How To Make Money With Your Artworks or Art Skills in 2022

It’s great to be an artist because there are so many ways to make money from your creativity! Here are 13 primary methods you could use your artistic skills to make money. From selling your artworks, to use your artistic skills, to being an art influencer. Not every single one of these ideas will apply to every artist, but most of them will be at least interesting to those with a creative mindset. Let’s begin!

Making money by selling your original art, print art, art templates or art related products

1. Selling your original artwork in art galleries

The first places that come to mind are exhibiting with an art gallery, either as a regular exhibitor or a guest exhibitor. This includes professional galleries, special interest galleries, and membership galleries.

2. Selling your original artwork at art fairs

Art fairs are a great place to get your work in front of the public. Some of the larger art fairs attract visitors from across the United States and the world. If you manage to find an art fair catering to your style of art, it will be even better.

3. Selling at relevant trade shows

If you are good at animal related art, or maybe specializing in buildings or florals, consider getting a booth and sell at a pet event, horse show, house or flower event etc.

Trade shows like these aren’t traditional venues for artists, but they can be excellent places to display your work, if they fit your subject matter!

4. Wholeselling to home stores and retailers

Pay a printer to print your images, keep your own inventory, and deliver stock directly to retail outlets in your area. Look for shops and stores that cater to the same market your art fits into. Some may also be willing to carry your originals as well.

5. Selling your art online through your own art website

It’s very easy to make a website in these days without any knowledge of computer coding, any artist who is serious about selling art could have a website built easily. An art website is good place to showcase your work, give visitors the opportunity to buy directly from you, and display easy-to-find contact information.

6. Selling your art related products online through art platforms and social medias

It’s however wiser to start on an established online art marketplace, with thousands of clients and millions of visitors, instead of waiting for buyers to discover your fresh website portfolio with almost zero traffic.

Below are some of the most popular platforms for selling art online:

Fine Art America: A website where you can list and sell your fine artwork online.

Society6: Society6 is an online marketplace of artwork from a community of 450000+ independent artists featured on wall art, home decor etc. Goods made by Society with designed by independent artists. The default markup for artists is 10% of each purchase, but artists have free control to set any percent. Society6 is based in the U.S.

Etsy: Sell all types of custom art, including original and digital art. Artists make money by open an induvial or business etsy store selling artworks, art lessons or craft templates.

Redbubble: A global online marketplace for print-on-demand products based on user-submitted artwork. The default artists markup is 20% and can be adjusted at any time any percent. Redbubble is similar to Socity6 but based in Australia.

Amazon Handmade: Connect with Amazon buyers who value handmade goods by selling originals through the world’s largest e-commerce platform.

Amazon: Sell all types of artworks. Need to have a business company to open an Amazon store.

Zazzle: An American online marketplace with millions of made-to-order customizable products, allows designers to create their own products.

Social Media: Sell via Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Shoppable posts, and Pinterest shop.

Some websites for selling vector designs and photos include:

Shutterstock: Selling your designs or photos to stock websites

Envato: Online community for creative assets, tools and talent, from graphic templates, website themes, photos, to video or audio.

Graphic River : Graphics, print, web elements, add-ons, vectors, presentations, icons, fonts, logos etc.

Creative Market: Online marketplace to sell graphics, fonts, themes, photos, and templates etc.

Adobe Stock: You can sell original photographs, video clips, vectors, and illustrations etc. on Adobe Stock by being a contributor and earn commission.

DeviantArt : Allows you to sell prints and deliver them via download. DeviantArt is unique among the top places to sell art due to a strong community and the fact that pieces are downloadable.

Making money by using your art skills for commissioned art projects, art lessons, art e-books, art tutorials, art contests or competitions. 

7. Portraiture art painting

Sell a service to do portraiture paintings for family member, pet or favorite animal, houses or properties, or even a specific landscape, seascape, or other type of scenery. Some artists do speed drawing of customers on the street or a fair, this type of portrait work can be very lucrative for the artist who has excellent drawing and observation skills, the ability to work under pressure and good people skills. 

8. Working on commercial projects for hire from different clients

Many companies post design works needed on freelancer platforms and artist marketplace, such as design invitations, business cards, logos, posters, book covers, Children’s book illustrations, comic book or graphic designs, interior art etc.

Below are some popular online platforms that you can find commercial art projects jobs or register yourself so the clients can find you:

Fiverr: For graphic designers and professional writers looking to get paid for custom art.

Upwork: Same as Fiverr, for graphic designers, web designers, and professional writers.

Getty Images: Photographers, videographers and graphic designers can sell images online and earn a monthly commission for their work.

9. Teaching art at a school or community, local studio, art workshop etc.

If you are a people person and like to teach art, this is a perfect fit for you. Look through the local schools, colleges, art studios, art galleries, DIY workshops etc. for opening opportunities, you could also provide some specific topic lessons.

10. Holding painting parties

A face-to-face painting party is fun. Arrange painting event for artists, or just people who want to try painting for fun, or maybe paint and sip party, or a Halloween theme painting for kids……You provide informal guidance and host the painting party for a small fee per student. Painting parties may be sponsored by a gallery, recreation center or other public venue, or can be offered in-studio by the artist. 

11. Creating YouTube tutorials

YouTube videos are most often free tutorials, but they can generate income in a couple of different ways. Once you reach a certain level of following, you can begin to generate income through YouTube ads. Many artists also generate income through YouTube by presenting condensed versions of full-length videos as “advertisements” of their subscriptions or Patreon offerings.

12. Selling art lessons online via Etsy, email or your own website

If you like to teach, are good at writing lessons or recording on video, make step-by-step lessons as you create art, then offer those lessons on your website, an Etsy store, or to students directly in their inbox.

13. Applying art competitions or contests

Simply search on Google, you will find at least several contests or programs that you are eligible to enter and win cash from $50 to $60,000, and it is a good chance to show off your work anyway.

So, what do you think? Is there an idea or method here that has a shot at helping you get your art out into the world and making money? If so, go for it! At the very least, this is fodder for some wise-acre conversation at a dinner party. You never know who you might meet and what opportunities may result.

And keep up the good work and know that you deserve pay for your efforts.