Last Updated on January 7, 2020

Are you ready to take your art business to a new level? This is an exciting time for you. You have decided to start selling your artwork online and selected what platform you will be showcasing your art on. So what is the next step? In this post, I am going to talk about how you can sell your paintings by building your brand.

Sell Your Paintings By Building Your Brand

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links on this post are affiliate links and will be clearly marked as so. I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you choose to purchase through those links. I will only recommend products I have used, found helpful to my business and are companies I trust.

Are you just getting started?

Below are some posts that cover some of the most popular platforms artists are selling their crafts on.

Top 17 Websites To Sell Art Online

15 Places To Sell Art Online And Make Money

How To Sell Art Online And Make Money

How do you take your art business to the next level?

How can you separate yourself from all of the artists selling art online?

How can you build a loyal following?

How can you drive traffic to your artist website?

A couple of minutes is all it takes to realize that there are millions of paintings for sale online. Just do a search for horse paintings and you will see thousands of artists showcasing their artwork online.

Why is it so intriguing for artists to sell online?

One reason is that it is very cost-effective for artists of all levels to sell art online.

There are many ways you can sell your art online for free.

Let me clarify that in most cases there will be selling costs associated with operating an online art business.

PayPal transaction fee, Etsy selling fees, Third-party platform selling fees are just a few examples of some of the costs.

But what is free is the ability to build an online presence.

The internet has leveled the playing field for businesses of all sizes. You no longer have to compete against companies with large marketing budgets.

So how do you build an online presence with all of the artwork for sale online?

To start you have to think differently.

You are not just an artist creating artwork. You are an artistic entrepreneur and your artwork is your moneymaker.

As CEO, it is time to start building a brand identity that will have people recognize your art as your art.

Below are some strategies that will help you to do just that.

Write Your Artist Statement

Who are you as an artist?

What message are you trying to get across with your artwork?

What are your core values?

What makes your art different from all of the other artists creating similar art?

What is your artist statement?

Related Resource: 

Artist Statement Workbook

Once you have a clear vision of who you are as an artist you can start sharing your core values to people around the world.

This will help people to connect to your artwork on a more personal level.

The more you connect the message behind your art with collectors and buyers, the more likely they will want to purchase from you.

A great example of a company who built a successful brand is Apple.

Steve Jobs gives an inspirational speech about build a brand everyone will remember.

Building your business brand starts with your artist statement and having a clear vision of your core values.

Your artist statement will help you to create more effective marketing strategies.

Would you like an easy way to write your artist statement?

The Artist Statement Workbook – Write the Perfect Artist Statement is designed for artists like you who are interested in taking their art business to the next level.

Building Your Business Brand

Creating a personal brand starts with having a clear image of what you are trying to accomplish.

What would you like to achieve with your brand as an artist?

Are you trying to build an online presence?

Do you want to build your following?

Do you want to start selling your art part-time or would you like to turn your art into a full-time career?

Answer the questions above so you can start writing attainable goals.

The goals you set for yourself will guide you to your destination.

It does not matter if you would like to sell your art part-time or full-time.

Your unique goals will help you to develop a game plan that will have you win.

Would you like an easy way to write actionable goals that are attainable?

The How to Write Goals You Can Achieve Workbook was created to do just that.

What’s inside:

• Intro
• Know What You Want
• S.M.A.R.T. Goals
• Long-term Goals
• Mid-term Goals
• Short-term Goals
• Document Your Goals
• Start Your Day with Your Goals
• Review Your Goals Weekly

How to Write Goals You Can Achieve Workbook

Building Your Personal Brand By Connecting With Others

Keep your eyes open for any opportunities to collaborate on local art projects.

Building an online presence starts with people who already know you.

The people who are closest to you will help you to spread your message by sharing your content and artwork on their personal social media platforms.

Another strategy you will want to consider doing is to connect with artists who live in your town or local area.

Reach out to the makers of your favorite supplies. Partnering with them is a win-win situation for both you and the companies who create the products you use to create your artwork.

For example, I use Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylics for my acrylic paintings.

Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylics are made to have an exceptionally smooth, thick, buttery consistency, ideal for traditional art techniques that employ brushes and painting knives, as well as experimental, mixed-media, collage, and printmaking applications.

When I am talking or writing about my artistic techniques I will always share what materials I use.

Art suppliers are always searching for new artists like you to evolve and help support their products.

The opportunities are endless.

Most companies offer affiliate programs so you can make a commission from sales generated from links you provide.

They might even highlight your art in some content they publish.

Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylics Artist Acrylic Easel Set

Make It Easy For People To Connect With You

Sell your paintings by building your brand can only be accomplished by making it easy for people to connect with you.

