Starting out as a wanna-be artist with a goal to actually make a living selling your art is a daunting, overwhelming task. There are no classes, degrees, or books that can prepare you for the realities of it all.
If you want to be a self-representing artist you need to be willing to wear a hat called "marketing". One aspect of marketing that has brought the art of selling down to a managable level, for me, is finding niche markets. Once you have found that niche market then it is up to you to create art that hopefully the niche market will want to buy and get it in front of them at a reasonable cost.
I have a print series that feature cow and rural art. link: http://www.equineartguild.com/~tonigrote/heartland.shtml My first print featured hereford and other cattle breeds. I kept hearing, "that is a nice print but when are you going to paint angus cattle?" I now have two angus prints and they sell really well. I am glad I listened to those comments. Since I have found a niche, I can focus and manage my marketing and create art that I know my niche will buy.
I also have started a "huge fruit and veggies" series. I find by creating this specific genre of paintings that they are easier to market. I have found a following for them on Ebay. Once I have those paintings listed I get comments from buyers about what fruit and veggies they would like to see, thus helping me create art that will sell.
It takes time to find a niche. You have to do research and then once you think of an idea you have to see if it is something that you love to paint. If you are lucky the first try will be successful. But what usually happens is that your original idea will get defined and re-defined until you discover a style which is fun for you to paint and desirable for a certain market.
If you look at "successful" artists you can see that their style is recongizable and consistent. They have found a way of painting that appeals to a certain segment of the population or niche. The second part of selling, which I eluded to at the top is getting your art in front of your niche market at a reasonable cost. It is getting close to my bedtime so that will be a topic for another time.
Take care!
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Finding a Niche, One Way To Sell Art
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2 comments:
Hi Sharon!
Thanks for the comment! I do agree that "successful" may not be the best word to use. That is why I put it in quotes. You bring up a good point.
In my book you are VERY successful! I love your story, it is very inspiring to me. Knowing the potential of what can be achieved helps keep me motivated and going forward!
I wasn't very specific but I was thinking about artists like P.Buckley Moss, Terry Redlin, and many of the Wild Wing artists I got to meet last year. They seem to be known for a single style of painting rather than several. There are also many top-selling Ebay artists who can be recognized by their gallery thumbnail pics, (I can spot your abstracts now) I don't even have to click on the listing to know who painted the piece.
A "successful" artist is often versatile and paint in various styles. But they tend to market and be identified with one particular style/subject/colors/etc. which they become known for.
Successful is a very subjective word, it means something different to everyone. I am not sure what word I could use to describe what I am trying to say!
Take care,
Toni
Hi,
Sorry! I feel successful when I can pay for my art expenses. I have a list of awards and an impresive resumee, but when I make money from selling art I feel successful. I also paint more and I am a happier painter when I make money. Seems
pretty ordinary, doesn't it? I got to pay bills just like everyone else. People often think artists don't have financial needs.
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