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50 Effective Tips to Help You Sell You Art from www.artpromotivate.com

(To be perfectly clear, I did not write this and I am not claiming I did)

Selling art online partly depends on exposing it to as many people as you can. The more people who see your art, the higher the potential of someone contacting you for purchase. But, even though posting your art in as many places as possible may be a good thing, there are some things to realize before even doing that.

First of all, I recommend you learn everything about the business of art, from constructing a plan of attack to closing a sale.

It is very easy to ruin an artist’s reputation by just promoting haphazardly without first thinking about how you want yourself portrayed by others.

This is just one effective tip to help in selling your art, and make money from what you love doing.

Here are 50 more:


1. Approach the promotion of your art like it is your job.

2. Consistently promote your artworks and do not waiver in your goal to make money from what you love doing.

3. Create series of artworks based on the ones you have received the most positive feedback.

4. Follow other artists and respond to trends in what people are buying.

5. Realize that there is a market for your artwork whatever you create. You just have to find it!

6. Begin promoting your art locally, then expand from there.

7. Relate your unique personality through your art.

8. Enjoy interacting with people and talking about your art with them.

9. Learn everything there is to know about art marketing. (Subscribe to Artpromotivate!)

10. Get a professional website to either showcase your best artworks for referring to potential buyers, or to sell it.

11. Work on gathering followers for your art business through social networking and an email list.

12. Brand yourself by using the same profile picture and possibly a logo everywhere you create a profile on the internet.

13. Work on taking the best quality photographs to exhibit your paintings online.

14. Don’t think of making money from your art when you are creating – just think of making the best artwork you possibly can!

15. Learn to talk about your art effectively and explain it to others.

16. Keep growing in your artistic development.

17. Promote your art everywhere (but do not spam).

18. Only display your best paintings on the internet.

19. Create an art blog.

20. Create a Facebook page for your art business, and follow all the great tips we share for attracting fans.

21. Know your target audience – either decide on one or track the demographic of your regular art buyers.

22. Make a plan for they building of your art career.

23. If you do not have time to do certain things related to art promotion, such as building a website, think about outsourcing. Hire a web designer or someone to promote artworks for you.

24. Selling Art OnlineJoin art communities online and offline.

25. Create a portfolio to present your artwork to buyers.

26. Create a resume and update it regularly.

27. Work on an art statement, and update this occasionally.

28. Enter art competitions and calls for entry.

29. Open yourself up to doing commission work.

30. Host an open studio event.

31. Price your artwork according to your artistic progress.

32. Never lower your prices and avoid discounting in excess.

33. Include a certificate of authenticity for artwork with every piece.

34. Create art that affects people emotionally.

35. Donate your art occasionally to charities and hold fundraisers.

36. Hold contests and giveaways at your artist website, art-blog, and Facebook pages.

37. Create special promotions around holidays such as Christmas.

38. Sign all your artworks on the front.

39. Get out there! Don’t be afraid to show your artworks anywhere – even in untraditional settings.

40. Create press releases for your events.

41. Develop a unique style!

42. Follow other artists who create similar artwork as yours.

43. Become a writer and publish books about your art and life!

44. Work on creating smaller artworks that are more affordable.

45. Set goals for yourself, and reward yourself when you achieve them.

46. Build a relationship with people in the local media.

47. Keep a positive attitude!

48. Create LOTS of art!

49. Have fun!

50. Never give up!

About Nancy Cawdrey

"Whatever medium I am working in, I like to mix color on the surface of the painting--giving the work more immediacy and spontaneity--what I call spirited painting. [On silk] I [can] really float brilliant color with spirit and gusto."
-Art Life, Fall/Winter 2001-2002

We have this beautiful Limited Edition piece in both a paper lithograph and a stretched canvas. Both are Signed and Numbered Limited Editions.

Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey is the daughter of a retired career officer, fortunate enough to be exposed to exotic cultures throughout her childhood. In whatever country her father was stationed, Nancy immersed herself in the culture, and her affection for the arts later led her to study two years in Paris and another five years in Britain.

Nancy loves color, texture and pattern. She began her painting career 35 years ago and worked predominately in watercolor. Through her pursuit for texture and passion for color, Nancy discovered the spontaneity and brilliance she could create through painting on silk, a Chinese technique that has been practiced for thousands of years. And, although silk painting is now her medium of choice, she continues to explore a variety of subjects in watercolor, pastel, oil and experimental media. Often, we see a mixture of media in her silk compositions. Through this overlaying of various media she creates buoyant color and texture with her combination of transparent pigment and the shimmer of silk.

