If you’re an illustrator, photographer or graphic artist, then it’s time to start turning your passion into your paycheck.
Earning money from your art has never been more accessible. Gone are the days where an artist’s choice is between canvas, paper, or board. Now you can choose to showcase your artistic masterpieces on pretty much whatever you please.
Think outside the box
As more and more artists create digitally, the mediums in which people consume art are shifting. Art is moving into digital spaces, but is also becoming commodified for everyday people: rather than art being kept exclusively in museums and sold for millions, the internet has fostered a revival of small creators selling their wares. One major sector where this shift is occurring is in fashion and homeware. Independent artists now have the power to create products featuring their work and sell them online, profiting directly from their craft.
Print on demand (POD) is an easy way to get started. POD simply means that items will only be produced when they have been purchased. This means you can show off your artistic talent on a series of mugs or plaster your pictures on a line of T-shirts without losing out on any investment if the products aren’t successful.
For artists, one of the main attractions of print on demand is the relatively low cost to get started. Without spending money on supplies, it’s possible to offer a myriad of choice to your fans. If something doesn’t sell, no worries! It’s free to try out as many options as you like until you hit your stride and start making sales.
Ready to start your miniature art-selling empire with print on demand?
7 easy steps to start making money with your art:
- Create your online store on a platform of your choice. Pick an e-commerce platform that suits you, such as Shopify or WooCommerce
- Stock your online shop with cool products featuring your art
- Spread the word about your shop on social media
- Build a relationship with your customers: share content, respond to comments and messages from customers
- Make sales, offer discounts
- Follow up with customers and ask for reviews
- Keep making art! Stay on top of trends, notice what sells and what doesn’t to keep your shop successful.
Beyond the Canvas
Once you’ve chosen your platform and made your art, it’s important to think about which products you want to sell that will feature your artwork.
- Posters: a budget-friendly way to offer your art as décor for your fans
- Stickers: a fun way to spread your art—and a cheap way to get your brand in front of a large audience
- T-shirts and other apparel: Make your art wearable! There’s no better publicity. T-shirts are conversation starters, and if someone famous wears your it, you’re sure to get attention. Encourage your followers to take a selfie in their art-wear and tag you on social media to increase your visibility.
- Accessories: from mugs to teddy bears, phone cases to hats, your art can find its canvas anywhere.
Have fun creating a unique product range featuring your art. SPOD has hundreds of products to choose from and prints each piece on demand.
Platforms and Promotion
You have the art, now you need to clear out your own little corner of the Internet to start selling it. With SPOD, you can sell your art on loads of quality products from many of the web’s biggest e-commerce platforms. Whether you’re looking for a quick and painless shop setup or want to code your own website, you can integrate an online store into your site with SPOD. Learn more about integration with major platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce here.
Once your online shop is set up, then your main task is to promote it. Create social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. and use them to market and sell your art. Post interesting and original content to gain followers. And once you have the followers, engage with them! The more connected people feel to your art, the more likely they are to become loyal customers.
Use print on demand with SPOD to create your collection of custom products in just a few clicks...