How to Make Money as an Artist
Making money as an artist is hard. You’ve got passion and grit, a burgeoning portfolio, and you’re more than willing to put in some elbow grease. Now you just need a way to stretch those dollars so there’s food in your belly, and you aren’t falling victim to that old stereotype.
Thanks to the hundreds of ways to market yourself on the web and sell your artwork, it’s never been easier to get your name out there and make money doing what you love. You may just have to get a little crafty.
Take a look at our favorite tips on how to make money with art skills that will help remove the financial barrier standing between you and creating art full-time.
1. Test unique revenue streams
Keeping all of your brushes in the same pot of paint can be a risky move, and it rarely works in the long term unless you’ve already found large commercial success. In other words, relying on art as your primary source of income requires some serious hustle.
Bringing in cash through a few different avenues also allows you to discover what you love most while also sowing seeds in the art community. Start by making a list of all possible revenue streams relevant to your skill set, and then zero in on the ones best suited to you. Here are a few ideas to make money as an artist:
Teaching
This is a fantastic way to brush up on your own skills while helping others. Consider private tutoring, or teaching and substitute teaching for K-12 and even college classes.
Write a blog
A blog is a great way to make money as it can showcase your work to a broader audience and attract potential buyers and clients.
You can also bring in more revenue through ads, sponsorships, and selling your artwork directly to interested clients.
Web sales
Selling your artwork online is a low-risk way to dip your toe into the waters of small business ownership. Once you’re registered and set up to sell on websites like Etsy, you can focus on promoting your artwork and bringing in money without even having to leave your house (except to ship out products, of course).
Creating online tutorials
Can you operate a camera and use basic video editing software? If so, you can try your hand at creating video tutorials for sites like Skillshare or Udemy. Others can sign up to take your courses, and you get to keep a certain percentage of the course fee. The exact amount depends on the particular site.
Licensing
Licensing can help you make money by allowing you to earn royalties or fees from companies that use their artwork on products such as apparel, home decor, and merchandise.
Print on demand
If you’ve ever wanted to see your art on anything from coffee cups to shower curtains and make cash from those products, then print on demand, or “POD,” may be for you. Sites like Society6 and RedBubble allow you to upload your artwork, then they print it on various products—and even take care of the purchasing and shipping for you.
Sell unique prints
Another great way to make the most of your work is to sell unique prints. You can create a limited edition range and charge a slightly higher price for people to purchase them. Make it clear that once they are sold you will not be making any more.
Apply for grants
Grants offer some support so you can continue to produce your work. There are many grants that provide financial support for projects, materials, and living expenses.
The Endowment for the Arts offers numerous grants for artists in the USA.
Attend art fairs
Attending an art fair is another great way to bring in some extra cash. They give you direct access to potential buyers, galleries, and collectors who are actively seeking to purchase art.
The first step is showing up. Make an effort to attend as many art fairs as you can to get as much exposure as possible.
Merchandising
Creating a line of merchandise is a fun way to make some extra cash. Get your designs printed on t-shirts, mugs, matchboxes and sell them online. Watch the cash flow in.
Commissioned work
Commissioned work provides a vital avenue for artists to sustain their careers and cultivate their skills. By engaging in commissioned projects, artists secure a steady income stream, enabling them to focus on their creative pursuits without the financial uncertainties that often accompany freelance work.
2. Find your niche, then share your story
As an artist, standing apart from the pack is key. If you can differentiate yourself from the rest and find your own aesthetic, you’ll turn heads. When you’re creating things that are unique or weird, you’ll be able to develop your brand and land all kinds of opportunities.
Translating your brand to the web and creating a strong online presence, however, requires a bit of finesse and know-how. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Start a professional website
A professional website is the cornerstone of any blossoming career. Sites like SquareSpace allow you to easily create a sharp website by using a template, or you can insert code to customize to your heart’s delight. You’ll then be able to showcase your work in one easy-to-reach place so you can share it with potential clients.