A colorist with a strong sense of design, Nancy's work always evokes a response, whether she is creating one of her signature western figure pieces, a breathtaking landscape, a quiet corner of Venice, or a vibrant floral.

Nancy moved to Montana 22 years ago and settled near Bigfork on Fox Creek Slough near Flathead Lake where Montana's expansiveness serves as the primary inspiration for her work. She also enjoys traveling to the Southwest and abroad to paint on-site plein air studies.

Represented in galleries in Jackson, Cody, Carmel, and Bigfork. Her work is included in invitational art shows across the West, like the Annual C. M. Russell Show and Auction, The Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale, National Cowgirl Museum "Heart of The West" Invitational, the Cowgirl Up! Show at The Desert Caballeros Museum.She is a Signature Member on the Montana Watercolor Society. Her work is exhibited in many private and corporate collections across the country and in Europe.

A Limited number of her images are available from Nancy directly through Fox Creek Publishing as Giclee Fine Art Reproductions on both canvas and 100% cotton rag paper. A few images are published as limited edition prints by Toh-Atin Gallery and Publishing. A new book about her work, Sky''s the Limit: The Art of Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey is now available.

G.Harvey and his images have influenced a worldwide enthusiasm and demand for contemporary American art for a generation. Few artists have intrigued and captivated art collectors as widely as the celebrated painter, G. Harvey. During his storied career, G. Harvey has painted turn-of-the-century America as no other artist. His scenes are warm, thoughtful portraits of our country’s bustling cities in a more genteel era and outstanding Western sagas of working cowhands at home in rugged landscapes.

Gerald Harvey Jones, known to his patrons and peers as G. Harvey, grew up in the rugged hills in Central Texas where herds of longhorn cattle were driven along the dusty trails. This background has been the inspiration for the artist’s commitment to portraying the spirit of America. Through his art, our country’s history lives. Harvey restores all those memories, sights, sounds, and emotions. With his ability to capture the drama, light, and feeling of a moment, the artist brings the heart of his painting to the viewer.

G. Harvey is not only an extraordinary painter, but an accomplished sculptor. His original works and bronze sculptures are in the collections of major corporations, prestigious museums, American presidents, governors, foreign leaders, and captains of industry. The artist has been the recipient of innumerable awards and the subject of four books. Harvey has been honored with one-man shows at the Smithsonian Institution and the National Archives in Washington, D. C.

The artist’s original paintings are represented in major galleries. His annual, one-man shows are consistent sell-outs where Harvey collectors come from all around the country to view and compete to own an outstanding work by the artist.

G. Harvey lives in the beautiful Texas Hill Country with his wife, Pat, where they enjoy living near their children and grandchildren. A studio adjacent to his home is a sanctuary for creating the paintings that his legions of devoted collectors eagerly anticipate with each new work.
G. Harvey’s work reminds us that the world has changed very much and very little; country lanes and city streets are still romantic. It is, after all, from living in the present that the artist draws inspiration for the past.

Martin Grelle

The image shown is called: Apsaroke Guardian

Whether painting the Native Americans in a dramatic, picturesque setting, or the American cowboy in the dusty cattle-working pens, Martin Grelle captures the spirit, beauty, and vastness of the West in his historically-accurate, compelling images. Grelle studies diligently to portray the diverse cultures of the American West accurately and with sensitivity. His knowledge of the cowboy’s way of life, gained from his time spent horseback on ranches during the annual Cowboy Artists of America’s (CAA) trail ride, as well as the time spent with local ranchers and friends, is evident in his contemporary cowboy paintings. The many hours spent in museums, at historical re-enactments, in visiting with experts on Native American culture, and reading from his extensive library, have helped him to bring his vision of the Plains Indian culture to life on canvas.
Grelle was born when his family lived on a small farm a few miles from the small, Central Texas town of Clifton, which he still calls home today. This beautiful and historic area has become a mecca for artists, including many of Grelle’s close friends. They all enjoy getting together to "talk art”, critique each other’s work, and exchange ideas. Many of them, including Grelle, teach annual workshops through a local art facility known as the Bosque Conservatory, which has begun to have a national presence. Grelle treasures this feeling of community and the opportunities he is afforded living in such a creative environment.

The artist’s talents were evident as a child and he began painting at an early age. Luckily for the budding painter, acclaimed Western artists James Boren and Melvin Warren had settled in the same area while he was in school. With excellent guidance from James Boren, a full-time artist was born in his early twenties. Since then, Grelle has studied and traveled widely to seek subject matter for his work. Working primarily in oils on canvas, the artist’s figures and landscape become one in a painterly style rich in vibrant color and narrative.