To build a strong online presence you will have to make sure you are accessible both online and online.

Keep in mind that the people you talk to face-to-face also go online. If you can make a lasting impression with someone face-to-face they will visit and support you online.

You can only sell original art online if people know you are an artist and you have artwork for sale.

How can you build your brand when you are first starting?

An easy way to get started is by taking advantage of social media networks that are available online.

Social media has made it convenient for people to stay connected with their friends and family.

Businesses have also benefited by providing up-to-date news about their products and services.

If you have not already, take some time to create some accounts on the major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Below are some posts to help get you started:

How To  Create A Facebook Fan Page Step By Step

Facebook Basics What Artists Need To Know

7 Instagram Tips For Visual Artists Selling Art Online

How To Create An Artist Twitter Account Step By Step

How To Grow Your Artist Brand With Twitter

How To Start Selling Art On Pinterest

Start An Artist Blog

This marketing strategy is often overlooked and put on the back-burner by so many artists.

We are living in a fast-paced world and we want everything now.

Social media provides instant gratification but as soon as a post goes live it will be gone.

For long-term growth, you will need to develop a content marketing strategy (blogging).

Here is a quick overview of how it works.

You publish a blog post that is valuable to your target audience (people who are interested in your artistic style and products).

It takes several months for search engines to rank the post.

During that time you promote the post on your social media platforms. (lifespan for a social media post is less than 3 hours)

The people you reach on social media will share your post with their friends and family.

Repeat the steps above for as long as you own your art business.

Within a few months, your site will be seen as an authority in your niche and will start to rank higher in the search results.

When the blog posts rank high in the search results you will receive eve organic search traffic. In time this is where the majority of your traffic will come from.

The lifespan of a blog post is forever or for as long as you have it live.

Here are some examples of blog posts I have written over a year ago and still drive thousands of page views every month.

• Art That Sells – What Artists Need to Know
• How to Sell Drawings Online and Make Money
• How To Sell Paintings And Make Money
• How to Price Art Ultimate Art Pricing Guide
• Sell Art Online The Ultimate Online Art Marketing Course 

Branding Strategy 101

It does not matter if you would like to learn how to sell your art locally or learn to sell original art online, consistency is what will win the race.

There will be times when you feel like nothing is working.

You have to remind yourself that the strategies you are implementing today will take time to evolve.

Everything you do today will get you that much closer tomorrow.

Stay consistent and believe in your marketing strategies.

Over time your art business will become larger than you could have ever imagined.

Successful Art Branding Example

James Reynolds is an amazing ‘plein air’ landscape oil painter, focused in Cape Cod and Vermont.

He has built a successful art business by spending many hours developing a unique artistic style that separates his work from other artists who paint similar subjects.

He has also worked hard creating his artist brand on Facebook and his artist website.

Take some time to visit James website NewEnglandPainter.com.

You can also follow him on his Facebook Business Page James Reynolds Fine Art.

You can also see his art at True Grit Art Gallery 38 Centre Street, Middleborough, MA 02346.

Conclusion:

Starting a business takes planning and dedication.

Have a clear vision of what you want in your life and go get it.

Don’t give up until you accomplish your goals.

Does it really matter if it takes a year, two years or three years to reach your goals?

How happy will you be when that day arrives?

Sell Your Paintings By Building Your Brand Overview:

• Top 17 Websites To Sell Art Online
• How To Sell Art Online And Make Money
• Write Your Artist Statement
• Building Your Business Brand
• Building Your Personal Brand By Connecting With Others
• Make It Easy For People To Connect With You
• Start An Artist Blog
• Branding Strategy 101
• Successful art branding example

You might also be interested in:

How To Increase The Value Of Your Artwork | Selling Art Online Strategies

What Kind of Art Sells Best – Art Selling Tips

10 Effective Strategies For Promoting Art For Sale Online

Why Artists Selling Art Online Need A Social Media Marketing Strategy & How To Get Started

Young Artist Painters | Making The World More Beautiful With Their Art

28 Day Blogging Challenge for Visual Artists

Are you ready to start building an online presence?

Available on Amazon or Download your copy today.

The Productive Artist How to Live Your Dreams

The right mindset and time management skills are essential for any business. These topics are often not talked about but are key elements for your success. You will learn how to have a winning mindset and time management skills necessary for operating a successful art business.

Available at Amazon or Download your copy today.

Get More Done in Less Time The Part-time Artist

Proven strategies that will help you to get more work done in less time so you can sell more art and earn more money.

Available at Amazon or Download your copy today.

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