Get in on Instagram
There are 8 million registered businesses using Instagram, according to Wordstream, and it’s no surprise why. It’s completely free to create an account and share your photos, and you can get thousands of eyes on your images and videos with a few smart hashtags (just don’t go overboard, as two hashtags are the magic number). Plenty of artists have gained hundreds of thousands of followers by uploading images of their art or short videos of themselves creating it.
Take watercolor artist Jillian Boon, for example. She has 24.4K Instagram followers and uses the app to give tips on watercolor painting and show off her botanical illustrations.
Explore Pinterest
A site bursting with nothing but perfectly curated photos, Pinterest is the ideal photo sharing spot to direct people back to your website or Etsy store. Users can upload photos, tag them with the correct search terms, and link them to whatever website they choose. The home decor and art categories feature many watercolor artists and photographers.
3. Start a fundraiser to showcase your art
Sometimes you just need a little financial boost to start pursuing your passion, and crowdfunding is a fantastic jumping-off point. There’s no better way to show your network of friends and family members how much your art means to you than by posting images of it on your fundraiser. GoFundMe is here to help you raise money online. It can be daunting to ask for help, but once you do, you will be surprised how much your friends and family want to support you. Remember to make your fundraising story compelling and to let your supporters know how much their donation means to you. Need some help choosing the right crowdfunding platform for you? GoFundMe has you covered.
Host art exhibits
Artist Manu Kaur recently raised more than $6,000 to host their own art exhibition. Their exhibition not only highlighted their incredible talent but also provided a space for other creatives to showcase theirs. Writing on their GoFundMe fundraiser, Manu wrote: “This exhibition is a way of me reclaiming my power and healing.”
Fund art education costs
Starting a GoFundMe fundraiser for art education costs is just what artist Lillie Barrios did. Lillie is a 10th grade artist who was shocked and excited to be accepted into School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Early College Program and to be awarded a partial needs based scholarship. While the scholarship covered half of her tuition fees she still needed to find the remaining balance. After launching her GoFundMe fundraiser she smashed her target and raised more than $2000 so she could pursue her dream of attending art school.
4. Make sure to file as a business at tax time
If you’re an artist who teaches, hosts art shows or makes the majority of your money through other artistic endeavors, then you should definitely consider filing taxes as a business instead of as an individual. Doing this means that you’ll be able to write off art supplies, travel expenses for long-distance art shows, and a slew of other things directly related to art.
You’ll want to fill out a Schedule C at tax time (Form 1040), and likely a Schedule SE to report self-employment taxes. Turbo Tax does an excellent job of explaining these forms more in-depth. Please be sure to consult a tax professional before filing your taxes to ensure that you can, in fact, file as a business and are doing so correctly.
5. Consider having an emergency fund
A medical emergency or auto repair can set you back thousands of dollars and severely detract from your artistic pursuits. If a large unexpected expense is a torrential downpour, then an artist emergency fund is the trusty umbrella to help you weather the storm.
It’s crucial to have at least $1,000 in your savings account at all times, but sometimes no matter how prepared we are, unfortunate events can happen. Starting a fundraiser on GoFundMe makes it easy for your friends and family members to rally around you during tough times.
For in-depth help, read Tips for Building a Healthy Emergency Fund.
Photographer Briele Chanel’s world was turned topsy-turvy when her car was broken into and half of her videography and photography equipment was stolen. She created a fundraiser on GoFundMe to recoup the costs and continue doing what she loves. His fundraiser raised more than $900 helping her to get back on her feet.
Ready to start creating?
Don’t already have revenue streams flowing? Make a list of actionable steps that will help you achieve your goals, which is crucial to overcoming limiting factors. Start somewhere—anywhere—and keep going. If you need a solid starting point, create an art fundraiser and tell your story. Share your art. Inspire others with your passion. Start your fundraiser today and begin receiving donations. GoFundMe is on hand to support you every step of the way and to answer any questions you may have about fundraising and give you the tips you need to make your fundraiser a success.