For more than 30 years Grelle has made a career of his art, and has won awards of both regional and national importance. In 1995, he was elected to the Cowboy Artists of America, and he is one of the younger active members. He is currently serving his second term on the board of directors for that organization, and participates in the Annual CAA Exhibition and Sale at the Phoenix Art Museum each October. Grelle won the CAA People’s Choice Award in 2002, for his painting Monarchs of the North, and the Ray Swanson Memorial Award in 2008, for his painting Newlyweds. He has also been privileged to participate in other major juried shows across the United States. Included in that list are the Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition and Sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, which he has participated in each year since 1995, the Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition & Sale at the Autry National Center, and the inaugural Quest for the West Exhibition & Sale at the Eiteljorg Museum. Awards of merit include the Prix de West Purchase Award, which he won in 2002 for his painting Teller of Tales, and again in 2005, for his painting Two Coups, making him one of only 6 artists to have won the top award twice. Grelle has also won twice the Nona Jean Hulsey Ramsey Buyer’s Choice Award at Prix de West, first in 2004 with Signs Along the Snake, and again in 2006, for Dust in the Distance. The artist is represented by Overland Gallery of Fine Art, in Scottsdale, Arizona, where a one-man show is held for Grelle each March. The 2008 show marked Grelle’s 20th anniversary one-man show with the gallery.

The artist has been profiled in a number of publications, including the magazines Art of the West, Western Art Collector, Southwest Art, Western Art & Architecture, Persimmon Hill, American Cowboy, Western Horseman, Wild West, and InformArt. His work has also been showcased on the covers of many of these publications.

Grelle says humbly, "I thank God for the ability and the opportunities He has given me, and I hope I can continue to grow and learn more with each finished painting. I am honored by everyone who collects my work, and I will always strive to create artwork worthy of their attention, and their investment.”

Other Images by Martin Grelle (You will have to use the back button to return to this page. Also make sure you bookmark this page.)

Autumn’s Gather
Working On The Sixes

David Mann’s life focus has been his interest in the Native American culture, horses, and art. As a child, the artist collected any Remington and Russell prints he found along with books illustrated by Will James, Paul Brown, and Wesly Dennis.

Mann knows his subjects well from studying the history and culture of the Western Indian tribes. Born in Utah, the artist lived among the Southwestern tribes during a two-year mission in New Mexico and Arizona. During his time with the San Carlos Apache, Navajo, and Pueblo tribes, Mann adsorbed layers of meaning that give depth to the human stories he tells. This unforgettable and invaluable time spent with the Indians allowed the artist to experience first-hand the stories, dignity, and culture magic of their lives. Mann’s paintings are alive in rich colors, remarkable illusion of day and moonlight, and energetic or quiet compositions.

The artist seeks to capture the personal moment of truth and has the benefit of working with Indian and mountain men who model for him. Mann looks deeply into his subjects, envisioning the joys and sorrows that have contributed to the strength of a culture. The artist’s paintings are known for careful attention to detail including clothing, saddles, jewelry, and the many other symbols and accoutrements that are part of his subjects’ cultures. The combination of heart and mind, and intellect and spirit is told in the dignified presence of the Native Americans featured in the historic settings in which the artist paints them. Mann’s images portray the spirits of the historic, as well as the contemporary west, usually depicting moments in time rather than historical events when deeply rooted traditions provided spiritual and physical sustenance for the Native Americans.

Mann’s original paintings are highly collected. The artist participates in several annual art exhibits around the country; he has been the subject of numerous magazine articles.

Ragan Gennusa grew up in East Texas enjoying the outdoors and sports, but he was drawn to art and could always be found using his pencils and brushes when he had an opportunity. “Art was just something I always enjoyed,” he recalls.

Gennusa took art classes in high school, along with being an All-State quarterback, and accepted a football scholarship to the University of Texas where he played wide receiver and majored in art. Gennusa credits his training as an athlete for teaching him to value courage, tenacity, and the importance of character in pursuit of life as well as an artistic career.

After college, Gennusa worked as an artist for an Austin printing company, then as a staff artist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. His talent was quickly recognized, and he was eventually promoted to art department supervisor. Although he enjoyed his job at the department, the day-to-day administrative work took its toll, and he left to paint exclusively for an Austin art gallery. This decision was a turning point in Gennusa’s career.

Gallery work allowed Gennusa to develop his art. During this time, he became involved with the Gulf Coast Conservation Association, Ducks Unlimited, and other similar groups. “I’ve been fortunate to meet a lot of people in the sporting arena who liked my art,” says Gennusa. The artist now has a thriving career painting the great outdoors and its endless sporting images; his many commissions to paint animals or the Western landscape are sought by people throughout the United States.

