How does an artist (painter) go about starting their own business?

Question

Hi there, I'm looking into starting my own oil painting/acrylic business and having some difficulty with it. I am talented, confident, get paintings done in a timely fashion but am trying to figure out how to make $$ out of doing something that I love. I know I was born to paint and I see myself becoming successful with it but not sure how to make the leap and still work full time for my current job. I was thinking about starting a website, getting geecleys of the work, selling prints, buying supplies at low cost. If anyone can enlighten me with anything on going about this leap, I would appreciate it. Perhaps one of you have already been through something like this yourself. Thanks again for your time!

Kind Regards

Answer 1

I have to differ with the first answer, which I find less than totally realistic. I would rather give you the facts I have learned form experience . . . and they are not all easy facts to live with all the time!

I am sorry, but first off, it appears you are more about the business than the art. Even though I agree that one must posses a business sense, that had better not be your driving force. You come across as very into the profit margin ("buying supplies at low cost") and keeping your full-time job. While you may have success within those terms, if you truly have a wonderful talent that you are driven to share with the world as its next emerging artist, you need more internal artistic spirit than that!

How about posting a website with your current work and then joining an online artists' network for some feed-back? Unless you are growing, producing new works, and learning all the time, your chances of being noticed to the extent you will make money are very slim. While I admit that luck does play a small role in artistic success, hard work is the greater part.

The artists I know who have reaped a decent income (and that rises and falls with the economy . . . right now it is depressed) started something like this:

1. Create your portfolio and sell some of your work.

2. Complete at least one commission.

3. Grow by attending classes and workshops.

4. Enter juried art shows and exhibitions.

5. Test the market at festivals and fairs.

6. Hang in several galleries or have gallery representation.

7. Submit your work to magazines and publications.

8. Create a demand for your art before investing in "prints" to sell.

9. Offer to teach others in workshops or through community programs.

10. Offer to jury art shows.  

Get your ducks in a row and then build your art business . . . . art runs in a "demand-side" economy . . . and you, the artist, are responsible for creating the demand for you own art!

Answer 2

I am impressed that you call painting a "business," because that attitude, along with your artistic passion, will bring you success.  I read somewhere, years ago, that if you can spend 20 hours a week painting and marketing, that you will be able to go full time within three years.  I believe that.

As much as we love our paintings, to sell well you have to think of them as you would any other marketable product. First of all, you need to have a definite style and/or subject matter, otherwise customers will be confused and not take you seriously. What can you do well and consistently, possibly for years?

Consider how you work and how best to make money from that.  Can you produce fast pieces or do you work slowly, creating detailed work?  Detailed work may require high prices or that you go into giclees in order to survive. Is your work applicable to other products?  I have seen fine artists sell rights to their images to everything from posters to cards to needlepoint designs.

Secondly, you need to think about what kind of customer would buy your works. For example: young, urban consumers (abstraction) or moneyed, traditional people (classic realism) or boat owners (nautical subjects) or animal lovers (animal paintings).

Then, consider how to market to these customers.  How do you reach them?  Where do they look for art? (galleries, street art shows, eBay???)   How much would they pay?  Would they buy originals or prints? You need to gather as much information about marketing to these customers as possible, through internet, books, art magazines, and successful artists. A website is a must, but it is only a digital portfolio. Even with a website shopping cart, most purchases will be through customer contact with you, personally or through email.  Get your work onto every site possible on the web.  Again, this give you a legitimate appearance to potential customers.

Also, learn basic small business accounting. Begin by treating each painting as a product, with a time sheet and materials list... so you know what to charge for that painting. If you don't understand accounting and taxes, take a course or two.

Finally, treat every customer (and some will be trying) with grace and respect.  Your reputation is on the line with every conversation and transaction.

Oh, yes, the artwork... well, you will find you spend at least one third if not one half of your time marketing.  So, don't forget to take a few days off from the business side now and then, and just hole yourself up in the studio and create.  Take care to stay in love with, passionate about your work.

There is no such thing as a "starving artist," just bad business people.  You can do it.  I am.

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In response to the second answerer:  What you present, especially the ten steps, is the classic opinion expressed by a multitude of "how to market your art" books.  However, as a working and selling artist for 30 years, I know that this series of steps is not necessary for all artists and it can be a big waste of time for some artists.  No customer has ever asked for my biography of juried exhibits or awards (although my first award was at age 8 and Senator John Edwards owns one of my works).  People buy what they like, if the price is right. So, an artist has to consider  the best way to reach the customers for his/her type of art. We must craft our career as well as we craft our art. Best wishes to you.