{"id":158447,"date":"2025-09-21T04:03:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T04:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/158447\/"},"modified":"2025-09-21T04:03:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T04:03:12","slug":"how-to-sell-your-art-six-successful-artists-share-their-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/158447\/","title":{"rendered":"How to sell your art \u2013 six successful artists share their tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re wondering how to sell you art, you’re not alone. The topics of marketing and business don’t always feel natural for the creative soul. Nevertheless, learning about them in a serious way can make a huge difference if you\u2019re not making the income you want from your work.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, some artists have studied them in depth and devised ways to apply the business principles they\u2019ve picked up to the art world. Here we speak to seven such artists to learn from their experiences selling their art. For more idea, see our guide to the best places to sell design online.<\/a><\/p>\n

Think positive about selling your art<\/p>\n

Image 1 of 2<\/p>\n

\"KelseyKelsey Rodriguez offers coaching and resources for artists who want help learning how to sell their art(Image credit: Kelsey Rodriguez)\"MichelleMichelle Jack and Jessica Roux are two more artists who have had success turning their art into a business(Image credit: Michelle Jack \/ Jessica Roux)<\/p>\n

One such artist is Kelsey Rodriguez, a painter working in oils who also offers coaching and resources to artists looking to improve their incomes.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

\u201cThe big mistake I see creatives making all the time is undervaluing the importance of selling, or avoiding it out of feelings of discomfort,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve worked with artists who have over 100,000 followers but struggle to pay their bills because they\u2019re afraid to promote their work, or tried to sell one time and didn\u2019t get any results and so never tried again.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Kelsey sees it, taking a different attitude to selling can change your life. \u201cThere\u2019s this really damaging and pervasive belief, especially among professionally trained artists, that somehow selling compromises your creative integrity, or it cheapens your work. The reality is that after a certain threshold, your artistic skill has basically nothing to do with your financial success, but your confidence in selling absolutely does.\u201d<\/p>\n

On her YouTube channel<\/a>, Kelsey shares what she has learned about running an art business through a combination of study, trial and error producing videos that are both motivating and practical. As a starting point, Kelsey explains that thinking carefully about the audience or customer for your art will help you build the foundation of your business.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to have a deep understanding of the kind of person your work is for,\u201d she says. \u201cNot just their demographics, but their values, what motivates them emotionally, how your work can impact them, and how it fits into their lives.<\/p>\n

Daily design news, reviews, how-tos and more, as picked by the editors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat problem does your work solve, or what value does it provide? Does it bring beauty into their home, help them express their identity, or connect them to something in a meaningful way?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you know the answers to these questions, every single marketing task becomes so much easier, from what content to create and where to share it, to how to talk about your work. Marketing at its core isn\u2019t about manipulating someone, it\u2019s about creating a genuine connection with the people who already value the art that you make.\u201d<\/p>\n

Create with purpose<\/p>\n

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\"Two\n<\/p>\n

Lisa Glanza says: \u201cBuilding an email list is one of the best ways to maintain control over how you reach your audience. Having a direct line through their inbox is absolute gold! Offer something valuable for free to encourage people to sign up for your mailing list\u201d (Image credit: Lisa Glanz)<\/p>\n

Another good resource is The Honest Designers Show podcast, which discusses the business side of making a living out of creative work. One of the hosts, illustrator Lisa Glanz<\/a>, echoes Kelsey\u2019s advice about the need to build up a detailed mental image of who is going to pay for your art.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to create work that either solves a need or fulfils a purpose for someone else\u2019s project or product,\u201d she explains. \u201cBeing the solution to a client\u2019s pain point is what makes you valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lisa recommends concentrating your energies on serving a particular audience. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean sacrificing your unique style or the kind of work you genuinely enjoy creating; you should still stay true to what excites you.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut having a clear understanding of your ideal customer will help you decide what to make, from the subject matter to the format or application they\u2019re looking for. As an example, if you want to get hired for editorial work, create and showcase artwork that helps an art director envision your illustrations in their magazine.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the beginning of your career, Lisa advises you to choose your niche and stick to it. \u201cChoose a clear path for your art and focus on the type of work you\u2019d love to be paid to do. Put your energy into getting really good at that. Clients and customers are drawn to artists with a strong, recognisable style and a clear area of expertise, so lean into the work that reflects your strengths and passions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Love your obsessions<\/p>\n

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\"Gothic\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMake sure your portfolio page has an easily noticeable contact email address!\u201d CoupleOfKooks says (Image credit: CoupleOfKooks)<\/p>\n

The importance of leaning into your passions is also important for the illustrator known as CoupleOfKooks<\/a>, whose clients include Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics. \u201cGet obsessed with it,\u201d Kooks advises.<\/p>\n

