By Kaleigh Moore Might 23, 2023

Many people love artwork. We love amassing it, viewing it, even shopping for it. Observe the numbers, and also you’ll see that artwork hasn’t gone wherever; it’s only a bit extra digital than it was.

Perhaps “a bit” is an understatement. 

Digital artwork gross sales have skyrocketed in reputation since 2020. On-line artwork gross sales have been hovering just below $5 billion earlier than the pandemic. Then they skyrocketed to $7.8 billion the following 12 months and over $13 billion final 12 months.

A much bigger digital artwork market means extra alternatives for digital sellers. However that also leaves a problem for aspiring artists.

Now, they’ll must be taught the brand new skillset of digitization. What are the stipulations to constructing a following on-line, and which platforms must you use to assist construct your viewers?

Promoting digital artwork on platforms

Platform choice begins with a easy query: what do you wish to promote? What’s your chief medium? 

Laptop graphics? Crypto artwork? Digital work? Bodily artwork you digitize?

In case your medium is digital pictures, your platform might be completely different than if you choose blended media. That’s why you shouldn’t decide a platform till you understand what it’s you wish to promote.

When you do, you may flick through the preferred artwork platforms on-line:

• Bēhance is a high artwork platform for each discovering and sharing inventive art work. Design, pictures, and videographers all name it house. It’s nice for artists who monetize, because it doubles as a platform for promoting tutorials and customised artwork providers.
• Artwork Station additionally incorporates a strong market of visible art work, in addition to a store for getting and promoting prints. It traits towards popular culture art work like video games, films, and different media.
• Dribbble is available in on the skilled aspect of issues. If you happen to fancy your self an expert inventive designer or branding skilled, it may be an ideal place to place your portfolio.
• Deviant Artwork options the biggest on-line art work gallery of all. It doubles as a portfolio and a spot to purchase or promote digital art work.

After all, it’s also possible to use platforms like Etsy, Design Cuts, and Crimson Bubble to promote your designs in different types, like bodily merchandise. 

A very powerful challenge right here is discovering the platform that matches your pursuits. That’s the place you’re going to satisfy your viewers.

Wish to take advantage of the platform you select? Listed below are some ideas for getting began:

• Construct up a powerful portfolio. It’s possible you’ll even must do work totally free. However many artwork lovers will browse these platforms searching for artists with robust portfolios. You could know your potential, however your viewers received’t see it until you may display it in a tangible portfolio.
• Purchase your individual area. If you happen to plan on making promoting digital artwork a long-term factor, you’ll want your individual viewers. You may in the end use platforms like DeviantArt to construct consideration—however a site as the house of your private model.

When you’ve explored a bit and constructed up a reputation for your self, it’s also possible to think about constructing your individual monetized group.

Platforms like Patreon or Purchase Me A Espresso are helpful for artists who desire a “patron”-like expertise. You may create personalized artwork giveaways and different exclusives to encourage this viewers to offer you the regular revenue that you must regularly reinvest in your work.

When you’ve planted your flag, the following step is straightforward. 

You want individuals to have a look at it.

Easy as it’s, executing this a part of the “promoting digital artwork” blueprint can take some time. For example, it’s possible you’ll work in your artwork for years earlier than you discover it gaining any type of traction.

However as you develop as an artist, there are some things you are able to do to advertise your work and earn a residing on-line. Let’s take a look at a couple of of them:

• Promote NFTs, or digital artwork as NFTs. Non-fungible tokens have been a significant a part of what skyrocketed digital as much as new heights in 2020 and 2021. Individuals like these as a result of NFTs are like shopping for art work together with its “receipt,” making them unique house owners. You may promote your art work by creating NFTs that draw consideration to every part else you’re doing on-line.
• Providing commissions. Most of the digital platforms above, like Dribbble, are nice for each planting a flag and creating your portfolio. As you provide customized commissions to purchasers, you may create art work that ultimately builds word-of-mouth for what you do. Within the meantime, you’re onerous at work—however you’re additionally incomes revenue.
• DIY How-To movies. Ever watch a sped-up watercolor portray video on TikTok? Or comply with somebody on Instagram since you noticed their behind-the-scenes story as they created a digital artwork piece? Then you understand the facility of “How-to” movies to draw extra eyeballs to your work.
• Social media communities. Some individuals are wanting for artists such as you; you simply must know the place to seek out them. Determine social media communities (like r/Artwork on Reddit) the place individuals need to see what you’ve put collectively. The important thing right here: at all times add worth, reasonably than ask for subscribers or followers.

It doesn’t damage to have your personal group, both.

Take the instance of BOMONSTER. BOMONSTER’S artwork makes use of a scratchboard, the place he takes an Xacto blade to a blackened board to scratch out the white highlights beneath.

It’s an ideal match for his chosen viewers: scorching rod, truck, and motorbike followers. 

BOMONSTER had digitized his art work early on, however discovered that his chosen technique (PDF attachments in emails) was solely touchdown him in his clients’ spam folders.

As an alternative, he used AWeber to create sign-up types and seize his clients’ e mail addresses for his e-newsletter. 

And he isn’t afraid to “pitch” himself, both. If you happen to’re engaged on your first 100 subscribers, you will have to do the identical. BOMONSTER’s AWeber type highlights the varieties of emails he sends, together with a bit on “What makes my artwork completely different.”

There, he gives visible examples so people who find themselves get a preview of the artwork. Whether or not he knew it or not, he was following lots of the steps you simply learn—constructing a portfolio and a following over time. 

He’s upfront (sure, he is attempting to promote you artwork), however seamless on the subject of making gross sales. He makes use of AWeber’s options that may flip emails into miniature galleries so individuals can browse the prints.

Promoting your art work on-line

If you happen to don’t know the place to begin, decide one of many platforms and begin constructing your presence with the “borrowed” viewers that comes with it. 

Over time, as you construct your portfolio, you can begin highlighting your art work by yourself web site—which ought to embrace a touchdown web page with AWeber that permits you to promote your self, seize viewers consideration, and start constructing a supportive group.