How Do You Sell Art Online?

We asked three art professionals how they sell art online.

Cat Seto, owner and artist, Ferme à Papier

Cat Seto is the artist and author behind Ferme à Papier, a San Francisco-based studio and boutique that represents unique goods from independent West Coast designers. Cat’s stationery has been featured in multiple publications and landed her partnerships with brands like Anthropologie and Gap.

Stationery designer, Cat Seto, has collaborated with several brands including Gap and Anthropologie.

After closing her retail store, artist and business owner, Cat Seto, has re-focused her company’s values to better represent those of her community and herself.

Seto has always been an artist with a message. I’ve decided that my collections need to better reflect the things that matter to me and those around me. Art has always been a way for me to communicate what’s important to me, and I want my work to continue to be a force for good in the world.

Maria Qamar, Artist, Hatecopy

Our next expert can teach you the best way to sell paintings online.

Artist and illustrator, Maria Qamar, is best known for her Instagram handle, @hatecopy. She left her career in advertising and graphic design to pursue her passion for painting when her artwork started to gain traction on social media.

Maria says that she didn’t become successful overnight, but rather gradually by doing contract work here and there.

When you’re just starting out, remember you have absolutely no money. Your full-time day job can, however, help you develop the business skills you need to sell your own art, get your business up and running, and market yourself.

Now she focuses all her time and energy on her art, selling it in various formats like art prints and printed merch. By dedicating herself fully to her passion, she’s been able to achieve great success as an artist.

In 2017, she also published a book called Trust No Aunty.

Ken Harman, gallerist and curator

Artist and entrepreneur, Kenneth “Ken” Harmon, is the brainchild behind several successful businesses including the art gallery, Spoke Art, and publishing house, Paragon.

When he couldn’t find a suitable temporary location for a pop-up exhibition, he had to sign a 2-year lease on a space for his planned long-term venture. This meant he had to quickly learn everything there was to know about running an art gallery.

He had no other choice but to pull the trigger.

What’s right for you: selling your own art or selling other artists’ works?

There are two ways to sell your art: creating it or curating it. Cat built her trade both by creating and selling her own work and representing the work of others in her boutique.

As artists, you are the creators, creating original artwork and reproducing it for sale.

Artists now have more marketing tools than ever to help them sell their work directly to consumers. These tools are popping up all the time, making it simpler than ever for artists to connect with their audience.

The easiest way to make a sale is by finding the best channel for your art style and medium. This allows you to reach your audience directly through your own website, which is typically the best way to sell your work.

While running her own online art shop, she relies on partnerships with established art galleries for selling her prints.

If you’re just starting to sell your art, working with a gallery can be a great way to get exposure to new audiences. Galleries also usually have access to resources and professionals that can help with promoting, exhibiting, and shipping your artwork.

Selling Art Online – How to Sell Art Online

You don’t have to be an actual artist to sell artwork. If you have an eye for art and a passion for it, you can become a gallery owner or an art dealer.

If you’re not an artist but have a great eye for art and love the art world, you can still get involved in selling art as a curator. Curators typically make a percentage of the selling price from artists they work with in exchange for their business knowledge and services.

As a business partner to an artist, you help them sell their art in exchange for a cut of the profits.

There are a few ways to sell art. You can sell your original work, print reproductions, or licenses for other people to use your images. Ask other successful artists what methods they use.

Most art galleries offer 50% of the sale price for an original piece of art, which is the standard industry practice.

Reproductions of art: open or limited edition?

The pros of selling paintings as prints are that you can reach a wider audience and you can make a little extra money. The cons are that you may not get as much money as you would if you sold the painting itself, and you may not get as much recognition.

You can sell a limited amount of your products (also known as limited edition).

When you sell your art through a gallery-like Spoke, you’re usually limited to a certain number of prints. This is because galleries want to create a sense of urgency and scarcity around your work. For Ken, limiting print runs goes deeper than just marketing strategy.

The effect is similar to a limited-time offer, creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity. For him, though, the decision to limit the printing of books goes beyond marketing.

“We work hard to find things that aren’t just average, but really special. We treat them that way,” says the owner.

While they may sell more copies as open editions, limiting the number of prints that are sold increases the value of the artwork.

The limited edition of this product has its disadvantages, though.

“Many of the items we sell have a secondary market value,” says Ken. This means that limited edition pieces may be sold at a higher price on the resale market (for example, limited-edition sneakers) because the demand is high.

To help ensure that everyone who wants a print has a chance to get one, Spoke will limit quantities of certain prints per customer. Additionally, it has built a blacklist of known resellers.

Where can you sell your art online?

There are a few great places to sell art online. If you have your own website or blog, that’s a great place to start. You can also sell art on sites like Etsy, Fine Art America, and Society6. And don’t forget about social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.

If you already have a following on a social media channel, that might be a great place to start your marketing campaign.

Conclusion

If you’re an artist looking for ways 

how to sell art online, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, consider where you want to list your art. There are many different websites and platforms that allow you to sell artwork, so choose one that best fits your needs. Next, think about how you’ll price your artwork. Make sure to factor in the cost of materials, shipping, and any other fees associated with selling online. Finally, promote your art! Use social media or other marketing channels to reach potential buyers and let them know about your work. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to successfully selling art online!