\u201cFocusing on things I was obsessed with and not on pieces that were \u2018good for my portfolio\u2019 was crucial, both in terms of developing my skills and also in expanding reach, back when I was building up a presence on social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kooks got their first illustration jobs when their fan art and personal artworks were noticed through social media. These initial commissions then led to further work.<\/p>\n

\u201cFan art certainly has a much higher chance of getting noticed, but personal pieces and your own stories do build you an invested audience,\u201d Kooks tells us.<\/p>\n

Social media isn\u2019t what it was when Kooks was starting out, so these days it\u2019s more important to have a portfolio on your own website. They add: \u201cMake it simple but elegant, easy to browse, and show only your best work \u2013 don\u2019t make it a blog with everything you\u2019ve done. Feature the type of illustrations you\u2019d like to be commissioned for.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"artwork\"\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favourite platform is Bluesky; I\u2019ve found good engagement with other artists there,\u201d says Michelle Jack (Image credit: Michelle Jack)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to keep the faith in the early stages of your career, as often just a single high-profile commission can be the turning point that changes everything.<\/p>\n

Illustrator Michelle Jack, also known as WolfSkullJack<\/a>, whose clients include bands Metallica and Trivium as well as game developer BioWare, found that to be the case. Metallica was her first famous client, and her work for them caught the attention of Wizards of the Coast, which now gives her regular work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hardest part is getting those first big jobs, and once you can be seen to work well for others it starts to attract more of a clientele,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

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\"character\n<\/p>\n

Left: Phillip Boutt\u00e9 Jr’s spellbinding costume concept for Glinda from Universal\u2019s hit film Wicked. Right: an early character concept for Marvel\u2019s blockbuster movie Black Panther (Image credit: Phillip Boutt\u00e9 Jnr)<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re established as an artist, Phillip Boutt\u00e9 Jr<\/a>., a costume and concept artist in the film industry, explains that you should think about how the skills you\u2019ve honed can be transferred to other areas of work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important for artists to fan out and use their skill sets across multiple different areas of entertainment,\u201d he says. \u201cAre you good at storyboarding? Then apply those sequential imagery skills in multiple areas like children\u2019s books, comics, keyframes, editorial, integrated marketing, music videos, story art for animation<\/a>, video games, and so on. As the market opens and broadens worldwide, ditching the \u2018speciality\u2019 moniker keeps artists buoyant and adaptable.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Artwork\n<\/p>\n

Finding others in the same place you are, with the same levels of experience, made the job much easier and fun,\u201d says Jessica Roux on the advantages of craft shows (Image credit: Jessica Roux)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also good to think about how you might be able to combine your art with other complementary skills. Writing and illustrating her own books proved to be transformational for Jessica Roux<\/a>\u2019s career.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking in the publishing industry really changed things for me,\u201d she reflects. \u201cI was finally doing what I loved, and I could focus on the subject matter that I\u2019m really passionate about. I\u2019ve always had an interest in writing, but realising that I could create projects for myself through that skill has really made all the difference for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have to wait and rely on clients to come my way; instead, I can pitch ideas to publishers and make the things I want to make. While I\u2019ve always loved illustrating, I feel so much more inspired and happier when I get to follow through with my own ideas and turn them into finished projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meet and greet<\/p>\n

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\"Artwork\n<\/p>\n

Sometimes there are really active communities on smaller platforms like Discord where the interaction can be more direct,\u201d Dominik Mayer suggests (Image credit: Dominik Mayer)<\/p>\n

Making connections in the real world is another avenue that shouldn\u2019t be overlooked. \u201cTalking to potential clients face-to-face is always best as people are much more likely to remember you if you had a proper meeting,\u201d says Dominik Mayer<\/a>, an art director and illustrator in the film and games industries.<\/p>\n

To get started, he suggests going to shows and conventions and approaching people at their booths. Dominik also finds it valuable to exhibit your art in galleries and other venues that are suitable for your style.<\/p>\n

\u201cI approached a local comic store and asked to exhibit my work there, which was amazing,\u201d he says. \u201cTry to find the right audience and search for places where those people go, then put your art there for them to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

As social media platforms become less useful for artists, it\u2019s wise to build up a more direct connection with your customers. For that task, multiple artists told us that email is now a more important tool than ever before.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmail marketing is one of the most powerful methods that creatives can use to both sell their work and disconnect from social media,\u201d Kelsey explains. \u201cUltimately, social media platforms are a great tool for getting yourself discovered, but the real key to developing a more sustainable business is moving your followers onto a platform that you control.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more ideas of where to find clients and collaborators online, see our feature on the best social media for artists and designers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX<\/a> to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions available.<\/p>\n