Post 600: Selling Your Art Part 2 - Online

Selling Your Art Part 2 - Online

How to sell your art online or in person is what nearly all artists ask about at some point. This is the second in a three part series on the multiple ways for artists to find art opportunities for getting their art seen and sold.

 

Art Show photo by Ken Meardon (a past Prince William Art Society member) 

See Part 1 of Selling Your Art here and Part 3 is next Monday.

Selling Art Online 

Here is where doing the research seriously comes into play. There are plenty of people that have success with various art selling platforms and there are probably even more artists that do not. Any of these platforms can get quite expensive if you launch into something head first and don't know what you are getting into.

With the increasing turn to selling art online, the internet has become a very busy place. There are tons of fine artists, craft artists, painters, photographers, sculptors, and digital artists in every nook and cranny at every career stage and every style and genre.You'll need to clearly articulate where and what you do to find your best fit.

Hard work? Yes. There are some ways to make life easier like scheduling posts, so research art tips, tricks, hacks, money saving ideas and suggestions to make what you can easier but as always, being consistent is key. 

A Professional Website

Do you need a website? It is generally considered that a professional artist should have one. This is your personal store front, your main source where people go to learn more about you. Keep it clean, keep it simple, clearly show your artwork.

About quality images for your website:

• Show your art straight on (NO background, trim the image)
• Show from different angles
• Take close up shots of the art showing details
• Have shots of YOU with the art
• Show the are in a different room or two so that the viewer can imagine it in their own environment. 

It is important to remember that on the internet Content is King. Content Matters. Keywords and Key phrases are how you find information online AND how people find information about YOU. An image without TEXT is a dead end. Thus, you must provide text as well as images.

On Social Media 

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X / Twitter, TikTok, and perhaps YouTube

Artists might use Facebook Marketplace to sell art or via their own website. Some artists use social media as a feedback platform and places to post upcoming events. Involve your viewers in what you do so that people get to know you and always provide links to your main storefront, for whichever platform you may use.

Create a consistent plan that you can stick to and manage when posting content. Create a schedule and post with purpose. 

See Getting Your Art Out There: Social Media, the Internet, Your Art and Your Art Group 

Online Shopping Platforms 

There are many of them with a variety of services, pricing, ease of use - you name it. Ask around what other artists are using, their opinions, and success rates. As always, updating and working your information is a daily, if not several times weekly, hands-on art task toward selling your art. Here are some choices:

Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, Fine Art America, Saatchi Art, eBay, ArtPal, Artfinder, Society6, Redbubble, Artsy, Singulart, DeviantArt, Artplode, ArtStation, 1stDibs, ArtSpace, Kooness, Artistics, Artsper, UGallery, Pictoclub, Rise Art, Zatista, Artmajeur, OpenSea, SuperRare, Mintable ... to name a few.

New ones come in and some fade away. As always, do the Research, research, re.... 

Have a Newsletter 

Create and send out a periodic newsletter. Collect emails and schedule your time frame (at least quarterly, if not monthly). Your fans can opt-in to receive your content and opt-out if they change their mind. The potential is toward building a loyal and supportive community fan base that want to learn more about you.

Be genuine, start simply, offer exclusive content.

About Blogging

Talk about what you are doing, how you are doing it, what you have new, what you are working on. Write about your inspirations, your studio, your tools, your upcoming projects and shows. The blog is a subset, a link on your website. Share your blog with your social media to help promote content. See Tech Series 4: The Blogging Story

Being Online

Consistency is a MUST, you will need to do something everyday to promote your art online, some how, in some way, even if in only a small way.

Look into QR Codes perhaps vs. Business Cards. Personally, I like have a card with a QR Code AND using QR Codes as well. See Artist Documents - What Do I Need?

Remember that online on social media, the algorithms change. This means that although you may find your art sales may be going well at some point, when the website platform makes a change, you may see a shift in your sales one way or the other which might then trigger adjustments. Nature of this terrible beast.

