The internet is a fantastic resource for artists. There are countless websites where artists can network, meet other artists, be inspired, share art - and of course sell art. I have reviewed many of these in the past 2 years.
I have been asked a few times which portfolio site I think is the best for selling art. My answer has always been this – it depends on the art and the type of community. Certain communities are sometimes more suited to a particular art style. Selling art at a particular portfolio site can also depend on the eagerness and persistence of the artist. Becoming noticed often requires focused promotion – posting new items regularly and networking with other artists often. Yes – it’s hard work, but it can pay off after awhile.
In the previous post in this series, I mentioned Fine Art America, Facebook, Ebay and Wix as good websites to begin posting artwork for sale.
Find this post here: Where Can I Sell My Art Online for Free? – Part 1
This post expands on this list, including popular sites for artists - Deviantart, Redbubble, Etsy, Imagekind. Although some sites may not always allow listing of prices, its always a good idea to have your main website (or online store) mentioned on your profile, so that interested people can visit to see prices and other artworks.
- Deviantart
Deviantart is one of the first portfolio sites I joined, which was a few years ago. I always liked the community, and the great feedback I received there. There is potential here for reaching a very large audience, especially if taking advantage of networking features such as groups.
Have you had success with Deviantart? Would you like to share some of your experience with us?
- Rebubble
Redbubble is a popular Australian based print on demand website (though any artist worldwide can join).
These types of websites often have the same process – create a profile, upload artwork, set prices, network with other artists and promote your profile. Notice I underlined that last part. I did this because some people seem to expect automatic promotion from portfolio sites.
Although Redbubble does have a few great resources for promoting your art prints, these require the initial effort on your part.
For example, use the sales widget to embed a slideshow on your blog. Also connect your Redbubble profile to your Facebook page. Take these and other steps mentioned in our previous article, and promotion will be semi-automatic (meaning when you post work, it automatically gets shared elsewhere).
- Imagekind
Imagekind is another print on demand service, but this site’s specialization are art prints – for photography and art.
I have been hearing great things about the quality of their prints and Imagekind’s customer service. I have written about Imagekind before, so to learn more click the above link.
- Etsy
I personally know many artists who are having great success using Etsy for selling art. An Etsy store is free.
The above tutorial describes the steps to create your own Etsy store, and also includes some helpful tips for promoting and selling art via Etsy.
That’s all for this part of this article series, featuring some possible online places for selling art. In the next part, I will mention 4 more. Please subscribe if you do not want to miss this and following posts.
Are you a member of either Etsy, Imagekind, Redbubble or Deviantart? Have you sold any art via these websites? Would you recommend it to other artists?
Find more great selling art advice here: 10 Things Needed for Selling Art Online
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