Thursday, May 28, 2015

How to Make Money as an Artist



Step One:  Be an Artist

If you want to be a full-time artist, you must devote your time to this specific goal.  This means creating work, marketing, promotion, sales, and let's not forget, marketing.  There are very few jobs in this world that will pay you before you do the work, being an artist is no different.  If you continue to create quality content, people will start to buy your work.  If you make one awesome painting, and then wonder why nobody is buying it, you're going to stay stuck.  Create until your house is overflowing with art.  Create valuable content, and you will begin to see returns.  Study and practice your craft diligently.  You are an artist, every day of the week.  24/7/365

Step Two:  Work Towards Your Goals (every day!)

Consistent and persistent effort will yield consistent results.  Random and sporadic efforts will create sporadic results.  Ask yourself, where do I want to be in one year?  Five Years?  Ten Years?  Twenty Years?  If your long-term vision is clear, the short term steps will reveal themselves.  Spend time envisioning your goals every single day.  Imagine them as though you have already achieved them.

Step Three:  Promote Yourself

You are your most powerful ally, your number one agent, and your best hope for the future.  First of all, when asked what you do, Artist comes first.  People are always interested to hear what an artist does.  But you only have a narrow window to grab their attention.  So when people ask you "What kind of art do you do?", what do you say?  "ugggh, acrylic and watercolor."  "oh, lots of random things", "I'm all over the place."  What kind of impression does that give?  It tells them that you are not a professional, you are not interesting, or you don't really know what you do.  This can be one of the most difficult things to figure out when you are getting started.  Look within.  Find your style, figure out how to explain it in an engaging way, and have reliable avenues to show your art.  As soon as somebody is asking me about my work, I have an explanation, a business card (links to my websites), and pictures of my work on my phone.  Now I will not show all of those things at once (you don't won't to appear desperate), but they are all available, whenever I am in public and meeting new people.

Pricing your work is very important as well.  If your pricing system is confusing, unavailable, or inconsistent, it can turn off potential buyers.  It should be as clear as possible, available online, and consistent with your current level as an artist.  For instance, even if you are going to be a world famous artist (which I am planning to do), you still can't sell a $10,000 painting when you are starting off.  Your market value isn't there yet.  Start small.  I recommend small framed pieces for $100-$250. Gain some momentum, build the value of your art, and the next thing you know, you'll be selling paintings for over $1000.

Great ways to promote yourself:  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Art Galleries, Festivals, Art Fairs, etc.  The more exposure the better.  It is your job as an artist to share your work with the world!  And it's so much fun.  Everybody loves good art.  Enjoy the process and start building your following.

Step Four:  Keep Working

Successful careers are made with long-term, consistent effort, not with short cuts or publicity stunts (although they can be useful, think Dali, Hirst, Koons etc).   As Arnold (The Governator) once said, Some people, they think that they need 8,9 hours of sleep every night, but I say that they must sleep faster.  How many hours a day to you spend working towards your goals?  How many more could you spend?  Let's step it up together.  Take it to the next level.

Step Five:  Giving Back

Give as much as you can, whenever you can.  When I first started selling art, I was kind of pushy.  I would offer it again and again, always trying to sell my paintings anywhere and everywhere.  Again, you don't want to appear desperate, and you don't want to repel your customers.  People love to buy, but they don't like to be "sold".  You sell your art by presenting your art, not by "selling" your art.  A great way to create repeat customers is by giving them something for free.  If you are a visual artist, giveaway prints, or stickers or magnets.  Something small but desirable.  My great friend Forrest Lee has taught me all about this.  He has a world-wide following with his crystal jewelry on Instagram.  And he just keeps giving and giving and giving.  It is a beautiful exchange of energy, and everybody wins!  They receive a cool piece of art, and in return, they give you cheap advertising.  The more people that see your work, the better.  I've also started buying work from other artists.  I used to have the mindset that I didn't need other art.  I make enough art to fill my house, so I have no need to purchase it from other artists.  How very wrong I was.  How can I expect other people to buy my work, if I am unwilling to purchase any art myself?  Art is one of the most valuable and positive things that you can spend money on.  It lasts for a very long time, it brings more beauty into your life, and your money helps the artist to create more art.

Recently I have started working with a marketing training academy.  Here is great link for aspiring digital entrepreneurs (artistic or otherwise).  The internet has massive (infinite) potential for selling and promoting your work.  Let's go forth, and create the lives that we dream of!
Damien Hirst on youTube


Alec Falle Hamilton
spirit_animal_guides on Instagram.
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