 

How to Actually Sell Your Art Online : FREE Strategy for Artists - Studio Wildlife

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZZikagTGvQ 

I highly recommend this video 

Obviously, becoming an artist and trying to sell your artwork can be looked at as a daunting, if not expensive path to take. Start off small (if need be) and look for so called "free" or less expensive art opportunities, have a budget, and build your career. Talk to more experienced artists, follow blogs like this and always be learning.

For Further Reading (Listening)

Tech Series 1: Instagram for Artists 

Tech Series 2: Are You Reeling on Instagram? 

Tech Series 3 How to Be Pinteresting

Tech Series 4 The Blogging Story 

Tech Series 5 Who Art Thou?

How to Build a Professional Facebook Page as an Artist (2026 Update)

 

Mastering Facebook for Artists - From Zero to Sold Out

From Market Your Art (Podcast)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4IcfucRTfk 

Did you like this post? Learn something new? What tips do you have to share on selling your art? Drop a comment below. 

Follow this blog and watch for Part 3 of Selling Your Art on Monday, January 26, 2026.

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art. 

Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Have an idea for a blog post? Are you a writer and want to help with the blog? Let me know! Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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Post 598: Selling Your Art Part 1 - In Person

Selling Your Art Part 1 - In Person

How to sell your art online or in person is what nearly all artists ask about at some point. There are artists that want to make a living or to earn extra money. And some artists that are of the attitude "if it sells, it sells". And there are artists that perhaps are more private about their artworks - holding on to their works and barely showing what they do. Let's lean more in the direction with this post of putting what you create out on a shingle.

This is a three-part series on Selling Your Art that will be published on Mondays, January 12, 19, and 26, 2026. Please follow this blog so you don't miss any art tips! 

 

Prince William Art Society at Arts Alive 2021, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas, Virginia - Photo by Donna Liguria 

Where and How to Sell Your Art

Doesn't it all begin with research and discovering what may work for you, your budget, your goals, and how much work you may want to put into your art career? We could probably also include the title "How to Sell More Art" as there may be ideas that haven't been implemented in our repertoire too.

• You can sell in person. 
• You can sell in a gallery.
• You can sell online.

OK, but that's just the beginning of the research you need to do. And tell you what, you are not going to walk up to any gallery space, artwork in hand, and thinking your art is going up right then and there. (You name it, we've seen it.)

• You will need to have the art inventory to substantiate what and where you can have your art hung.
• You will need great quality photographs of all your artworks - to show your body of work and to submit art to shows.
• You need to have your art reasonably priced (for the level of career you are at) so that it can sell.
• You will need to have shipping materials on hand if you are going nationally or internationally with your sales - to get it to them. 

If you are just getting off the ground, you have a lot to learn, but the point is - begin. 

Selling Art in Person

Artists can sell as an individual artist on their own and/or they might sell their artwork being a member of an art group. And no one says to only join one art group.

• Art can sell at craft and art fairs, festivals, vendor shows, farmers' markets, exhibitions, fundraisers for churches or community fairs. 
• Art may sell via an open studio - hosting your own art event.
• Artists might partner with an interior designer, a hotel, a hospital to show art. 
• Sell art at a gallery, an artist-run gallery (Co-Op), non-profit gallery/exhibition space. See Art Shows, Art Galleries - Showing Your Art.  
• Some libraries, wineries, restaurants, coffee shops, gift shops, area businesses allow for local art to hang for a period of time. Be aware of spaces where your art is more free decor for them than promotion for you.
• Sign up to volunteer to help at the art space as a docent, artist-on-duty. Actually, THIS is one great way to sell to the art show or gallery visitors.  Well, let's say, 'sell without pushing the sale'. Once you identify yourself as one of the artists showing, they always ask "where is your art?"
• Enter Calls for Art, Calls for Artists. See Call for Art
• Engage in local community business meetings, local community groups for opportunities. Networking with other people/artists around you has potential for collaboration or brilliant ideas!
• Cold Callings - Email Targets - Find who your direct contact person is for your proposed art show. Find ways to get people excited about your upcoming projects and present them with ideas - to benefit them as well as you.

