What's Up?

Latest from Future Ready Consulting!

Latest News, Tips, Cool Tools!

4 Ways to Earn Money as an Artist for Free

4 Easy Ways Artists Can Make Money Doing What They Love

December 18, 20233 min read

“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
~Celia Cruz, singer


4 Easy Ways Artists Can Make Money Doing What They Love

This post may contain affiliate links in which I earn a small commission from each purchase.

Thank you in advance for supporting our efforts!

Are you an artist with big dreams but wondering how to pay the bills in the meantime? Don't worry; I've got you covered! Here are four simple ways you can turn your art into extra cash without spending a dime upfront. Let's dive in:

1. Print Your Art on Cool Stuff and Sell It

  • What to do: Ever heard of Printify? It's like magic! You can put your art on things like T-shirts, mugs, or even holiday ornaments without spending money upfront. No inventory to keep or your time to print.

  • How it works: You upload your designs, pick the items, and ta-da! You have a store. When people buy your stuff, you get paid. You can set up a store right on Printify or you can connect it to Etsy or Shopify. You choose the design, the products and they take care of the shipping and order management.

Get exposure to your art while providing quality products for people to enjoy. Check out this link to get started with Printify, today!

2. Show Off Your Art on Social Media

  • Show your art: Make videos on TikTok or YouTube, the 2nd largest search engine in the world. Introduce you, your art and your processes to the world! Share how you create your art and let people into your creative brilliance. Educate or just show the behind the scenes view into your creation process.

  • Why it works: People love seeing behind-the-scenes stuff. The more they know about you and your art, the more they'll want to support you. No need to show your face if you don't want to. Just show the process.

3. Team Up with Local Places

  • Collaborate: Ever thought about having your art in a local shop, cafe, or Airbnb? It's possible!

  • How to do it: Approach local places and ask if they'd like to display your art in their establishment. If someone buys it, you both make money! Free art for them to display and an instant gallery for you. Change it out as often as you like. It works for hanging art as well as sculpture, music and digital art in some cases.

4. Teach Your Skills by Creating a Course

  • Create courses: Share your art skills with the world. You can make courses online about how you create your art. This can include your processes, your products and your timelines.

  • Why it's cool: People love learning new things. You can teach them and earn money while doing it. Consider beginner, intermediate and advanced level courses. Set up a camera or phone and hit record. Or get a friend to record you as you explain various concepts. Record an hour and break it up into 4-7 minute lessons. Post them on popular course sites such as Skillshare or LinkedIn Learning or use a platform like HighLevel and host them yourself.

Most Importantly:

  • Start now: Don't wait for the perfect moment. Just start. There will never be a "perfect" moment.

  • Keep going: Stick with it for at least a year. Slow progress is still progress! These things take time.

  • Bonus tip: You can also make some money by recommending the art supplies or equipment you use. People might buy them through your links, and you earn a commission. Check out this video about affiliate marketing for more information.

Remember, making money with your art can be slow at first, but don't give up! Keep creating and sharing your amazing work. You've got this! 🎨✨


Contact us to partner on a course or to get started with any of these techniques. We support entrepreneurs in their journey to personal wealth.

passive incomeartist extra revenuehow to earn money as an artistpassive income for artists
blog author image

J. E. Hurn

Janet Hurn has spent over 30 years in higher education and Distance Learning Administration. She loves to learn, innovate and impact. She has certifications in marketing, project management, Google and has experience in Instructional Design and is a Senior Instructor Emeritus of Physics. She currently serves as the Ohio Google Digital Coach.

Back to Blog
Future Ready Digital Consulting

Cincinnati, OH, 45215

© Copyright 2024.  Future Ready Consulting, All rights reserved.