How to Sell Art Online As An Artist: A Ultimate Guide
Discover how print-on-demand helps you to sell art online to a global audience and turn your passion into a thriving online business.
For many artists, print-on-demand has become a profitable business or side gig.
Artists who seek to increase their income frequently gravitate to selling things featuring their artwork, but working with standard business models may be difficult to set up and sustain.
Print-on-demand allows artists to boost their earnings without having to deal with the time-consuming responsibilities of manufacturing, inventory, and shipping.
Many musicians start selling branded products to increase their income and promote audience involvement. However, creating and selling products raises a plethora of questions. We are here to guide you through the correct methods of creating income without the hassle of inventory management.
As a designer, artist, or illustrator, the digital revolution has created tremendous, unparalleled possibilities to share and monetize your creations.
You are no longer confined to selling original artwork and prints; you can now sell your artwork on a variety of products ranging from custom t-shirts to mugs, bottles, and stickers to art prints with print on demand.
So, if you’ve been seeking a guide on creating and selling artistic products, continue reading. In this article, I’ll discuss how to add custom art to products, set up an online store, and start selling.
Let’s start with the definition of print on demand.
Contents
- 1 Why Artists Should Create and Sell Merchandise Online
- 2 Steps For Artists To Create And Sell Branded Merch
- 2.1 Step 1: Choose a POD Supplier to sell art online
- 2.2 Are you ready to get started with Qikink?
- 2.3 Step 2: Create A Brand Identity And Conduct Customer Research
- 2.4 Step 3: Build Brand Merchandise
- 2.5 Step 4: Select Your Merchandise And Create Mockups
- 2.6 Step 5: Establish Your Business And Begin Sell Art Online
- 2.7 Conclusion
- 2.8 People Also Read:
- 2.9 Are you ready to get started with Qikink?
What is Print on Demand?
“Print-on-demand is an e-commerce business model in which your designs are printed only when you want them, with no minimum order quantity.”
A supplier or manufacturer will handle both the printing and shipping of the products. They offer blank and “unbranded” white-label goods that can vary from apparel, accessories, stationery, and home décor.
The US digital textile printing industry alone was expected to be $340.2 million in 2021. (Source: Business Wire)
Global digital textile printing revenue is expected to increase from $1.5 billion in 2020 to $2.7 billion by 2026.
Read more: Print on Demand Business
Print On Demand For Artists to Sell art online
The desire for bespoke products is increasing, with around 48% of buyers willing to wait longer to receive their preferred item.
Another significant factor has been the change from traditional retail to eCommerce. The pandemic triggered this transition, which increased from 13.8% in 2019 to 19.6% in 2021.
As an artist, you are fortunate to have two important advantages.
To begin, you already have a collection of artwork ready to go, unlike many ambitious merchandisers who struggle over where and how to obtain attractive designs to add to their products and sell to their audience. One of the most crucial success aspects in merchandising is good design. You’ve got this covered!
Second, as an artist or designer, you may already have an audience that is at least partially receptive to your work and, as a result, your products.
These two factors combine to produce a massive opportunity.
But let us be more precise.
Let’s not only speak about the scale of the opportunity; let’s walk you through it step by step!
Why Artists Should Create and Sell Merchandise Online
The worldwide print on demand market was valued at USD 4.90 billion in 2021, and it is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 26.1% between 2022 and 2030, reaching USD 39.4 billion by 2030.
Making your products is a terrific way to generate the buzz you need to expand. Here are some reasons why you should think about establishing your own branded products:
1. Chance To Promote Your Art
When it comes to selling branded merchandise and marketing your talent, one artist distinguishes out from other artists.
Personalized gifts have grown in popularity year after year, with 2020 indicating the most demand yet (a rise of roughly 20% YoY). (Ahrefs)
One out of every five clients is willing to spend up to 20% more for customized products and services. (ComCap)
To begin obtain funds for your efforts by selling products. Second, promote art to the audience in an unforced manner.
As an outcome, designing and selling art on products may assist you in promoting your artwork while simultaneously contributing to a worthy cause.
Pro tip: If you want to expand your partnership with businesses and other well-known artists, consider making and selling artistic merchandise in different niches.
2. Increase Your Fan Base
Branded products are still an excellent strategy to raise brand recognition. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on sponsored advertisements, sell something real to generate interest.
Consider the numerous results that appear when we search for Guns n’ Roses on Google.
Do you notice any similarities in the results provided above? Guns n’ Roses apparel embodies a certain attitude and style that their followers adore. Their prints do not fade into soft hues. They maintain consistency to communicate their brand voice.
Pro tip: Don’t restrict your products to only graphics. Discover the most intriguing trends that your followers can’t get enough of. Print them out and watch your sales soar. Make your design projects stand out from the crowd by being inventive.
3. Additional Revenue Source
To be honest, it’s difficult to earn a living as an artist without many revenue streams.
Creating and marketing branded items is similar to creating music. Even when there are no concerts, it becomes an active source of money.
Many artists look for extra money streams that are unrelated to digital art. They struggle to make money doing something they don’t care about.
Even if you don’t have a large fan base, consider utilizing your imagination to create eye-catching t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, and posters.
Remember that customers enjoy spending on products that have a unique edge. Allow your creativity to go wild and produce unique merchandise.
4. Low Investment And Risk
If you choose a Print-on-Demand service, this income stream likewise has low-risk considerations.
To generate money, you don’t need to maintain a large inventory. When someone places an order, you only pay and earn.