There are options and decisions to make for selling your artwork, but many of your best options will not be free. There are entry fees to enter art shows, join art festivals or fairs, and commission fees when artwork does sell, as an individual artist or as part of an art group. 

Art Festival Fees - vendor booth space can vary greatly for the typical 10x10 foot space. 

• Local small fairs can be $0 - $100 for a spot (a table) or space
• Community Shows $25 - $300 for a weekend space
• Mid-Range Art Events can run $2,000 - $8,000
• Major City Art Fairs $10,000 and UP 

Art Call Entry Fees to submit artwork can be $10 -$20 per piece, or $25 - $50 for 3-5 artworks. Every show is different and it is imperative to follow each show's requirement directions or themes.

Research the internet for "Calls for Art near me". Search for and follow various Facebook art groups, galleries, etc to find the local art events in your area and get on their email notifications.

Bookmark sites like: 

• ArtCall.org 
• ArtConnect, 
• Artwork Archive  
• Cafe (Call for Entry)
• Artenda

Art Groups charge a fee to join, even if they are non-profit art groups. Prices vary and some may allow you to check them out in person at their meetings before you commit to joining. See about Art Groups. 

Art groups go by various names and the most typical keywords to look for are:

• art society 
• art league 
• artists alliance
• art club
• art group
• art guild
• arts council
• photo club
• art network
• women artists
• watercolorists 

Commission Fees are often 30-35% but can range up to 60% at an exclusive gallery. Commissions are charged when your art sells and is deducted from the price of your art before you get the remaining amount. So if your art is $1000 and the exhibit charges 35% commission, your check for the artwork sold is $650.

As you can see, the price you charge for your artwork, is greatly effected by not only the cost of creating your art, but where and how you are selling it. See Art Pricing.

There must be a side note here: Submitting art to an art show does not always mean that you are accepted and granted the opportunity to show, whether you paid a fee or not. Read about Art Show Judge and Jury here. And I must include the link to Artwork Rejection.

For individual artists entering art fairs and displaying their art, that artist will need to have the right equipment for the particular event to show your art and to make sales. See How to Art Show.

• Tent, display walls, tables, a chair. 
• Point of Sale system (POS)  

A person can do plenty on their own to sell their artwork, but I would recommend researching your local art groups or organizations near you and find an active and lively group of artists you like, then join and become a participating member. Joining an art group gives you opportunities that as an individual you might not have had. Your participation could allow your entry to a gallery or show, or give a less expensive entry point to be a part of the art event, as well as access to the necessary art equipment. That doesn't include the potential learning experience offered by your fellow artists in the group. 

The main thing is to show your artwork so that it will sell, and that starts with: 

Step 1: Build your art inventory. You will need a body of work to show (online and offline). This is on top of any art development artworks created while developing your style.

Step 2: Build a web presence. This can include an artist website (a shop window), your social media, an art group showcase or art gallery listing on the art group's website.

Step 3: Plan how you will have people find and know about your Step 1 and 2. This is marketing and promoting. Sharing your work, defining your target audience, having realistic goals, building a strong online presence, exploring platforms - are all a part of the puzzle pieces. 

Step 4: Jump in - after you've learned more about what you are specifically jumping into. 

Selling Art Prints

Selling prints of your original artworks is often the bread and butter in art sales. Don't overlook this selling point! Not everyone can afford a $500 or a $1000 artwork, so a $25-$50 art print of your artwork still gives the Buyer a way to support you. See Prints and Framing

What's Your Story?  

An engaging story about your artwork is interesting to the people that you want to sell to. They want to know why you created it, the story behind the canvas. What was your art process, what are your values, what were you feeling, thinking, and more. Potential clients want to get to know you and you'll need to build their trust so that they will want to buy from you.

And the story is a major part of the content, the keywords to help you be found on the internet. Artwork title, size, medium, framed or not, price, are all well and good but it is not enough. Build your art story and post it. And be ready to tell it.

