40 Ways To Make Money As An Artist

Making money from art has been somewhat of a journey for me, but if you are looking to make money from your art then I have a few ideas for you. Now, more than ever before, there are new opportunities for artists, so I wanted to share with you 40 different ways that you can use to create income from your artwork.

Click HERE to get access to my downloadable guide and you can use it to refer back to whenever you are in need of a little inspiration or looking to figure out what to work on next.

Ok, ready for the list? Here are some ideas below:

Teach

You might not feel you have much to teach, but we all know something that someone else doesn’t.

Teaching on community platforms - e.g. Skillshare
Mentoring 1-on-1 coaching Portfolio Reviews
In-Person Workshops
Live Online Class
Pre-Recorded
Workshops
Online Courses
Writing your own book
Art Retreats Art Memberships - You can host your own membership or use a platform like (Patreon)
Youtube tutorials - Eventually you can make money from ad revenue

Selling Digitally

You may be surprised by some ideas on this list but never underestimate your skills and your processes. Other people want to learn and are willing to pay for your knowledge.

13. Downloadable Workbooks

14. Downloadable Colouring Pages

15. Downloadable Painting Guide

16. An Art Project E-book

17. Your Supplies & Materials List

18. Colour Swatches of your favourite colour combinations

19. Digital Art Prints

20. Digital Clip Art

21. Digital Patterns

22. Procreate Brushes of your artwork

23. Digital templates with your artwork - cards, invitations etc.

Selling Products

Why not reuse your art across multiple products? Have a niche as an artist and create products you wish you could see in the world.

24. Licence your designs or artwork

25. Sell your artwork on greeting cards

26. Create stickers with your artwork

27. Art Prints of your original paintings

28. Turn your artwork into repeat patterns and create wallpaper or wrapping paper

29. Put your artwork on t-shirts or clothing

30. Put your artwork onto home decor or home goods

31. Paint directly onto blank products - gift boxes, trinkets, jewellery ornaments etc.

Other Ways

Don’t forget to think out of the box and find ways that can work for you and your business.

32. In-House designing - working for other design agencies, in the fabric or craft industries.

33. Selling Original Artwork

34. Art Commissions

35. Client Work - many businesses want unique custom artwork

36. Mural Paintings

37. Children’s Illustrations

38. Affiliate Marketing - Make a small commission on affiliate links to your art supplies or tools

39. Art Competitions - Companies like Minted give prize money for top designs in various categories

40. Selling Gift Cards - for your products

Now, not all of these ideas are going to be practical for you and your art, but maybe these suggestions will spark an idea that could work for you. I actually use or have used a few of these methods within this list and I definitely think it's a good idea to implement at least a few of the suggestions so that you aren't putting all your eggs into one basket.

You may feel a little overwhelmed with these suggestions, especially fearing that so many others are doing these things already and that the market is over-saturated. Quite often that fear puts you off from ever getting started, but let me tell you that you have something unique to offer others and the world is waiting for what you have to give them.

Rose Garden