Making Money as an Artist: Practical Tips to Monetize Your Passion

17/04/2022

Amy Collett

It’s true: It’s hard to make money as an artist. Very few full-time artists make a comfortable living from their work, and most struggle relentlessly to make ends meet so that they can continue to express their passion. But just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean that you can’t earn a living from your artwork. If you’re looking for realistic ways to bring in some extra income as an artist, check out these tips from INSPADES Magazine.

Put on Your Business Pants

If you want to make (good) money as an artist, you will need to learn how to think like a business person and structure your work accordingly.

Choose a specialty where you can thrive. This might mean selling a style of pieces that people are already buying, or carving out your own fresh and innovative niche.
Learn the details associated with starting a business. This includes writing a business plan, choosing a structure, managing your money, applying for any necessary permits and staying on top of your taxes.
Take a business course that covers the basics of selling and marketing your product.
Learn how to network for clients.
Make sure you are selling your art at prices that can support your venture.

Take Actionable Steps Each Day

Once you start to get your grounding in business, incorporate the following habits in your daily routine:

Embrace constructive criticism of your work, and refuse the temptation to succumb to rejection. You can’t prevent your work from being exposed and judged, but you can develop a thick skin and learn to improve from feedback.
Stay mindful, disciplined, and organized with your expenses.
Create a unique, attractive brand for your art business. You need a logo, color scheme, font, and website that puts you in the best light; working with professional branding services could prove well worth the investment.
Share your work on social media. A free image resizer allows you to change the dimensions of the images you post.
Stay true to yourself in your work. Finding a profitable niche and learning how to market your art doesn’t mean you have to abandon the essence of what makes you unique!

Chiara Magni | Art Critic for INSPADES Magazine | All rights reserved to ©Chiara Magni Artist

Supplement Your Income

Even if you turn your art into a thriving business, it can help to arm yourself with a side gig or two that can bring in some extra income. Here are a few of the most common side hustles for creatives:

Start writing and monetizing a blog about your work, niche, or industry.
Become a brand ambassador and promote other businesses. This may even present networking opportunities!
Rent out part of your home through services like Airbnb and SpareRoom.
Work as a virtual assistant, which can consequently help you develop your overall business and management skills!

You’re an artist, and you should be able to continue creating pieces that you love. But to do that, you need to make money! Following the tips above will help lay a firm foundation for making more money as an artist, but keep researching other creative ways that you can turn your work into a business and supplement your income. After all, you’re creative, so use your talents to find a way forward!