From Prince William Art Society Member Zee Berrios on Selling Art

Advice to help sell art work

• There are many ways to price artwork. The one I use is hours invested X amount of price per hour + materials.
• For most of us, painting is a pleasure, a therapy, a healing process, a way to relax, a hobby, something we like (or love) to do... it is not a burden, it is not a "got to do", but rather a "get to do". For others it is a need, a way to survive, (they might want or have to do). This also may affect the way you price your work.
• Some people even price their work by size, (height X length). And, even some suggest to sell for how much would it take to divorce yourself from the piece you have just created.
• Only in one exception did I sell something for "How much would it take to divorce me from a piece." (It is a piece I would actually like to buy back).
• Photographing your art and publicity lets the world know it is available. Getting into as many shows possible is a must, but it requires to loose profit or add the commission payment to the exhibit venue.
• When working on commissioned art, ask for half of what you think the final cost of the art piece will be. (many of us have been burned by not doing this). If the buyer bails, out you won't loose your investment.
• Keep the unsold work packed and ready to deliver if there is interest in buying the piece afterwards.

 

From Zee Berrios 

Titled Ilukunya. ("jump" in Maasai), it is part of the "Dance" series.

Its price is $1,350.00. It is 20" X 24", acrylic on canvas.

Things I see artist do that I would advise they should not do

• The number 1, for me, would be .. don't frame your work if it is work on canvas. Many times, the buyer will throw away the frame because it doesn't match their furniture or decor. Your investment is lost.
• The second would be to commit to a commissioned painting without getting a 50% down payment of your estimated cost.

For Further Important Reading:

Volunteering - about art groups, volunteering and gallery worker training

Display - learn how artwork is expected to be prepared for hanging

Art Inventory and Tips - keep track of your art inventory

Did you like this post? Learn something new? What tips do you have to share on selling your art? Drop a comment below. 

Follow this blog and watch for Part 2 of Selling Your Art Online on Monday, January 19, 2026.

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art. 

Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Have an idea for a blog post? Are you a writer and want to help with the blog? Let me know! Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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Post 597: Why Buy Local Art?

Why Buy Local Art?

Most people love art. Art is all around us. What decorates your walls and accessorizes your home? Someone may have visited a museum and seen the priceless great master's artworks, and while only a few could afford a Rembrandt or a Monet, even the master artists had to start somewhere. Supporting your local artists could very well be a place to find those artists creating their own masterpieces that could certainly be much more affordable for you to adorn your own home.

Why Buy Local Original Art?

What's on the walls in your home?

Sure, anyone can go to one of the local generic home stores and buy a framed mass-printed artwork for $50 bucks or so. Grab a nail and hammer and on your wall it hangs. But is there really any connection to that piece that you will be looking at day in and day out...possibly for years? 

OK, but does that generic mass printed art piece actually compare to an originally created, handmade, unique and utterly marvelous artwork that touches your heart? - AND you may have met the artist that created it??

Collecting original art to decorate your personal space(s) that are created by a local artist can be much more inspirational, appealing, a better statement of your personal tastes, and make a much more impressive display. Especially when you can meet and get to know that local artist and learn about what inspired them to create it. You learn their story. You learn about that artwork and the passion and time they put into it. What it meant to them AND what it means to you. Then in turn, you have a story to tell about that artwork that you purchased from that artist and why it touched you. You are more connected to the art piece that you now own. It has meaning.

And absolutely, you are supporting your local art community in ways you may not realize. 

Very often, you can find artwork locally-made that may be affordable; their prices may be more than those of generic home store art prints, yet these works will have more artistic value. Perhaps even be an art investment. 

Read this if you need more convincing: 

Why supporting local art is a great investment

The Benefits of Buying Art from Emerging Artists 

Support Local Artists

Where do you find local works and artists to support what they do?

