Can you give me ideas on selling my paintings?

Question

I am currently selling by displaying at cafes and restaurants and do the odd comission but want to expand. Good advice needed!

Answer 1

Hi:

I would also recommend at least as a starting point, Ebay. Then, make sure you have a website with more paintings available, and mention it and have a link to it in your blurb. I made two little sculptural pieces and tried to auction them on Ebay last year - they weren't purchased, but I added a link to my main art webpage in the blurb, and right about at that time, I was able to sell another painting from the art webpage. It is very likely the person who bought my painting got there from the Ebay link. A sale is a sale, and people from all over the world visit Ebay. I heard somewhere that currently about 1 billion people around the world have access to the internet - if even a small percentage of that total number of people are looking on Ebay, you have a chance to possibly make a sale to someone you would never have even a slim chance of meeting in real life.

You might also try joining the online artist community, wetcanvas. Basic membership is free and there are currently more than 95,000 worldwide members. Artists who are members there commonly list their items with a common keyword - 4wc, so that's another way to network.

Hope this helps, and gives you some ideas.

Answer 2

Sal, you need more exposure. The modern way to get that and a whole lot more is with your computer. Here is my site
http://www.artwanted.com/artist.cfm?ArtID=31019
Check it out. I get between 250 and 500 hits every day, I can see how many people saw each piece and I can communicate with everyone who leaves comments on my work. I'm having a blast and selling more work than ever and I've been painting for forty-five years. You can click on the 'join' button for more info. Feel free to leave me some comments on my work and be sure to view all of it. Good luck!

Answer 3

My daughter had the same trouble after graduating from art school. She found setting up a website and then selling a few pieces on ebay helped to get the word out.

Answer 4

if you want any credibility as an artist DON'T sell your work on ebay. What real art collector buys art off of ebay, they need to look at it face to face to see the quality. someone who buys art off of ebay is going to put it on their wall like it's a poster (unless you only paint landscapes... sorry that's offensive to landscape painters put most of them all look the same now so people just buy them because they look pretty.)
make a portfolio. take photos of your work and put them in a note book along with a bio of yourself. talk about your past and the direction you are going with your art, in other words are you a real artist or a hobbiest, will your work be worth something or will you just be a telemarketer tomorrow that no on knows. then go to every art gallery you can find and show it to them. if they like it they'll ask you to do a show and thats where you sell art.

Answer 5

Ebay, why not try selling your art on ebay, or even start up your own website. Start off by getting your art noticed on Ebay once you have the interest get yourself a website, you can still sell things on ebay but if you get the interest in your art you can refer people to your website.
Good luck

Answer 6

Set up a website and you might consider selling prints of your paintings that goes well too! Also enter art shows, here is an example of nice artist site
http://hometown.aol.com/jmansuetoartist/FineArt.html

Answer 7

Get your portfolio(art,bio,history,ed.) on CD and send it to galleries, libraries, museums and retail outlets if you want. Join as many online art groups as possible, find competitions, shows to enter (art deadlines.com) because this is what you need for credibility as a professional or emerging artist. Galleries seriously look at this besides just your paintings.

Answer 8

You should try Etsy.com, the fees are minimal compared to Ebay and it's a lovely little community of Artists. I would like to see your art...send me an email once you're set up. :)

Answer 9

I would try Ebay first, it give you an idea of what to expect and access to around 15 million punters.

Answer 10

take a photo of your picture, miniaturise it on your computer, print up postcards, seasonal cards etc., & posters
Offer them to your local library
who may also help with an exhibition?