Art That Sells – What Artists Need to Know

Researching Art That Sells Can Kelp You Sell Your Artwork

Are you trying to sell your artwork?

Is your studio becoming a storage area for unsold art?

Researching what art sells best and how other artists are marketing their artwork will help you to develop a marketing strategy that will build a thriving art business.

Art That Sells – What Artists Need to Know

Art is a form of communication. Before humans began to document events with text, they would record historical events with images.

That was the way people communicated or documented events.

Today we call that form of communication visual art, and it can be found hanging on walls in homes and businesses all around the world.

People purchase art for different reasons.

Some people are collectors of a particular artist or style while others buy art to accent walls in their homes.

Businesses have art hanging on the walls to create a more “welcoming” feeling or to “distract time” in the waiting rooms.

Just like any trade or specialty, artists have learned throughout the years, that there is money to be made from their skills.

There are more artists today generating an income from their art and art skills than ever before, thanks to the internet.

Are you interested in selling your artwork?

Art That Sells Best

If you are thinking about starting an art business, you might be asking yourself these questions:

• What type of paintings sells the best?
• What color paintings sell best?
• What types of paintings sell best on Etsy?
• What was the best selling art in 2018?
• What medium sells best?
• What sizes sell best?
• Art that sells the most is?
• What is the best selling art subject matter?
• What are the most profitable crafts to sell?

Many artists who are just starting out become frustrated and impatient when their art is not selling.

They start to believe their art is not good enough or they are not creating the style of art people are interested in purchasing.

They begin to search for the best theme or subject of art that sells most.

Have you ever felt this way?

If you are interested in discovering what types of paintings sell best on Etsy you can view it at Top Selling Art – Etsy

But before you do that you might want to continue reading.

Here is a study I came across that I wanted to share with you. Even though this study was taken in 2003, it still holds value for artists today.

Art Business Today took a survey in 2003 to find out what the top 10 best selling art subject matter for Paintings in the UK were.

Popular Themes For Art

1. Traditional Landscapes
2. Local Views
3. Modern Landscapes
4. Abstracts
5. Dogs
6. Figure
7. Seascapes
8. Wildlife
9. Impressionistic Landscapes
10. Nudes

As you look at this list, I am sure most of you can say that you create art that fits into one of these art theme categories.

The question that needs to be answered now is, “Why does some art sell more, while other art collects dust?”

Even though most art falls into one of these most popular art subjects, some artists find it challenging to find art buyers for their creations.

Here are the top reasons your art might not be selling even if your paintings fall into the “most popular art subjects” category.

• Pricing
• Photography – Quality of the image being showcased.
• Demographics
• Size
• Colors
• Mediums
• Branding

These are just a few variables that will determine if a piece of artwork sells or not.

Pricing Art

Pricing art plays an essential part in art sales.

Popular art or art in demand will be more valuable, but even good paintings will sell if they are priced correctly, and they are marketed properly.

Not everyone can afford to invest in an original painting, but many people want to display art in their homes. This is why prints sell better than the original artwork.

Limited-edition giclee prints sell better than open-ended edition prints because they are more valuable than open-ended edition prints.

When an artist puts a limit on how many prints will be produced, the edition becomes more valuable to the buyer.

However, open-ended edition prints allow the artists to earn money from an original painting no matter how many sell.

These are some things you will want to consider when pricing your art and deciding if you’re going to offer reproductions of your work.

High ticked items are harder for artists to sell when they are just starting. They have to build name recognition before their higher-priced original paintings sell.

While you are building name recognition, you might want to consider selling prints to generate an income from your artwork.

To learn how to price your art visit Pricing Artwork – Best Practices For Beginners

Art marketing

Popular artwork is not “popular” just because it is good art.

Marketing strategies are what determines if an artist or their paintings are known as popular art.

The definition of marketing is the process and activity of making people aware of a product or service that offers value for customers.

Your last painting might have won a painting competition, but you will never know that if you don’t enter it in a contest.

Your last painting might have sold, but if you never shared an image of your art on social media, your website, in newsletters, or wrote blog posts about it, nobody will know it exists. Therefore nobody will purchase it.

One of the main reasons a piece of art does not sell is because the right person has not seen it yet.

There is a target audience for every style of art.