• Go to local art events, art fairs, art shows, and check out local galleries that show artists from your area. Vendor fairs usually include fine art artists along with jewelry, soap, pottery and other craft and visual arts.
• Artists are on social media, so check out what they do, especially when they live near you. Some have their own websites, so dig around.
• Follow local art groups near you and check out the individual artists when you see art you like.
• Hear of an open studio? Check it out.
• Participate in your local art classes, workshops, and presentations and meet the other artists.
• Hear of an upcoming art opening receptions? Wow, potentially meet the artist(s) and see and purchase art right away! 
• Help promote your local artists by not only purchasing art you love, but following, liking, sharing, and commenting their online posts of new art. You are helping them to be SEEN.
• Artists often have art prints of original artworks offered which is a less expensive way to purchase from the artist, thus still supporting them and what they do.

And very often, if you see art or an art style you like by a local artist, you are able to contact them to create something personalized, customized that is exactly what you want in the colors you want. Or a painting of your pet, or of your home or garden. Wouldn't art like that have much more meaning for you or a gift you give to someone you care about? 

The art group, the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) offers an online store - where it is safe to purchase artwork online. Once artwork is purchased, the artist is notified and will work with and meet the Buyer for art pickup. Browse the PWAS Art Store and filter the results to the current online show, to see the artworks on display there.

And when you look around, you will find artwork at various price points - $50, $500, $5000.  Jump in where your budget allows you to.

PWAS Member Lizzy Javier on Local Art

Visual Artists usually get inspired by their surroundings. Our artwork sometimes is painted in plein air. The buyer would be able to relate to the art by the title or by the image since it is "home grown".

My sample of local art.

Artist: Lizzy Javier

Title: A Day at Blooming Hill Lavender Farm

Dimensions: 11" x 14"

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

Price: $350.00

PWAS Member Bettie Sperty on Local Art

I feel that buying local art is right up there with buying from small local stores, eating at local non-chain restaurants, buying local produce when in season, etc. When you buy local you are supporting your neighbors who are working hard, trying to make a living, doing something they love. 

Also, when it comes to art, I feel more of a connection to a piece if I have met the artist or know of the artist. 

 

Commissioned pet portrait by Bettie Sperty 

PWAS Member Donna Liguria on Local Art

Adding to Bettie's statement, if you commission art from a local artist that connection is automatically built in as you share the idea for the piece you want, in the size you want, in a color theme you might request for your decor. The artwork could be a pet portrait of your favored family furry friends. Think about a wall depicting your family's dogs, cats, horses, or goldfish - oh the memories!

You could have a local artist put on canvas your family home in your favorite season. Or a family portrait with the kids when they were cute. Or have a painting of a landscape or favorite vacation spot to remind you of those wonderful memories. Beach - take me away!

I've known people that purchase rental properties and they decorate the space with artworks created by local artists that really show the flavors of the area in outstanding ways. 

The sky is the limit and definitely something that sparks discussion with visitors to your home.

Or the artwork from a local artist just speaks to you and your soul. The art could be an abstract, or other art style, or a photo, Supporting local artists, well any artist really, is a strengthening of the local economy, community, enriching civic life, and just plain enable the artist's ability to continue creating original art.

Artist: Donna Liguria

Title: Invitation to Eternity (painting in progress)

Dimensions: 18x24x1.5, unframed

Medium: Acrylic

Price: TBD 

Shop Local First

Think about your community's local artists the next time you need artwork for a certain spot in your home or to give as a house-warming, birthday, or maybe a Christmas gift. Do the research first to support the artists you've seen when visiting local art shows. I KNOW the artists would love to show you what they have or to create something for you. Art galleries and art groups would be happy to point you toward artists that specialize in specific subjects and/or may suit your style.

And who knows...by supporting and purchasing artworks by local artists, the potential is there for that artist to be in a museum someday. And you helped get them there.

Do you have anything to add? Comments? Drop them below this post! 

Quote: "Buy art from living artists, the dead don't need the money." - Guy James Whitworth 

For Further Reading

A Comprehensive Guide to Collecting Art

Celebrating Local Artists 

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art. 

Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Have an idea for a blog post? Are you a writer and want to help with the blog? Let me know! Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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