How I Make Money With My Art 🎨 Income Sources, Future Plans & Advice For Beginners

Summary

The speaker shares their journey as a self-employed artist, detailing how they turned their passion for art into a successful business. They discuss the launch of their online shop, selling a variety of physical and digital products, and the importance of finding the right products that align with one's art style. The video emphasizes the value of social media in building a supportive community and marketing one's work. The speaker also touches on the potential of digital products, the growth of their business, and future income avenues, offering inspiration and practical advice for aspiring artists.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The artist has always been passionate about creating art and decided to pursue it seriously three years ago, leading to becoming a self-employed artist.
• 🏡 They run a small business from home, selling a variety of physical and digital art products, which has become their primary source of income.
• 🌐 The online shop is a significant contributor to their income, offering products like stickers, bookmarks, prints, pins, washi tape, phone charms, wooden coasters, keychains, and coloring books.
• 💡 When starting a shop, there's no one-size-fits-all answer for what to sell; it depends on factors like art style and personal preferences.
• 🔥 The artist's coloring books, which initially didn't do well, became their best-sellers after giving them another shot, demonstrating the potential for change in business success over time.
• 🛠️ They produce most of their products in their home studio, similar to a print-on-demand system, which allows flexibility in creating and updating products.
• 📈 In the second year, they focused on marketing their small business through social media to increase visibility and customer engagement.
• 💌 Building a supportive community through social media is crucial, and the artist has found success by sharing their process and engaging with their audience.
• 📈 Skillshare classes, such as 'Social Media for Creatives', have been instrumental in learning how to build an online presence and engage with the audience.
• 🌐 Digital products like Notion templates and printable coloring pages are low maintenance and provide an accessible option for international customers due to lower shipping costs.
• 📈 The artist's YouTube channel is another income stream, where they share their art process and insights on running a small business, with revenue coming from the YouTube Partner program.

Q & A

What was the speaker's childhood dream and how did they pursue it?

The speaker's childhood dream was to become an artist. They pursued it by deciding to take their dream seriously about three years ago and eventually becoming a self-employed artist running their own small business from home.

What are the main sources of income for the speaker's art business?

The main sources of income for the speaker's art business are their online shop where they sell physical and digital products, and their YouTube channel through the YouTube Partner program.

What types of physical products does the speaker sell in their online shop?

The speaker sells physical products such as stickers, bookmarks, prints, pins, washi tape, phone charms, wooden coasters, keychains, and their own coloring books.

What digital products does the speaker offer in their online shop?

The speaker offers digital products like Notion templates and printable coloring page sets.

What advice does the speaker give to those considering starting their own art shop?

The speaker advises considering one's art style and personal preferences when deciding what to sell, and not to put too much pressure on the initial product selection since it can be changed and expanded over time.

How did the speaker approach the marketing of their small business?

The speaker focused on marketing through social media to build a community and increase visibility for their products.

What resources did the speaker use to learn about building an online presence?

The speaker used Skillshare classes, specifically 'Social Media for Creatives: Five Exercises to Power Your Freelance Career' by Andy J Pizza, to learn about building an online presence.

How has the speaker's product line evolved over the years?

The speaker's product line has evolved by adding more items, experimenting with different products, and introducing new products like engraved coasters, apparel items, and digital products like Notion templates.

What was the speaker's experience with their initial coloring book sales, and how did it change later?

Initially, the speaker's coloring books did not do well, but after giving it another shot with a fall-themed coloring book in September 2023, it became their best-selling item and significantly increased their orders.

What other income avenues is the speaker considering for the future?

The speaker is considering art markets, art licensing, wholesale orders, and starting a Patreon to supplement their income in the future.

How does the speaker feel about the growth and success of their business?

The speaker is amazed and grateful for the growth and success of their business, especially seeing the increase in orders from a dozen to over a thousand in a year.