How to Sell Paintings

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Build a social media presence.

   You’re probably already on at least one social media website.
   
   Furthermore, you have a basic idea about how they work.
   
   Social media can be used to make connections with others and display things you find beautiful.
   
   These qualities also make social media an excellent way to launch your career.
   
   Here are a few different websites you should consider using--they all work a little differently, so try more than one.
   
   Facebook is a good way to stay connected to a wide demographic of fans.
   
   Make a fan page (separate from your personal account) and use it to talk about upcoming events and new pieces.Instagram is populated by a younger demographic.
   
   Because it’s so image-driven, it’s great to show off sketches, works-in-progress, and finished commissions.Twitter requires pithiness, but it’s surprisingly useful.
   
   Leverage your 140-character tweets to promote shows and connect with other artists.Tumblr allows you to post complete works, and is also a great way to build relationships with other artists (since a good Tumblr is comprised of a mix of original content and artwork you find beautiful).
2. 2

   Step 2: Start by selling through a third-party website.

   Many artists start out their online sales not through a private page, but through an established website that features lots of up-and-coming artists.
   
   There are a few advantages to this: you don’t have to know how to code to get started, and many new buyers feel more comfortable shopping through a website with buyer protections in place.
   
   Here are a few well-known art vendors online.Artsy has been around for a while and encompasses a broad range of style.
   
   If you have a particularly homespun or cute aesthetic to your work, Etsy is great.
   
   Spreesy is a newer site that dovetails well with an Instagram presence. , It can be really hard to figure out how to price your work: many new artists end up undercharging, which is simply not sustainable.
   
   Don’t sell yourself short--pick a pricing scheme for your pieces, and stick to it.
   
   Consistency is key! (And if you’re worried that you’re overcharging a tiny bit for the pieces that you sell, that’s often a sign that you’re charging about the right amount.)You can start by charging by the hour--for instance, if a painting took you ten hours to complete, you can value your time at $15/hour and charge $150 for it.
   
   You can also charge by the linear inch; for instance, if a painting is 20 by 30 inches, and you charge $0.50 per linear inch, the total cost would be $300.
   
   Don’t forget to factor in the cost of materials! Include finishing touches like frames in this calculation. , If you’ve been building up an online presence and presenting a consistent artistic vision to your fans, someone will probably ask you for a custom work sooner or later.
   
   This is really exciting! Don’t get overwhelmed by the process of working with another person’s vision, but ask plenty of questions and offer frequent updates.
   
   Make sure to send your portfolio to someone who inquires about a comission--they should feel like your style is a good match if you’re going to work together.For consistency’s sake, price commissions similarly to other paintings of the same size, materials, and time commitment.
   
   Ask for a deposit of 25% or so before you begin the piece.
   
   This will protect you in case the buyer doesn’t like the finished product.
   
   In the unlikely event that the buyer refuses the painting, you can keep it and sell it to someone else later., Once you’ve made a sale online, you’ll have to ship out your work.
   
   Wrapping the painting in multiple layers of both hard and soft materials should keep it safe in transit, so that it gets to your customer as pristine as it left you.Start by wrapping the painting in palette wrap (an art supply that looks like plastic wrap).
   
   Start by holding the wrap in the back, then pull it around to the front, and then to the back again.
   
   Align the long edge of the painting with a large piece of cardboard, and mark where the short sides rest.
   
   Now, flip over the painting along the long edge, so that it’s in the middle of the cardboard.
   
   Cut along the long edge so that you have a big cardboard rectangle.
   
   Wrap this around the painting, and secure it with packing tape.
   
   Cover the cardboard-wrapped painting in one or two layers of bubble wrap.
   
   Secure the bubble wrap with packing rape.
   
   Place the bubble-wrapped painting in a nice big box, then fill in gaps in the box with bubble wrap or packing peanuts.
   
   Finish off by neatly addressing the box and decorating it with a few Fragile stickers. , If you’ve been in the online game for a while, it may be time to take your sales to your own private webpage.
   
   This is a big step, and one perhaps best taken if you already have a solid customer base, but having your sales and portfolio all bound up under one domain name is professional and elegant.You can use basic coding knowledge to make your website.
   
   Using a template service, like Squarespace or Weebly, also works if you don’t code.
   
   Consider adding a blog to your website.
   
   This allows for longer-form thought than social media does, and can also be used to draw attention to upcoming events.Don’t forget to link to your social media and vendors.
3. 3

   Step 3: Price your work fairly.

4. 4

   Step 4: Take commissions.

5. 5

   Step 5: Pack carefully.

6. 6

   Step 6: Consider creating your own website.

Detailed Guide

About the Author