The Dreadful Part of Being an Artist

Any artist would love to get paid doing what they love. But what most artists struggle with is the skill to sell themselves. Most people are amazing artists and their work is to die for, but because of lack of people skills and zero effort in marketing their work, they don’t really make enough money that they truly deserve. To excel in any business, you need both; great skill and great marketing.

Did you just see how Mattel marketed the Barbie movie? I mean, the marketing budget was more than the budget of the movie itself. This shows how much noise you need to make in order to be successful in what you do. The movie was a blockbuster and everyone around the world hopped on the bandwagon to take part in the trends.

I’m not saying you need a big fat marketing budget to sell yourself, but you get the idea. Making noise on all social platforms relevant to your work is crucial. 

3 Universal Tips To Get Art Commissions

Now that we have understood the importance of marketing, let’s get to know some important tips when it comes to getting art commissions. Art commissions can make you a lot of money as an artist and no wonder it’s a difficult job to get people to trust you with their commission, it’s not impossible.

Networking

Network, network, network! I can’t emphasize enough how important networking is in every business, not just in getting art commissions. Expanding your connections expands your pool of potential clients and helps you land more commissioned work. 

Make friends with art gallery owners, they are interested in the work of new artists, showcase your work in art galleries and attend openings and events and network with people who attend. Selling your masterpieces in your art studio won’t work. Even a mediocre piece of art would sell better in an art gallery than a masterpiece hiding in an art studio.

Build a circle of people around you who appreciate art. Try to build a relationship with people who support your art, don’t just sell a piece of art, understand the buyer and keep in touch.

Be Your Own Sales Person

As mentioned above, selling yourself is the most crucial part of monetizing your art. All your socials and your personal website should be shouting about your work. And DO NOT forget to mention that you take commissions. No one can assume this just by looking at your work, because a lot of artists actually don’t take commissions. 

Your personal website is your best 24/7 sales person, make sure the copy on your website is simple, easy to understand and engaging for your audience to interact with it. Hire a copywriter if you can afford or do it yourself by checking out websites of your peers who are successful in the field and try to come up with something similar. Don’t copy, take inspo, learn and implement.

Don’t forget to mention your contact information and a clear Call-to-Action for your clients. For example, 

Be Confident & Act Like A Pro

That being said, maintain the right attitude with your clients and show your eagerness to listen to their needs and note down the details, your customer should be delighted while talking to you and you should always over deliver in order to maintain that relationship and get repeat orders instead of a one-time transaction. 

Be confident and do not give one word short answers to your clients questions, explain your process and showcase your skill and knowledge of the subject. This way your customer trusts you more with the job and is happy to pay the price you ask for.

7 Digital Platforms To Get Art Commissions

1. Instagram

Great platform to showcase your work and get commissions. There are numerous hashtags that you can use to get art commissions. You can use specific hashtags according to your niche. For example, if you’re a landscape artist you can use: #landscapeart #landscapeartist #landscapeartists #landscapeartwork #landscapeartistoftheyear and so on with #commissionsopen #commissionart #commissionedart #commissionartist. Hashtags increase the reach of your content and help the right audience discover your work.

2. Facebook Groups

Another amazing place to get commissions from, Facebook groups are better for getting commissions for artists who are new in the field and don’t have a strong presence on online platforms as Fiverr, Upwork etc are saturated with more professional artists. There are many Facebook groups for artists and art lovers where businesses and individuals are looking to hire artists or commission some work.

3. Pinterest

Pinterest is known for showcasing images, portraits, interior design and creative art of many forms. I don’t even remember how many boards I have saved personally for inspiration of dresses, paintings, home decor and what not. Pinterest provides a great opportunity for artists to get discovered as people search for millions of things on pinterest to take inspiration from. It’s like a search engine for images. Make sure you caption your posts according to the keywords your clients will be using to search. For example: digital watercolor portraits, this way you will be discovered easily and get commissioned for your work. 

4. Reddit

Reddit is a great online community platform where artists can look for “subreddits”. People talk about anything on reddit and there are thousands of topics on reddit. On Art alone a subreddit r/Art has 23M members. Imagine the amount of exposure you can get here. Did you know that there is a dedicated list of subreddits that connect artists and clients for commissioned work? Here is the list:

• r/ArtBusiness
• r/ArtCommission
• r/ArtCommissions
• r/ArtStore
• r/Commissions
• r/Comissions
• r/DrawForMe
• r/HireAnArtist
• r/HungryArtists
• r/TheArtistCorner

5. Personal Website

Creating a professional portfolio on your personal website is the most powerful tool for attracting art commissions. As we discussed, your website is your 24/7 salesperson. Showcase your best work, organize it in easily navigable categories. Include high-quality images and detailed descriptions to captivate potential clients and convey your artistic style.