Gennusa is well known for his longhorn paintings, some of which have been special commissions for the University of Texas, and his horse images. Wild turkeys are also one of Gennusa’s favorite subjects. Working mostly on commission, the artist very much enjoys visiting ranches throughout Texas and learning about their history, which has fostered his interest in Western and Native American themes.

Gennusa has established a very successful art career and strives to keep up with the demand for his work. In 1986, he was selected the Texas State Artist, and he recently received the 2005 “Texas Star Preservation Award” from the Gillespie County Historical Society.

The artist lives in one of Texas’ most picturesque regions. Gennusa says, “…after a particularly good day of painting, I walk out of my studio overlooking the beautiful Texas Hill Country, and I truly feel that I am the richest, luckiest man on earth!”

“Being an artist has made my life very rewarding. The great western artist Charles Russell said, ‘Any man that can make a living doing what he likes is lucky, and I am that.’” - Ragan Gennusa

This is a response I gave in one of the threads regarding using search to be found. It was in response to someone that had indicated that I was saying the search and keywording was not important and that I had some sort of insider information. Which I do not. But I have tracked what I have done that has lead to way better then average success compared to the most people posting in the search. But that in no way makes me one of top sellers. They simply do not post in the threads.

Here is that response:

Thank you JC for the chance to clarify that aspect of my position on keywords and the search.

First off I don't think I ever claimed any insider information. Everything I know or learned about the search is what I have read in these threads.

My position has NEVER been that the search was not important, I have consistently said you have to do the best you possible can to put keywords in the keywords box, in your titles and in your descriptions and then move on and not obsess over the search and the fact that you are not coming up as high as you would like.

From what we have been told here, and correct me if I am wrong JC, sales are the number on rating factor that will gain you search position. Then there are other considerations like, comments, likes, favorites, etc, etc.

It has been my position, based only on what I have experienced, that chasing sales is going to do more for you then obsessing over the search and trying to get as many likes, favorites, comments and all those other things.

I have outlined this in detail in one of my blogs.

Sean has made it perfectly clear that he is not going to disclose the exact weighting or the exact inter workings of the search. I understand that and it makes no difference to me whatsoever rather he does or does not give us the secrets of the search.

We are all on equal ground as far as the knowledge of how that search works. If he discloses the exact inner workings, we would all still be on equal ground. So there is nothing to gain from knowing that information if we all know it. And NO I am not suggesting that Sean is sharing it with some but not all. But again, I wouldn't care if he did.

I deal with things as I find them. I either figure out what it is and how to work it to my benefit and I keep doing it over and over again. If I can not figure out how to make it work for me.... I go somewhere else.

I have found success here on FAA doing what I am doing with no more knowledge then what I brought with me and what I have learned in these threads. Success is a personal thing. I may be a huge seller compared to some and an insignificant seller compared to others. That is why I never talk in real numbers. Actualy, again from what I have read in these threads, that is the case.

Now all of that said, I will tell you right now, your time would be much better spent learning something about business in general including marketing and advertising than worrying about your search ranking once you do the keywording like I said above.

For more information on selling on FAA read the following articles.

Work Smarter Not Harder To Beat The Big Guys
This Is My Response to Members Looking for Help
Work Smarter Not Harder To Beat The Big Guys
Another Response to a New Member Looking for Help

Keep in mind, FAA does not sell your work in the sense that they are going bring the buyers to you. You may get a few accidently sales that way but basically you have to sell your own art OUTSIDE of FAA.

Don't get all bogged down in all of the internal, social aspects of FAA if you are seriously looking to sell your art. Do all of your advertising and marketing outside FAA through what ever channels you are comfortable with.

Most people do not want to spend money doing this so they use social media. Everyone will tell you that what they use is the best. But you have to decide that for yourself according to what you are most comfortable.

The most popular in no certain order are Facebook, Twitter, G+, Linkedin and some of the others. Some people will tell you you have to do all of them. I do not think you can do all of them and have any kind of saturation that it take to make the market penetration that will result in sales.

Again, you have to decide that for yourself according to how much time you want to spend.

The number one thing that will drive sales is the number of uploads or images you have for sale. Then how much exposure you get OUTSIDE of FAA. The groups, contests and those sort of things will NOT result in any meaningful number of sales. Your time is much better spent creating new art and promoting it outside of FAA.

At this time with only 5 images, I would not worry about any of these things. I would sped 75-80% of your time creating more art and getting more uploads. Rest of that time I would spend setting up a your Facebook and Twitter accounts (assuming those art the ones you chose to use).

And don't make the mistake of building your friends and followers of all artist. They are not going to buy. You need to find people that you would think are most likely to buy your art. Other artist are just looking to sell to you, not buy from you.