Your whole marketing effort is still unchanged. So, even if you’re unsure, give it a go because you have nothing to lose.
Steps For Artists To Create And Sell Branded Merch
By selecting the best areas to start, we’ve saved you hours of research. You may eventually develop and sell right now by following these steps:
Step 1: Choose a POD Supplier to sell art online
Print-on-demand manufacturing is still a better solution for creating and selling branded items. Because you only pay when you receive orders, it is less risky. However, there are several vendors available.
How do you pick the one that offers high-quality items and multiple printing options?
You can create a print-on-demand business that stands out by integrating Qikink’s large variety of products.
When choosing a POD service provider, keep the following in mind:
Excellent Product Line
The company must provide a diverse range of products, such as premium T-Shirts, sweatshirts, and canvas prints, as well as mobile cases, tote bags, and so on.
Before you do a simple Google search for the best print-on-demand services in 2023, here’s how you can get high-quality products quickly.
Qikink promises that you will not have to search elsewhere for product selection.
Custom Branding
It must provide unique branding solutions to increase brand awareness at the lowest possible cost.
Pay-Per-Order
A reputable POD provider does not ask for any kind of upfront payment or deposit.
Minimum Time For Dispatch And Delivery
It must have a rapid turnaround time and be guaranteed to arrive within a week.
An Adaptable Refund Policy
A systematic return framework should be in place on the platform.
Seamless e-Commerce Integrations
It must offer easy interfaces with leading platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.
Evidence Of Successful Deliveries
You must guarantee that companies rely on the platform of choice. Qikink, for example, has supplied over 10 million premium products to clients all over the world.
Are you ready to get started with Qikink?
Step 2: Create A Brand Identity And Conduct Customer Research
Creating compelling designs necessitates the development of a thorough brand identity. Remember that it assists you in differentiating your brand from top competitors. Defining the visual aspects, for example (color palette, logo, etc.)
Next, concentrate on understanding your audience and where they are coming from. Consider the following points:
Determine your ideal customers. For example, suppose you want to reach out to your social network following. Discover the trends they follow and the catchphrases they employ.
What are your target audiences interested in? Take a poll to see if people want T-Shirts, sweatshirts, posters, stickers, and so on.
Communicating with your target customers using polls and surveys is still an effective way to spread the news. It also guarantees that you generate products that are of interest to them.
Step 3: Build Brand Merchandise
Do you know that branded merchandise is still one of the fastest ways to monetize your social media following?
You now have a comprehensive grasp of your prospective consumers as well as a consistent brand identity. It’s time to start thinking about unique merchandise designs.
Remember to make a few fantastic designs that you may utilize on various things. As a result, create designs that are simple to change or reorganize based on the objects you choose.
Use both free and commercial platforms to create diverse designs.
To create designs, you may utilize platforms such as Adobe Photoshop, Sketch, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, and Pixlr. The range of design creation possibilities assures that you create visually appealing graphics. The investment is significant since beautiful designs are essential for attracting clients.
Here’s an example of one of Childish Gambino’s inventive merchandise designs. In his designs, he employs a tremendous degree of creativity and intellectual thought.
Posters dropshipping is relatively easy with print-on-demand platforms. All you need to do is upload your poster design, set your prices, and the platform will handle the printing, packaging, and shipping directly to your customers. You can even try selling poster frames and T Shirts like the above-given results with print on demand.
Takeaway: When developing your brand’s merchandise, always think beyond the obvious.
Step 4: Select Your Merchandise And Create Mockups
You may either hire a designer and specify your needs, or you can build product mockups on your own. A mockup generator may or may not be provided by your chosen POD supplier. For example, when you log in to Qikink, you will see several options, including a mockup generator.
Choose if you want to make things for men, women, children, and so on. Then select the product you wish to design.
Select Add Design to add your logo and design to your product.
Choose your product’s print type and colour. Qikink offers a wide range of print options, including basic cotton prints, glow-in-the-dark, white vinyl, reflective grey vinyl, and many others. Remember that the choice you choose will also determine your profit margin.
To save your produced mockups, click Download Mockups.
Step 5: Establish Your Business And Begin Sell Art Online
If you don’t already have one, set up an eCommerce store. Artists that already have a store may easily integrate it with their POD service. Qikink offers smooth eCommerce shop integration whether your business was built with Shopify, WooCommerce, or another platform.
The Integrations option will be shown on your Qikink dashboard. Simply click on it to connect your store in a few simple steps.
Then, begin uploading the products you generated with Qikink’s mockup generator. Start marketing your newly upgraded store!
After successful integration, the Qikink dashboard will handle all of your orders with ease.
Conclusion
Whether you want to make POD a side hustle or a full-time business, you can benefit from this lucrative and low-cost opportunity to expand your product range and income sources.
This article should have given you a flavor of the economic possibility offered by selling art online as a print on demand merch.
You now understand how to set up an online store, transform your artwork into products, and expand your business. Check out our blog for relevant ideas and methods on how to generate money with online and print-on-demand products.
As a well-established artist, you have the designs — and maybe the audience — to build a lucrative business. By devoting effort to developing a print-on-demand custom product offering on an e-commerce platform that you control, you can generate an extra, consistent cash stream to boost your present sales.
People Also Read:
- Selling Posters Online with Dropshipping – Step-By-Step Guide
- A Must Read To Know How To Design And Sell Online
- Create and Sell Custom Canvas Prints Online – Qikink