Your target audience is people who have a passion for what you create.

As a selling artist, you have to find where your target audience is and find a way to let them know that you have original artwork for sale.

Instead of focusing on if your art is good enough, focus on finding where your audience lives.

Once you have found them, start promoting your art to them.

Make them aware of your artwork and provide them with a way to make a purchase.

There are some art marketing strategies at the bottom of this post to help make your art more popular.

Related Resources:

Simple Strategy For Finding Your Target Audience

How To Find Your Target Audience In 3 Easy Steps

What Is Your Target Audience Searching For

How To Find Your Target Audience

Popular Craft Marketing And Sales Tutorials:

Most Popular – How to Make a Living Selling What You Make by Megan Auman

Most Popular –  Build a Successful Creative Blog by April Bowles-Olin

How to Build a Business While Learning Your Craft by Megan Auman

Art That Sells – Everyone Is Unique

Everyone has different tastes and is attracted to different things.

It would be a boring world if everyone ate vanilla ice cream, dressed the same, drove the same vehicle, listened to the same music, watched the same television show and had the same art on their walls.

Everything about you is what makes you unique and different.

Your thoughts, emotions and what you are attracted to define you as a person and as an artist.

No one in the world will have the same tastes as you do.

No one in the world will create art exactly like yours.

Yes, there are going to be artists that will draw or paint the same subjects you do, but no one will be able to replicate your style.

So the question that needs to be answered is, “Does knowing what art sells best actually hold any value to artists?

I don’t believe it does.

Understanding who your target audience and knowing where to find them is what will help you to sell more art.

You can know what the best selling art on Etsy is but that will not help you to increase your art sales if you do not know how to reach your audience.

Are you trying to discover your unique artistic voice so your artwork will stand out?

Selling Art Online

Selling art is not easy, and success does not happen overnight.

There is a lot of work involved in selling art or anything product or service for that matter.

In order for you to sell art online, you will need to devote time during the week to learn the ins and outs of operating an online business. (Yes, selling art is a business.)

Start with learning the basics:

• Writing Goals
• Pricing
• Brand Awareness
• Photography (photographing your art)
• Online Gallery 
• Email List – Newsletters
• Build an online presence – Digital Marketing

The list above might look overwhelming but if you focus on one area at a time you will be able to develop a solid foundation for your art business.

Schedule an hour or two every week to learn about operating a business and how to market your artwork.

Art that sells is the art that is marketed properly to the right people.

Related Resources:

Build a Successful Creative Blog by April Bowles-Olin

Art Pricing Guide – How to Price Art to Sell eBook by Dave Nevue

Brand Your Creative Business by Megan Auman

Simple Email Marketing for Makers by Megan Auman

There Is A Market For Your Art

You are lucky to be an artist in today’s day and age.

Before the internet, artists would have to create art based on their location if they were interested in selling their crafts.

I am sure it would have been difficult for an artist living in Florida to sell a painting of a polar bear before the internet came along.

The artist might have gotten lucky to have a polar bear collector stumble across their painting, but I would have to believe the odds of that happening would be stacked against them.

Artists can now specialize in any subject and become very successful no matter where they reside.

The list of “the best art that sells” does not hold much value today, thanks to the internet.

I am not saying that every subject will be easy to sell, but what I am saying is it is now possible for you to sell whatever subject you have a passion for.

The internet has made it possible for artists to express themselves through their craft without any limitations.

With every positive, there is a negative.

Yes, it is possible for an artist to sell any subject without being limited to their location. The negative is there is much more competition due to the internet.

Artists who sell the most art are the ones who spent the time learning how to become marketing experts not wasting time researching the most popular art subjects.

Not only will you want to enhance your artistic skills throughout your career, but you will also want to continue to learn about marketing your crafts.

Express Yourself

Art is a form of communication that creates emotion.

Just like when you listen to one of your favorite songs.

No matter where you are or what you are doing, your favorite song will bring you to a different place.

Musicians can create that special emotion with instruments and harmony.

You as an artist can create that same feeling with a medium on a surface.

Instead of wasting time trying to find a diamond in the rough, spend the time polishing your artistic skills.

Stay true to who you are and learn how to communicate your feelings through your art.

