It is the dream of many people to make money from their art. Whether this is as a musician, painter, writer, filmmaker, dancer or any other type of artist, being able to profit from your creative pursuit can be incredibly rewarding and an enjoyable way to earn money. It is seen as a pipe dream for many, but this does not necessarily have to be the case as it is easier than ever to earn money being creative thanks to the rise of the internet.
While you may not earn as much as world-famous artists, it is still possible to make a fair amount particularly if you are willing to put the work in.
Here are a few tips:
Website & Portfolio
As mentioned, it is the internet that has made it possible for talented artists to profit from their creative endeavors. Whether you want to work for a company or earn money as a freelance artist, the first step will involve creating a high-quality website which contains a portfolio of your existing work. This website will act as an online resume and contain information such as:
- Your background
- Education/training
- Work experience
- Portfolio
- Previous client reviews
- Contact information
- Link to social media
Networking
Leading on from this, it is essential that you network both online and offline to increase your following, raise awareness and increase the chance of an opportunity arising. Networking is easy in the art community as there are always events nearby where you can go and meet like-minded people, but you can also use social media to engage with people, share your work and comment on others.
Digital Marketing
In order to be found by those that will pay for your art, it is important that you are easy to find online which will involve increasing your ranking on search engine results lists. The best way to do this is with white label SEO services from an experienced digital marketing firm. This will increase more traffic to your artist website and will help to boost reputation too.
Seizing Opportunities
If you want to earn money from your talent then it is important that you seize opportunities when they present themselves, even if it is just a small project. You may even find that it is worth doing some voluntary projects at first to build your portfolio. You can then seek feedback to use on your website and hopefully get recommended. It can be challenging to get your foot in the door, but once your portfolio begins to expand and you create a reputation for yourself it will only open up more opportunities.
People often think that it is impossible to earn money from creating art, but this is not true. The internet has leveled the playing field for artists which means that it is possible to sell your work, take on requests and even find employment through your art. The key is to create a strong online presence, expand your network and build a high-quality, varied and interesting portfolio which will help you to land work.