From Paint to Passive Income: How To Start Profiting Off Your Craft and Sell Digital Art Online

Dear Artist,

Picture this: you’ve put all your hard work into that one painting. After hours of revisions, and posting it on your socials, you’re waiting for the likes to roll in, or maybe a DM or two asking for a commission. Now what?

You’re probably thinking if there’s a better way to showcase and reach more targeted customers off your craft. Well good news, there is!

In the ever-growing realm of the digital art world, there seems to be a never-ending plethora of resources and avenues to showcase artworks. As the trend of obtaining a side hustle outside the 9 to 5 continues on the rise these days, there are plenty of ways in which digital artists can monetize off these trends by creating passive income through their artistry by selling digital prints and products. As humans we crave personalization and uniqueness when it comes to consumerism, thus digital artists can delve into this high demand by creating those curated in demand products featuring their unique art styles. Now more than ever before, artists have the opportunity to showcase their uniqueness and appeal to a wider demographic by creating both personal and easily accessible art products to spruce up their space; be it on a wall tapestry, mug, or notebook; the possibilities are endless!

Unfortunately it can be both costly and time consuming to create hundreds of copies of art prints and products by hand or outsourcing merchandise in bulk orders; especially for a beginner art seller it can seem daunting. Fortunately there are numerous sources and websites that can do all the hard work for you, leaving more room to focus on creating and honing your craft. Here we’ll delve into a few examples of the top 3 platforms for digital artists to sell and showcase their work online:

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1. REDBUBBLE
   

REDBUBBLE

Arguably the most popular site for purchasing “print on demand” products (I myself have done a lot of gift shopping here) Redbubble is a user-friendly marketplace system that is completely customizable to the individual needs of the artist. Due to its popularity, it eliminates the need for artists to spend a great deal of time and money on marketing tactics to promote their brand due to the heavy traffic Redbubble generates. Simply create your free account, upload your design, and choose from their catalogue of over 70 products including canvas prints, mugs, pillows, phone cases and even pet clothing. This feature will allow creators to reach a larger demographic and increase sales based off a wider variety of merchandizing potential. Once a purchase has been made by a customer, Redbubble will directly create, pack and ship the product directly to your customer. In terms of how profit is made, creators receive a base standard of a 20% commission, but this rate can be increased by the creator according to the complexity of the work, but keep in mind that this will also increase the market price of the product.

2) SOCIETY 6

SOCIETY 6

In the print-on-demand industry, Society6 is also a well-established brand that might arguably have a more “elevated” reputation to its counterparts. Besides being known for their high-quality prints and fine art framing options, artists might be overwhelmed by the sheer possibilities of merchandizing options ranging from rugs to actual furniture pieces like coffee tables and bar stools. However the high product quality that artists will receive might come at a cost; as of November of 2023, Society6 has now updated its subscription format:

For beginners looking to experiment with the site, the free plan will allow you to create 10 designs at a 10% commission of the net sale of each product, unlike the basic and pro plans that allow for more customization and expansion. This way you can test and experiment with the platform before making a full financial commitment.

3) INPRNT

INPRNT

Lastly on my list, we have one more source that is often overlooked compared to the bigger names in the industry. From my own personal experience, Inprnt is a beginner friendly free marketplace for creatives to monetize their creations. Although they don’t provide the vast array of household and décor products like their competitors, what the lack in product diversity they make up for in quality. The company prides itself on creating a curated list of archival print materials using giclée technologies to ensure buyers that they will receive vibrant gallery grade art prints to elevate their space. Similar to other platforms, Inprnt artists can also have full control of their storefront, track inventory, payments, and choice of customized pricing of their creations.  

Of course there are many other platforms like Etsy and Squarespace in which established artists can utilize for selling hand made art prints and merchandise. But for beginners who don’t possess the resources or financial means to create and ship these products to customers, outsourcing through print-on-demand platforms is much less of a risk factor. By considering all financial factors and determining audience personas, there are a myriad of ways in which artists can start profiting off their craft in 2024.

Are you passionate about art and want to hone your craft in the digital world? Stay tuned for more tips and resources!