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howtosellartWith the advent and increased ubiquity of the Internet, selling art has become easier for the artist looking to sell their work. It used to be, an artist would have to depend on themselves and their network of friends and colleagues, such as art dealers, galleries and patrons to earn money from their work. You may want to learn behavioral sales techniques for creating a connection when you deal directly with customers; communication skills go a long way; but nowadays setting up shop as an artist is as easy as starting an Etsy account or making your own web site.

Methods and Outlets for Selling Art

Here are a few sites that artists can use to sell their work. There is no specific focus on any type of media and these sites will sell       anything from sculpture to glassware.

  1. Etsy.com This site charges a fee to artists and other creative and handy folks to provide a platform for them to sell and promote their work all over the world.
  2. Artpal.com This is a free site that offers art ranging from jewelry, prints, photography and pottery among others. The site is very streamlined and straightforward.
  3. Ebay.com Most Internet-savvy people are very familiar with ebay and have probably even sold a thing or two on it. While ebay doesn’t focus exclusively on art, they will sell almost anything known to man. People can bid on your art and possibly drive the price up past any amount you ever thought possible.
  4. Art.com This site is large and elegantly designed and has many sales to bring in customers.

The following sites focus on specific types of media:

  1. Emptyeasel.com These guys focus specifically on paintings as well as offering tips an advice to artists selling work online.
  2. Cafepress.com If your art is more the screen printing type, this is a good site. Those making T-shirts, bags or other homemade arts and crafts will want to check this place out.
  3. Sculpturecollector.com This is a site that brings buyers and makers of sculpture together and provides a virtual marketplace for them to make deals.

Like any other solo business venture, being a successful artist requires a lot of self-motivation as well as the ability to network. Artists in the 21st century have a leg up on those that passed before them in that they can reach millions of people online. As a result, the competition is more fierce and luck is much less a factor than hustling and meeting people and selling yourself as well as your work. While it is important that your actual work is of high quality, whether or not you sell is based less on that than it is on reaching a large swath of potential buyers.

Page Last Updated: February 2020

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