It doesn’t matter what medium or colors you use.

Your art will be a unique fingerprint of your inner voice.

Don’t forget to brand your art with your signature.

You want everyone to know you are the artist who created the piece they are enjoying.

Below are some popular drawing courses that will help you to enhance your artistic skills.

10 Essential Techniques for Better Drawing by Patricia Watwood

Drawing Essentials: Rendering Form by Charles Valsechi

Drawing Dimension: Shading Techniques by Catherine V. Holmes

Learn To Draw – How To Draw Realistic Drawings by Dave Nevue

Below are some popular painting courses.

Paint & Palette Essentials: A Beginner’s Guide to Oil Painting by Jay Senetchko

The Artful Copy: How to Paint Like a Master by Molly Herman

Throw Away The List

Now that you know about “the best art that sells” list courtesy of Art Business Today. It is time to take the list and throw it away.

1. Traditional Landscapes
2. Local Views
3. Modern Landscapes
4. Abstracts
5. Dogs
6. Figure
7. Seascapes
8. Wildlife
9. Impressionistic Landscapes
10. Nudes

More than likely you fall into one of the categories listed above.

Now is the time to stop worrying about what subjects sell better than others.

Spend your time finding out where your target audience is.

Learn how to promote and market your art and keep creating beautiful art.

How To Market Art Online

It is more important for you to spend time learning how to market your art rather than trying to find out what art sells most.

Instead of searching for what the best-selling art is in 2016, search for the best ways to market art online.

Rather than researching what the best-selling art on Etsy is, research on how to drive traffic to your Etsy Shop.

Put away some time every week for learning and strive to become an art marketing expert.

People need to be knowledgeable about your art if you are hoping to sell it.

Here are some articles to help you get started on your marketing journey.

1. Digital Content Marketing – What Artists Need to Know
2. How to Sell on Pinterest Tips for Artists
3. Online Art Marketing Basics Know Your Audience
4. How to Be More Productive Marketing Art Online
5. How to Sell Your Art Online Tips
6. How to Write an Artist Business Plan That Works
7. Selling Art Like a Pro Best Strategies
8. Art Marketing Plan – How to Make a Presence Online

Make a presence online and help your target audience find you. The best art that sells is yours.Click To Tweet

Online Gallery

If you are going to sell art online you will need a place where people can view and purchase your work.

You can build or have someone build a website that will showcase your art.

Selling art on Etsy is an easy way for artists to get started.

There are also Third-Party websites that help make selling art easy for artists.

In my opinion, owning a WordPress site is the best way to go. You can have a WordPress site up in minutes Bluehost “One-click” WordPress Installer.

Take some time to research what the best solution is for you.

Here are a couple of articles to help get you started.

1. Create an Online Gallery
2. Sell Art Online Free – 7 Popular Third-Party Sites for Artists
3. WordPress Dashboard Guide
4. WordPress SEO Basics

Related Resource: 15 Places To Sell Art Online

Art Blog

You might have heard the term, “content marketing.”

Content marketing is just a fancy phrase that means sharing your story. There are several different mediums you can use to share your story online. The most common medium businesses use are blogging, video and audio.

You can easily build a WordPress blog and art gallery all on one site with BlueHost.

Once you have created your WordPress website, install the free WooCommerce plugin. Once you have done that you will have an online art gallery and a blog that will attract your target audience. It is really that simple.

Related Posts:

How To Install WooCommerce On A WordPress Artist Website

How To Add And Manage Products In WooCommerce

How To Add WooCommerce WordPress Categories

Providing valuable content and an easy way for people to share your posts will greatly help you to build an online presence.

I use Social Warfare to help me with my social share strategy and Tailwind for my Pinterest Scheduling.

To be noticed on the overcrowded web you will need to create a content marketing strategy.

Are you ready to start building brand awareness and increase organic traffic to your art gallery?

Join all of the other artists who are building their business by blogging.

USE COUPON CODE – 28DAY to save $10 off 28 Day Blogging Challenge for Visual Artists eBook.

Content marketing is just a fancy phrase that means sharing your story.Click To Tweet

Here are a few articles to help get you started on developing a content marketing strategy.

