I have always loved being an artist. There is something magical about getting into my zone, feeling the creative energy flowing from my fingertips, and developing a final product that truly speaks to people.
If you also pour your heart and soul into your art, you have probably dreamed of quitting your day job and going full-time as an artist. But if you don’t have the information you need, making a steady income off of it can be harder than it seems.
If you’re starting to get curious about connecting with potential clients and making your dreams come to life, good news! You’re in the right place.
I used to be in the exact same place as you. I was struggling to market myself, bring in money, and find a sense of stability from my creative work. It took a lot of elbow grease to learn how to leverage the work I love and make it into a full-time job. Now, my passion is teaching talented artists like you how to do the same.
Today, we’re talking about the basic income streams many artists consider while becoming a successful artrepreneur.
We’re going to start with discussing small streams of income, and work our way up to the best way to make purposely-profitable, infinitely-sellable art that works for you.
A lot of artists start out with selling their work on their own website, online shop, or social media platforms. This is a great stepping stone! It’s so important to be findable online if you want to build your business up to a full-time job, and the online marketplace opens you up to sales around the world!
Having your art available on your own website, online shop, and your social media accounts ensures that you have a visible body of work. It shows off your consistency, can help you build a community, and can show potential clients that people love your art. The more of a stable, engaged online presence you have, the more professional and skilled you’ll appear.
While some find success on this step, I don’t recommend relying on your personal sales and connections long-term. Don’t worry, we’re moving on up to more profitable methods!
A great way to meet other artists, get your name out there, and get initial sales flowing is going to craft fairs. Now, these can be a bit hit-or-miss as far as money goes.
The real gold is the connections you can find here. Networking is one of the most important parts of growing a business, and meeting others in person can form a stronger bond than connecting with them online. Make sure to bring your business cards and talk to as many people as you can!
I still travel to craft fairs, and find them so rewarding– but they aren’t a very sustainable home base to run a business for long-term success. Let’s keep going!
If you’re passionate about sharing your artistic skills with others, online courses are an excellent way to bring in some extra money. They are most likely to be successful if you already have an engaged online audience you can market the course to.
These courses can be synchronous, meaning that you’re meeting live with fellow artists. This can make your students feel connected to you, it allows for live problem-solving together, but it can limit people based on time constraints, classroom size, and more.
You can also teach asynchronously, meaning you’re producing a series of videos that your students can watch on their own time. This can make your courses feel less personal, but it frees up the limitations, making it perfect for a global audience with all different lifestyles. You can also do a mix of synchronous and asynchronous to reach your perfect blend!
While courses are a fun option, it’s even better to be able to make money directly from the art you’re passionate about. Let’s talk about that, shall we?
Unsure what print-on-demand (POD) services are? Think of sites like Redbubble, Bonfire, Spring (formerly Teespring), and Zazzle. The best thing about them is that they can act as passive income streams once you get them set up.
Once you put in the hard work of designing, then get your digital art uploaded to the site, people can order products with your designs, and the site takes care of the rest of production! This means you can go back to focusing on your creative process while sales roll in.
Having an engaged audience is great for boosting your profits here. If you’ve built up your digital platforms and have people who are already bought in, you will find a much higher return from plugging your POD art on your social channels and personal site.
While this isn’t where I got my full-time income, I did use the money I got from POD sites as seed money for my creative business. It was the most front-heavy option I included in the process of getting where I am today, and it helped to get the ball rolling as I continued to build.
Folks… We’ve arrived!! The most effective way to become a seven-figure artrepreneur is to learn how to land licensing deals. Licensing is the most lucrative way to turn your art into a lifelong career because it’s scalable, repeatable, and best of all, it involves established businesses who work in large quantities.
Think about it this way: your artistic talent is in high demand when it comes to big brands who need products that sell. The creative market is ripe for your contributions, and in the digital age, it’s easier than ever to bypass the gatekeepers and find success.
If you’re still feeling lost about how to make your creative career a reality, I can help you make it happen step-by-step. My eight-week professional course, Leverage Your Art, is full of self-paced online video lessons, live online Q&As, expert interviews, workbooks, design briefs, and community encouragement. By the end, you will be fully prepared to overcome the “starving artist” stereotype and make your business as creative and vibrant as you are.
What are you waiting for? Let’s make it happen, together!
LISTEN
Want more ideas on how to set yourself up for a successful art business? Listen to Episode 3 of my Art + Audience Podcast, where I talk about the Six Key Factors for Business Success. (And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!)
