How does a person make money being an artist?

Question

My husband is an extremely talented artist. He is going to a university right now to be an art teacher. Aside from teaching, what can he do on the side to make money from his spectacular paintings? We don't know where to start.

Answer 1

Public relations. Artists sell themselves, not their art.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

If he is an extremely talented artist, why waste his time teaching? Those who can DO and those who cannot teach.

He should believe in himself 150% and know that he can make it, no matter what. If he have doubts, he will lose. Art is a cruel bussiness. There is no place for those who do not believe in themselves and their art.

My advice is ... don't teach. Paint, sculpt or do whatever it is you do. Nothing else.Teaching is easy but working on your art is not. Don't take the easy way out. Btw, If you're an artist, getting married is not a good idea. They need very little responsibilites and lots of time to look after their work. Wife and kids are definitely a no-no.

The only thing he can do now is to work like a devil day and night and don't let anyone bother him while his working. The important thing is to make art (not babies) and nothing else for a long period of time (10 years) and if he doesn't make it by then, quit. What the hell.

Answer 5

My 15 year old daughter is also very talented and would like to make a career utilizing her talents.
She takes lessons from a gal who does just that.
Her instructor sells her works, teaches up and coming artist and works with home schooled kids. She is a very busy gal.
My daughter wants to be a graphic artist. She is in a special art magnet high school and will be doing 3D digital animation before she graduates. There are endless opportunities for your husbands talents. He should talk to someone at his university about his options.

Answer 6

Well, he can submit samples of his artwork to magazine and book publishers and greating card companies and things like that. There is a book called Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market that comes out annually. It gives info about the business of being a freelance artist and it lists hundreds of places that accept art submissions. Also, film studios and video game makers use artists. And newspapers. Art is used everywhere in all kinds of businesses.

HOWEVER, I'm an artist with a BFA in illustration and I graduated 3 years ago and I've submitted art samples to tons of places and I've NEVER gotten work as a freelance artist. The situation seems to be that, while there are tons and tons and tons of jobs for artists because art is used everywhere, there are also about 1,000 times as many artists out there than art jobs. And about 80% of all art jobs are already taken by established veterans in the field. So the chances of actually getting a real job as an artist are like the chances of becoming a pro-athlete.

Although, who knows... he might have better luck. You never know until you try.

Answer 7

You need to find an art agent that believes in your work. It is the same with musicians and actors. A gal buddy of mine is an art agent, and I am a musician and I see this work out great all of the time.
The only other things I can think of are bringing your work to some small venues such as galleries or evein coffee shops and asking if they will hang your husbands works for a small percentage of sales.
See if there are any high end decorators that would like a copy of your husbands photographed works in a nice portfolio to reference from while decorating home and businesses. You will have to make sure to keep it updated for the decorator, but this is one of the things your agent can help you with too..

Good luck!

Answer 8

You won't be able to make money out of drawing unless you have your own creative ideas, stop copying other peoples drawings (magna etc) and start doing your own. Most illustrators are excellent drafts people, you will probably need to go to Art college, unless you have an unbelievable natural ability for illustration. There are a lot of jobs for illustrators, from comic books to conceptual artists for films- you can make alot of money for this, but the competition is very stiff, you really have to have amazing drawing skills and conceptual skills to work in the movies - Good luck

Answer 9

The more you paint the better you will become.Enter as many competitions as you can so that your art work is out there in the public eye so that your name can become familiar. I was eventually picked up by an art gallery through this method and now am well represented, bur as yet do not make enough sales to live on my art alone. Enjoy what you are doing and believe in yourself. Eventually you will make it happen.

Answer 10

Paint portraits. People - especially children - DOGS and HORSES. I am a professional artist. Have brush will travel. Tell him to paint what he wants to express himself as an artist but learn how to nail a likeness of humans and pets and he can survive on his art. I paint what I like and try to get it in galleries, and juried shows, but pleasing people by painting their human and non-human loved ones is what pays the bills. The painting is sold before it is even begun. I don't have to suck up to gallery snobs or sit in the sun at sidewalk art shows hoping someone will appreciate what I do. To keep it interesting for me I put the portrait subject in a lovely landscape or seascape settings or give the human subjects great props like antique furniture or brick walls and wrought iron chairs. Tell him to paint a few "head and shoulders" free for friends and the commissions will start rolling in. My only advertising at this point is word of mouth. I charge $500 for a 3/4 painting of a human and add one-half of that for each additional human or animal in that canvas (i.e. $500 + $250 for two children or one person and a horse). I have more work than I can handle and am booked up for 6-12 months in advanced... and truth to tell, I'm not even that good.

Answer 11

Go to your local bookstore or library, and check out a copy of the "2007 Artist's and photographer's market." In it you'll find a comprehensive listing of commercial art publishers and buyers. It will give you a good idea of who pays what, and may give your husband a good idea of where to submit his work. I hope he plans on teaching at the college level, because you'll both starve on what they pay high school or elementary school art teachers.