1. 10 Reasons Artists Should Start Blogging
2. Sell Art by Blogging
3. Starting an Art Blog Part 1 Hosting
4. Starting an Art Blog Part 2 Content Writing
5. Starting an Art Blog Part 3 Building an Audience 
6. WordPress SEO: Optimize Your Artist Website for Search Engines
7. How Artist Blogs Build Loyal Customers and Generate Sales

Related Resource:

Build a Successful Creative Blog by April Bowles-Olin

Social Media Marketing

Creating a strategic social media strategy will help you to build brand awareness and learn more about your audience.

Make sure that your artist blog has a social share button like Social Warfare to make it easy for your readers to share your content.

Combining both blogging and social media strategies into your art marketing plan will help to separate you from your competition.

Here are a few articles to help get you started on a social media plan that will work for you.

1. 10 Social Media Marketing Tips Every Artist Must Know
2. Choose One Social Media Platform to Focus On
3. How to Create a Social Media Marketing Calendar

Would you like to learn how to market on Facebook?

Facebook Marketing Courses:

Facebook Marketing for Small Businesses with Nathan Latka

Start A Pinterest Business Account

Besides having a content marketing strategy, Pinterest will help you to build brand awareness and drive a lot of traffic to your site.

If you want to sell fine art online you have to start by learning how to drive traffic to your site and Pinterest is a powerful platform that will help you to do just that.

Below are some posts to help you make the most out of your Pinterest Marketing Strategy:

1. Create a Pinterest Business Account Step by Step
2. How to Start a Pinterest Strategy for Artists
3. How to Create a Pinterest Profile for Your Art Business
4. Pinterest Board Tips That Will Attract Your Target Audience
5. What You Should Pin to Your Artist Pinterest Boards

Below are some posts that will help you to save time on Pinterest and grow your Pinterest business faster than you could have ever imagined:

• How To Create Board Lists In Tailwind
• How I Sell My Art Online With Tailwind
• 5 Reasons Artists Should Use Tailwind SmartLoop
• Understanding Tailwinds Analytics
• How To Use Tailwind Tribes To Sell More Art

Related Resource: 

Pinterest Marketing for Makers & Designers by Megan Auman

Popular Art Marketing Courses

Are you ready to take your art business to the next level?

Investing in marketing courses and tutorials will maximize your profit and speed up the growth of your business.

Below are some of the most popular art marketing courses that will grow your online art business:

Most Popular – How to Make a Living Selling What You Make by Megan Auman

Most Popular –  Build a Successful Creative Blog by April Bowles-Olin

How to Build a Business While Learning Your Craft by Megan Auman

Pinterest Marketing for Makers & Designers by Megan Auman

Final Thoughts On Art That Sells

Always believe that the art that sells the best is your art.

There are people who are interested in what you are creating.

Find your niche and start marketing to your target audience.

Every successful business, no matter how large or small, research their competitors.

As an artist, you should spend time researching the top-selling paintings or what the most popular art is for any given time.

You should also check to see how other artists are promoting their art and discover how they are building name recognition.

Art that sells is the art that is seen by many people.

Do your research and become an expert at marketing your art, and soon you will have the best selling paintings in your area.

Art that Sells – What Artists Need to Know Overview:

• Art That Sells Best
• Art That Sells – Everyone is Unique
• Selling Art
• There is a Market
• Express Yourself
• Throw Away the List
• Learn How to Market Your Art
• Online Gallery
• Art Blog
• Social Media
• Start a Pinterest Business Account

You might also be interested in:

• How To Sell Art Prints Online (And Make Money)
• How To Make Prints To Sell
• Why Artists Should Sell Art Prints Online
• Drawing Tips For Enhancing Your Drawing Skills
• Best Shipping Tips For Artists Selling Art Online

Popular Art Marketing And Sales Tutorials

Below are some of the most famous art marketing courses that will grow your online art business:

• Most Popular – How to Make a Living Selling What You Make by Megan Auman
• Most Popular –  Build a Successful Creative Blog by April Bowles-Olin
• How to Build a Business While Learning Your Craft by Megan Auman
• Pinterest Marketing for Makers & Designers by Megan Auman

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More resources to help build your online art business. 

Art Business eBooks

Art Marketing Video Courses

Art Business Planners

Art Business Workbooks

Art Marketing Resource