How to Make Money as an Artist

So, you love to craft and have started wondering, “Can I make money from my art?” The simple answer is, “Yes!” But no two crafters share the same story about how they got started making money from doing what they love. Depending on how much you want to offset your income, it might take a few months or a few years to find out which methods work best for you. Whatever your goal, it takes time, a willingness to experiment, and the perseverance to keep going even when you have setbacks. 

Social media and online stores have lowered the barrier of entry to entrepreneurship considerably. Most people start in their garages or spare rooms and slowly expand out from there. So, don’t limit yourself by thinking you have to have a lot of money, a physical store, or a huge amount of inventory. You can start today with just a good idea and a willingness to work hard.

The first thing you’ll need to do is make a good product. For example, if you’re a knitter, you don’t need to know how to make everything or be the best knitter in the world. You just need to make one or two knitted items really well. Practice your craft regularly and only spend as much money as is necessary. Don’t pay for a seminar if you can learn the same information from YouTube. Expertise will come with repetition and a continued curiosity to learn.

Once you have a product you’re proud of, it’s time to start developing a brand. What do you want people to associate you with? For most artists, their brand is themselves. Customers value authenticity. But you can’t put all of you on social media. Instead, choose an aspect of yourself you feel comfortable sharing pretty openly online. 

Then start creating diverse content on one to three of the most popular platforms for artists: Instagram, Behance, Pinterest, ArtStation, TikTok, or LinkedIn. Remember, it’s most important to post consistently and to not spread yourself too thin. Some ideas for content are:

Providing regular, interesting content will foster a dedicated following to sustain you as your business grows.

Now that you have a great product and an unmistakable brand, you need to find your target audience. Brainstorm the sort of person you imagine buying your product(s). Get as detailed as you can:

You can’t and shouldn’t want to sell to as many kinds of people as you can. If you’re too generic, people will tend towards cheaper versions of what you create. You need to stand out. Once you identify your audience, figure out which social media platforms they use and what kind of content they prefer. Then spend 20% - 30% of your time posting on those platforms.

There are dozens of ways to earn money as a crafty artist, but how do you know which ones are for you? Ask yourself:

If you can answer yes to at least two of these questions, then it’s worth trying out one or more of the following ideas.

Selling your products directly to customers is the best stream of revenue to begin with. As you add more sources of income you should aim to keep this one your highest earning. Your product is a key part of your brand. Keep it front and center.

Selling to family and friends is a great way to get word-of-mouth started locally. You can also sell your products in local bakeries, bookstores, coffee shops, and boutiques. While Etsy.com is the most popular online store, it’s over-saturated in most categories, so you might have a hard time finding new customers. The best online place to sell products is through your own website.

Teaching can be highly lucrative and possibly even become consistent passive income if you record and sell your lessons. If you have a degree, certainly use it to teach classes at an institution like a college or trade school. But if not, you can also:

Remember, you don’t need to be an expert to teach. There are always people who are less skilled than you and who don’t have the means to pay for formal lessons. Just make sure you are honest about your abilities and charge accordingly.

Fairs and markets are great for the short term, especially when you’re getting started. They’re a great way to meet new potential customers and network with other creators. You will probably also make a decent amount of sales in one day.

But, as you build a community and hone in on your target audience, you’ll want to pick the one to three physical marketplaces where your customers expect you to be. Since being at a physical location takes a lot of your precious time, make sure the benefits outweigh the costs.

Commissions are pieces you make to order based on a person’s request. They can be a fun, personal way to connect with your customers and also challenge you creatively. They might even become part of your normal product offerings.

However, these pieces can also take considerably more time and effort than your usual crafts. To help you determine if a commission is worth your time and effort, ask yourself these questions:

And finally, once you become an authority on your craft, you can consider writing a book. Short ebook tutorials are a great way to start. Eventually, you might have enough to compile into a How-To book. Or, if your story about your path to entrepreneurship is unique and inspiring, you can write a memoir or advice book.

Whether or not you have a book to promote, speaking engagements are wonderful ways to introduce yourself to a wider audience. You don’t even need to travel. There are plenty of podcasts that interview crafty entrepreneurs at all stages of their journeys such as The Craft Industry Alliance and The Capital of Craft. You can also be a guest speaker or part of a panel at a craft convention like Craftcation.

As an entrepreneur, it’s important to understand how taxes, copyright, and trademark work in your city, state/province, or country. It’s not in the scope of this article to discuss these matters in detail, so please consult the official websites of your area.

Consider opening a business checking account so your personal and professional finances are separate and easier to keep track of. Set aside weekly time to record and go over your finances. Keep a detailed record of your expenses and earnings using an Excel spreadsheet or a program like Quickbooks. Research how to do business taxes before tax season begins. Find out if you are required to pay taxes quarterly. If you are feeling overwhelmed, consider hiring an accountant or a financial consultant.

Generally, copyright protects creative works, and trademarks apply to brand names, phrases, and logos. In the U.S., copyright and trademark exists as soon as the creative work is created. So why register your logo or unique artwork?

Registering your creative work or logo gives you broader protection and is necessary to file litigation. So, you probably won’t need to register as soon as you start selling products. Wait until your business is doing well especially if you are selling in other states or countries. You can register your copyright and trademark with the U.S. Copyright Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, respectively.

Starting a business is both exciting and a little scary, but it’s something you are more than capable of doing. Start small and be realistic. No one becomes a millionaire overnight. If you keep working hard and employ smart financial practices, you can make your crafty business dreams come true!