How to Sell Your Art: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners Who Want to Make Money from Their Work
If you’ve been drawing or painting for a while, you might be wondering, ‘How do I start selling my art?’. Whether you draw animals, paint landscapes, or love working in colored pencils, there comes a time when you're ready to turn your hobby into something more. You want to share your art with others, and maybe even earn some money doing it.
In this beginner-friendly guide, I’ll show you how to start selling your artwork with confidence. We'll cover the three most important steps:
Understanding your artist identity
Finding your ideal art buyer
Reaching your customers with smart marketing
Step 1: Know Your Artist Identity (Your Story)
Before you can sell your art, you need to understand who you are as an artist. This is your story, and it’s one of the most powerful tools you have when it comes to standing out and attracting the right buyers. People buy art not just because it looks nice, but because they feel connected to the person behind it. They want to know your “why.”
Here are a few key questions to help you shape your artist identity:
Why do you create art?
What subjects do you enjoy most?
What emotions or stories do you want your art to express?
What makes your style unique?
Who or what inspires your creativity?
Your answers to these questions form your artist brand. This is what makes you recognizable and memorable. It also helps people understand what your work is all about.
Step 2: Know Who You’re Selling To (Your Target Customer)
The second step in learning how to sell your art is knowing who you’re selling to. This is called finding your target audience or ideal customer. One big mistake new artists make is trying to appeal to everyone. But in reality, your work isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay! It’s much easier (and more successful) to speak directly to the people who will love your art the most.
Here’s how to figure out who your ideal customer is:
What age group would love your art?
Can they afford original artwork?
Where do they spend their time online?
What are their hobbies and interests?
Why would they want to buy art from you?
Example: If you draw custom pet portraits, your ideal customer might be a dog owner in their 40s who wants a gift to remember their beloved pet. They might shop online, follow animal-related accounts, and appreciate realistic art styles.
Once you know who you’re trying to reach, it becomes much easier to market your work in a way that speaks to them, and gets results.
Step 3: Get Your Artwork in Front of the Right People
Now that you’ve defined your story and found your target customer, it’s time to get your art in front of them. This step is all about marketing, and the good news is, you don’t have to do everything at once. Here are five beginner-friendly ways to start marketing your art and getting sales:
1. Build a Simple Artist Website
Your website is your online home. It should show off your artwork, tell people about you, and make it easy for them to buy or contact you.
What to include:
A homepage with a clear description (e.g., “Realistic Pet Portraits by UK Artist”)
A gallery or shop page
A contact page
An about page with your artist story
Testimonials or past commissions
2. Use Social Media to Grow Your Art Audience
Social media is one of the best free tools to promote your art. But it’s most effective when you focus on the platforms your audience actually uses.
Best platforms for beginner artists:
Instagram – Great for visuals, hashtags, and behind-the-scenes
Facebook – Great for older audiences and pet lovers
Pinterest – Great for driving traffic to your shop or blog
TikTok – Great for fun, quick videos and art process reels
Top social media tips:
Post consistently (at least 2–3 times a week)
Use clear photos of your artwork
Share your process and personality
Use hashtags that your audience is searching for
Keep your branding consistent across platforms
3. Start an Email List for Your Art Business
Your email list is a powerful tool to connect directly with people who already like your work. Unlike social media, you own this list, and you don’t have to fight the algorithm to reach your followers.
How to get started:
Offer a freebie or discount in exchange for email sign-ups
Add the sign-up form to your website and social media
Send regular updates with new art, commission openings, or behind-the-scenes stories
4. Learn Basic SEO to Get Found on Google
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps your website show up when people search online for art like yours.
Easy SEO tips for artists:
Use keyword phrases in your website text (e.g., custom pet drawings UK)
Write blog posts answering common questions (e.g., “How much does a pet portrait cost?”)
Add image alt text to all your artwork
Use long-tail keywords like realistic pastel horse portraits near me
5. Try Paid Ads (When You’re Ready)
If you’ve set up your website and social media, and you're ready to grow faster, consider trying paid ads.
Facebook/Instagram Ads are great for targeting specific types of people (like pet owners in your country).
Pinterest Ads work well for promoting gift ideas or tutorials.
Google Ads are good for targeting keywords like custom pet portrait artist.
Start with a small budget. Test what works, and track your results so you don’t waste money.
Keep Going, Keep Growing
Once you’ve set everything up, don’t stop! Keep your marketing consistent. Keep learning what works. And most importantly, keep creating art that you love.
Track your marketing results in a spreadsheet.
Stay active on the platforms that give you the best results.
Keep connecting with your audience and sharing your story.
Want More Help Turning Your Art Into a Business?
If you want real guidance on how to take pet portrait commissions, talk to clients, price your work, and grow your art income—the right way—I’d love to help you.
The Business of Pet Portraits is a step-by-step online course that shows you how to go from hobby artist to confident professional. You’ll get templates, checklists, real-world tips, and a complete roadmap to start and grow your own successful art business.
It’s perfect for beginner and intermediate artists who love drawing animals and want to get paid to do what they love.
