How to Make Money By Selling Art Online

Selling artwork online is a profitable business. Doing it the right way, however, is the real challenge. The key to selling art is all about finding the proper price and selling in the ideal place. If you decide jump aboard the art train, there are a few things you should know. Learning the basics is of the utmost importance.

In order to begin, there are several components that you must have at hand. The first of which is a passion for art. Along with enthusiasm, you also need decent knowledge of artistic trends. Selling anything involves communicating with people, so you need a positive attitude toward public relations. Lastly, having creativity is also very helpful.

This guide will further explain how to sell art on the internet.

 

Evaluating Artwork

When looking to sell art, you should note that one of the most important business aspects is the evaluation of artwork. Your evaluation will determine sales prices. If you are not already an industry expert, this is not something that you can initially do yourself.

When starting out, you will need to hire an expert who can provide advice. Obviously, you will also have to pay the expert for his work, so it’s better to decide early whether or not you can afford this additional expense.

There are some paid websites that, at a lower cost than an art expert, can provide you with adequate and accurate evaluations. For emerging artists, however, the approach to evaluation is simpler. There are, in fact, precise parameters that take into account the artist’s fame, technique used, and size of the work to be evaluated. On the internet, you can find the tables containing these parameters with ease and at no cost.

 

Selling the Artwork

Once the art pieces in your possession have been evaluated, it’s time to sell them. The way you proceed will be different depending on the works you intend to sell.

For example, if you want to sell top-notch paintings, be aware that, if the collecting market is too large, the sale process is often quite difficult. This is because the art market is affected by the current crisis. Collectors are also unaware that the paintings they are interested in are in your possession. Of course, you need to spread the news, and an effective way to do this is to contact an online or live auction house.

Auction sessions are attended by very large and wealthy audiences. This provides more chances to sell the artwork. Auctions are handled by a prepared advertiser who knows how to raise the purchase prices and entice buyers. The advertiser also ensures the sales are facilitated.

However, if you want to sell the work of artists who are not yet famous, you can create your own online sales site. You will use your site to promote new artists and their creations. This method allows you to reach a vast audience and, by making your site appealing, will increase the possibilities of success. You can also use this sales system to promote artwork created by yourself.

 

Building Your Own Brand

People need to understand who you are. The world of the web creates distrust, because reports are filtered by a monitor, rather than in person.

The only way to break this wall of distrust is to become well known in the art industry. In other words, you need to build a reputation. This process takes place through various channels and requires a lot of work. However, when the public begins to understand your value, people will happily visit your website knowing you can be trusted. At that point, you will be very close to making actual sales.

As mentioned before, the first step is to build an online presence. Invest time and money in creating your own professional website. Choose a proper layout for the site. Be sure to take professional pictures of the artwork and write complete descriptions for each of the pieces you want to sell. Try to enhance the user experience by focusing on creating value and sharing the experience you have in the art industry.

Online forums and communities unite users by a specific topic. Finding the sites related to art will provide an excellent opportunity to promote your work. Remember to create a trusted reputation on these sites by sharing your experience and helping other users. This will, in return, give you free advertising with people visiting your website.

Social networks are among the most useful tools to inform your audience about your artistic activity. A huge amount of users connect to these networks everyday. Effective marketing strategies could turn your artwork viral on the net in a very short time. You must build a presence on the following social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Here’s a good article to read, how Cory made $50,000 selling art on Facebook.

You can also create free online web-based seminars to present your works. Talk about art topics and your work. To accomplish this, there is software available. You just need a good quality webcam and a microphone.

Collaborating with other people in the art industry can be a winning move. Make connections with art bloggers and other influencers in your market. After carefully searching for them, try to build a relationship by visiting their websites and connecting with them on social media. Sharing your experience and proposing a consistent collaboration that can be profitable for both parts.

 

Consider Opening an Art Gallery

Aside from the internet, another step when selling artwork can be opening an art gallery. Starting one is quite simple, and does not have to involve excessive bureaucracy.

Just choose the right place, adapt it to your needs and set it up. Obviously, you will need to get all the required permissions before opening. You will also need a good accountant, since the taxation on art galleries is often special. Be sure to check all the requirements in your country.

At the beginning, you can rent a small room, possibly in the central and passage area of your area, where you will exhibit the works for sale. Later, if things are going well, you can opt for a larger exhibition space and a more impressive location. Renting a small shop in a lively tourist resort could also be beneficial. This will, of course, lead to higher quote for the rent, but it may give you a higher economic outlook because of the greater appreciation of potential buyers.

Please remember that, in the beginning, you should not raise prices too much. This is especially true if the artwork is your own creation. If you are really passionate about art, you can join some special courses to expand your knowledge. If you want to open your own art gallery, it’s a good idea to attend some specific internships or to experience some months in a gallery that has already started.

 

Good luck selling art online!