Create an engaging "About Me" section by sharing your artistic journey, inspirations, and experiences. Personalize your story to connect with visitors on a deeper level. Adding a professional photo and contact information helps establish trust and encourages potential clients to reach out.

Make sure your website is visually appealing and user-friendly. A clean, user-friendly design helps decrease bounce rate & helps visitors explore your artwork effortlessly. Use a responsive layout that works well on both desktop and mobile devices, optimizing the user experience leaves a lasting impression.

6. Online Platforms

Join online art communities and forums where artists and art enthusiasts gather. Platforms like DeviantArt, Behance, and Dribbble allow you to share your work, receive feedback, and connect with potential clients. Participating in challenges and collaborations can also help you expand your reach.

In addition to traditional social media and art communities, there's a growing trend among artists to leverage crowdfunding and membership platforms like Crowdfundly, Ko-fi, and Patreon as a means to secure art commissions and build sustainable income streams. These platforms offer a unique approach to connecting with your audience and monetizing your creative endeavors while fostering a sense of community. Here's how Crowdfundly benefits artists looking to take commissions:

With Crowdfundly you can bring personalized pieces to life based on requests from your admirers. Not only is it a platform to receive tips and donations, share posts about your work, offer memberships and build a community of artists but also offer commissions. Whether it's painting a cherished memory or crafting a unique illustration, the commission's feature on Crowdfundly lets you connect directly with your audience. You're in control - set your own prices, discuss ideas, and dive into a fulfilling creative process. Plus, it's a chance to expand your portfolio and reach, engaging with fans in a more personal way. With secure transactions and a supportive community, this feature is your artistic playground to explore, create, and connect.

7. Freelance Platforms

Set up your profile on freelance platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, or Fiverr, create a compelling bio that highlights your artistic niche, your skills and experience. Add a portfolio showcasing your best work and set competitive pricing for your services. You can offer different plans or packages for your clients to choose from. Deliver exceptional work and provide excellent customer service to build positive relationships with clients. Timely communication, regular updates, and a willingness to make revisions contribute to a satisfied client base. Satisfied and happy clients will definitely recommend you to more people and increase your commissions.

How To Price Your Art Commissions?

Hah! The difficult question. If you’re just starting out, pricing could be difficult. But don’t worry, you can always charge on a per hour basis. It’s simple and easy, keep it minimum initially and slowly when your time becomes more valuable you can charge more.

However, be sure to start with the global minimum wage as your baseline, add all costs to it and finalize the price. Commissions might not be your only source of income but your pricing estimation should be as it was your only source of income. 

Don’t hesitate to charge as much as your international peers, just because you live in a third world country doesn’t mean your time and skill is not valuable.

While pricing your art commissions online, first be sure on what style of art is your niche and then stick to that so it’s clear to your audience what you do and then you will attract the right audience.  For eg; if you paint characters but not landscapes then mention this on your profile or socials where you take commissions. It’s advisable to develop a client brief form where you ask all important questions from the client in order to stay on the same page and deliver what’s expected.

You can also offer different packages, and discount a larger package so you incentivise buying a bigger package. Your pricing can depend upon the size, complexity, and time taken to finish the piece. 

Conclusion

Getting paid for doing what you love is awesome. But it doesn’t happen magically, like creating art requires time, effort, skill and energy. Selling art requires the same. We discussed how many artists dread this part of their business, it’s crucial to keep afloat the business and make ends meet. With the right attitude, a little positivity and exposure you can make a difference. Networking in your industry, being your own advocate, and behaving like a professional will make anyone successful if they have the will for it. We also listed and shared about top digital platforms where you can get art commissions and also shared the secrets to price your artwork.

Hope this helpful, happy commissioning!

FAQs

Is signing a commission agreement/contract necessary?

Signing a contract with your client is beneficial for both parties as it prevents fraud and helps bring expectations from both sides on the table to agree on. You can discuss the pricing, time taken to deliver, location of delivery, payment terms etc in your contract.

How important is it to take a deposit?

It is usual practice to take 50% deposit before starting your work, but if you’re new to the field or even a professional, it really depends on client to client and how much trust you have developed. For starters, and to be safe you can charge a 10% deposit instead of 50%.

How to get paid for art commissions?

You can easily get paid online via PayPal, credit card or if you have any other preference. You can also take cash for your art if you’re selling it in a gallery.

Where to sell digital art commissions?

As mentioned in the article, you can sell digital art commissions on your social media, specially Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook groups, you can also sell it on Reddit, as well as many online platforms for creators and artists like Crowdfundly. It’s an all in one platform for artists where they can accept tips, offer memberships, connect with their audience, sell their artwork on digital shop and offer commissions.