How do i showcase/sell my art?

Question

I am an aspiring artist who regulary paints as it is a hobby i find interesting and enjoy. Many of my friends and family ask me to create paintings for them on a regular basis and have also commented that i should showcase and even sell my art. Does anyone have any ideas on the best way to do this. Ebay is my only idea so far.

Answer 1

If the resources are there, set up your own website if you are going to go Ebay way...personally, I'd recommend that you sell only those pieces that aren't going to command large prices, on Ebay...risk of fraud increases with the dollar amount for the items being sold. Watch for people who want to send you increased dollars over what the actual bid is so that you will forgo shipping to them etc. letting their "agent" come to you...no, no.

Check out some of the other online art areas where you can sell I've listed a number of links you might wish to check out, go to your local art supply store and check with them for avenues, if there is an Artists Guild in your area, join...a wealth of assistance, knowledge and experience through this channel, sometimes the local art galleries host artist showings, if there is a framing store...sometimes they will exhibit for you if you have your work framed by them...it helps them sell frames. Also, sometimes a local book store will be profiling a certain group of books...check with them and see if they plan to have something for artists ...perhaps they have not thought of this method of enticing people into the store, you could start the ball rolling :) Okay, check these out if you wish:

http://www.picassomio.com/services/artists/en/ (Online art exhibit service)

http://www.artareas.com/ArtAreas/home.nsf/home Exhibit site buy/sell

http://www.artocracy.org/sell/ More geared to Digital artists...but hey, this type of artwork is actually really fun and creativity is super flexible...mistake? Erase...May be of interest to you.

http://www.starvingartistsgallery.com/ Offers artists an online gallery area, hosts contest, featured artists etc. Has a forum, help area and scam alert notification area.

http://www.originalartonline.com/ Can register for a 30 day free trial for their gallery to show your work...states Oils as the medium...might allow other mediums however.

http://www.gallery-worldwide.com/exhibitor/ Another artist gallery...you create it yourself, I take it they have the tools to do this easily...nice site actually.

http://boundlessgallery.com/sell_art Offers contests, artist of the month, the art on here commands reasonably priced to higher priced amounts.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/ Artists forum, very good community (I belong to this) lots of support, how to sell, how to create, critiques of work, all manner of medium etc, different types of art challenges (creating a piece from a selected subject, topic, photo etc) Good resource

If you can create your own space (if a gallery is a charge that you don't want to expend), it is a bit time consuming if you don't have the tools/skills/knowledge, but there are some excellent WYSIWYG (Visual) website creation tools out there that make creating a website very easy. Suggest however that you not use FrontPage of any generation...it has a very strong tendancy to forgo the inclusion of any browser except IE and therefore you are targeting only IE users while Firefox, Opera, Mozilla and Safari are all left staring at blank space with lines where text and graphics should be.

That should be enough to give you some idea of how to sell your art...there are many other places as well...google "how to sell my art" or something to this effect. Tons of hits will result

Good luck with everything. If you are "unique" in your work you will find your niche online...make yourself stand out among the crowd that's already here and you'll do just fine. Specialize in a certain genre (i.e. Fantasy (which is hot right now), anything of an Oriental nature that is done to the form of the oriental artists, old world charm type pieces that are done in candid close up (i.e. old churches, buildings, statues, museums but stress a particular feature only such as an ornamental archway, doorway, windows etc. Detail and realism...commissioned work that is a one of a kind piece etc, etc. It will all work out.

Answer 2

Ebay is a possibility, however, you may not get much for your work there. Yahoo auctions is another possiblity. Ask around your town for a local art club and join. Most of them will have ideas for marketing your work. Get a website and showcase your work on it, listing your site on Google or other search engines. It might cost you some money to get started, but if you are good and start to sell, it will start to pay for itself. Local art and craft fairs are good. Often community celebrations will allow vendors to set up booths. Ask at hospitals, nursing homes, and various businesses if you can show your work there. You should plan on having at least 8 to 10 pieces available to show. Our local bank focuses on a single artist each month. They run an ad in t he local paper inviting people to come view your work, which is free advertising for you. And it brings people into the bank, where they might do t heir banking business.
Check your yellow pages for art galleries. Do a search online for art contests and shows. Enter contests. If you win, it's a great selling point. Don't start out charging a great amount for your work. Start low and gradually raise to the level you like. Your talent will shine through and eventually you will get more for your name. Always strive for the best work possible, whether it is on a cheap piece of artwork, or something costing hundreds or thousands of dollars. Picasso once said that he was so famous that people bought his work because of his name, not because of his talent. His work suffered greatly in later years because he was more into the money than the art. How sad. Check with your local hobby store to see if they run contests, or might display a piece or two of your work to help sell supplies. Check out art books in libraries and book stores. They might have marketing sources.
Good luck.

Answer 3

Arts and crafts fairs, festivals, consignment shops, internet, ebay... do a press release in the paper. That's usually free. Print fliers. Rent out a space in a store or school or whatever and do a showing of your art. Get other artists to split the cost to show theirs as well.

Answer 4

I do regular business on ebay and do ok, your other answerer is right, you don't get as much, but my exposure has gotten me many commissions as well. I also painted decorative work for years (30yrs) and did very well, murals, custom stencils etc. It paid the bills and I learned much! You can print up some examples of your work for the "Vender files" that interior designers use and mail them out with a cover letter about what you do- chk comp. prices on the net or on ebay---GOOD LUCK!

Answer 5

Go to your local art place..thingy...Im not sure but you should have one in your neighborhood. My friend used to sell his metal art creations.

Answer 6

depending on the art, there are different methods, but you may want to start with a webpage.