. The most popular way is to add affiliate links to your blogs and earn commission every time a reader clicks the link and purchases an item.
You can use affiliate links to generate multiple dreams of income. Even though some offer modest commissions, eventually, they will add up, and you may earn a lot of money from them.
Some of the affiliate opportunities include
You can also set up an affiliate program for your artwork and invite other bloggers to join. When they promote and sell your products, they earn a commission from the sales.
If you don’t have a big blog or great following, you can use established affiliate networks, such as:
13. Email Marketing
Email marketing is the most effective way to sell your art. Once you build a list of potential customers, you can create steady income sources by selling your digital products to them.
You can consider these tips if you want to succeed in making money through email marketing.
Build a list of potential customers – You can collect email addresses from various places, including galleries, art fairs, social media platforms, or from banners on websites and blogs.
Send regular newsletters – Send newsletters to potential customers regularly, either weekly or monthly. Update them on upcoming events, special offers, or new products.
If you do this, you will build their confidence in you, and you can easily convert your subscribers into customers.
14. Collaborate with Influencers
Collaborating with online brands and social media influencers is another strategy to market and sell your artwork. Collaboration is a simple and effective way to boost your sales.
Social media influencers can make your artwork go viral. You only need to identify one and develop a strategy that sells.
Identify an influencer in your niche that has many followers.
Next, approach them and pitch your idea. Negotiate the rates and terms of engagement, they will then share your artwork with their followers and fans.
They can simply recommend your work or do a review that persuades their fans to purchase your work. Either way, you will make sales from someone else’s platform instead of building your fanbase from scratch.
Finding the right person or brand to collaborate with is key. Ensure that you find one that is in your niche or a niche that is similar to yours.
15. Apply for Grants
Sometimes grants are what you need to take your art to the next level. Also, securing a line is a great addition to your CV and portfolio, which may mean more clients.
Grants will help cover some expenses, especially when starting your art business. Many organizations and institutions fund artists. In some countries, some budgets are aimed at supporting artists.
Even though grants are not a sustainable way to earn a living as an artist, they will give you the money to start your art business or take it to a higher level.
Here are some online sites that give grants to artists
16. Start a Crowdfunded Project
Crowdfunding is a legitimate way to earn money online as an artist, and this is the best way to raise the money needed to grow your art business.
You may need to spend a lot of time researching what art people need before joining a platform. Then you can start up a campaign to fund your art project.
Joining a platform is not enough – you may need to market yourself. This is easy if you already have an online presence or a mailing list.
There are online platforms that make it easier for you to raise funds.
GoFundMe – This is a platform with over 50 million supporters. It just takes a few minutes to get started on this platform, sign up, tell your story, and share it with friends and family. The platform is free, but you will be charged 2.9% plus $0.30 for every transaction.
Kickstarter – The platform has more than 15 million supporters, and you will likely get the funding you need here. The platform is not free. You will need to pay 5% to use the platform and a fee of 3% plus a fee of $0.20 per transaction.
IndieGoGo – There are over 10 million supporters on this platform. However, you will be required to pay a 5% platform fee to access it. The benefit of this platform is that you can relist your campaign if you did not reach your goal the first time.
Also Read: Behance vs Dribble
Final Word
The online platform has given artists many opportunities to make money. The advantage of selling your work online is that you can target a worldwide market, earning more.
You can focus on one of the methods above or implement several ways to make money online. The best part? Some methods are completely passive meaning you will have time to focus on other important aspects of your business.
Start by building an audience and providing them with value before selling anything. You can set up a newsletter and email them useful tips or start a blog where you post useful content. Social media networks are a great place to build an audience, too.
Tom loves to write on technology, e-commerce & internet marketing. I started my first e-commerce company in college, designing and selling t-shirts for my campus bar crawl using print-on-demand. Having successfully established multiple 6 & 7-figure e-commerce businesses (in women’s fashion and hiking gear), I think I can share a tip or 2 to help you succeed.