If you do use Facebook and Twitter remember, the best exposure is not through you friends and followers It is through the groups on Facebook and getting shares on both fave book and Twitter. On Twitter they call it "retreets".

More tips and suggestions:

Work Smarter Not Harder To Beat The Big Guys

This Is My Response to Members Looking for Help

One of the most common discussions that comes up is advertising (selling) . Particularity how much and where to advertise.

I have posted a blog: Advertising Your FAA Artistwebsite http://fineartamerica.com/blogs/advertising-your-faa-artistwebsite.html

After you read the comments below you may want to check it out.

There are some here, and I don't mean to target or embarrass anyone, that seem to know little or nothing about advertising, some hate it to the point that they refuse to do it and some know more about the subject then I will ever know.

One of things that people struggle with is the time it takes away from creating their art. I stated one time that advertising takes away from the time you have to create your art and creating your art takes away form the time you need to sell your art. What I mean by that is, you have to find a balance if you want to sell your art anywhere.

How well you will sell on FAA will, in no small part, depend on how much you have to sell on FAA. I know, some will argue against that and point to a few that have very little product and sell all the time. Given the chance to research that I believe you will find special circumstance that would explain that. The obvious one is how big of a following that artist has. But there are other extenuating circumstances as well. I am not address those issues here. I am addressing the issue for the benefit of those average sellers on FAA. Not average art or artist, but those that come into the threads nearly daily looking for help.

I have built several online stores going back way before FAA and even eBay were selling art on the Internet. One of the most common things that I have seen was the threshold of where the sales seem to take a huge leap. That threshold was 1000 items for sale. That seemed to be a magic number.

I am not suggesting that you have to have 1000 items for sale on FAA. But what I am trying to point out that there is a direct correlation between the number of products for sale and sales. This is common sense if nothing else. There is also a correlation between product mix and sales. As the old saying goes "you can not sell off an empty wagon".

If I had to suggest a number, I would say somewhere in the 200 uploads area is where I seen my first big jump in sales. But 1000 was a bigger jump and where steady sales began to take hold. I know that 1000 is huge number for most artist. Probably totally unobtainable for some. There are ways of increasing those numbers with out having 1000 individual pieces, but that is another subject.

I think that if you have less then 200 uploads and you are really concerned about selling, you need to shut out all the noise and spend the majority of your time creating more art. I have used the 25/75 rule. Spend 75% of your time creating new art and 25% selling or marketing. And selling and marketing does NOT include the groups, contests, likes and favorites or hanging out in and starting threads that do not go directly to marketing and creating. Those groups and contests, likes and favorites and creating view and followers of other FAA members are NOT going to create many if any sales.

That same time should be spent building your up Facebook friends and Twitter following or developing other ways of reaching the outside of FAA market place. There are several other free adverting vehicles but I am not going to go into them here. As you gallery grows, so will your advertising base grow. How many FAA members friend your Facebook page or follow you on Twitter is not near as important as how many people outside of FAA are following and befriending you. You simply must reach the greater art buying public to have any chance of achieving decent sales.

Product numbers are important but so is the product mix. If you have a nothing but seascapes in your gallery, you are obviously not very likely to sell to a buyer that is looking for western art.

We are not allowed, for good reasons to point out specific members of FAA so I can not show you examples. But they are there. Several of the most successful sellers that I have run across and talked to on FAA have a very diverse product line. Westerns, seascapes, florals, abstracts, wildlife and other genres. Some here will tell you that you have to focus and stay in one genre. I totally disagree. I think that you want to appeal to as many art buyers as possible.

One last thing. Some here mistakenly think that what is working for some one else will work for them. THIS IS JUST BAD THINKING!

You have to tailor an adverting plan to what is best for you. Not just do what anyone else tells you to do. I cover that in that blog in the link above.

Click on the link to see more information on the image:
Gol-Durn Trouble by G. Harvey

G.Harvey and his images have influenced a worldwide enthusiasm and demand for contemporary American art for a generation. Few artists have intrigued and captivated art collectors as widely as the celebrated painter, G. Harvey. During his storied career, G. Harvey has painted turn-of-the-century America as no other artist. His scenes are warm, thoughtful portraits of our country’s bustling cities in a more genteel era and outstanding Western sagas of working cowhands at home in rugged landscapes.

Gerald Harvey Jones, known to his patrons and peers as G. Harvey, grew up in the rugged hills in Central Texas where herds of longhorn cattle were driven along the dusty trails. This background has been the inspiration for the artist’s commitment to portraying the spirit of America. Through his art, our country’s history lives. Harvey restores all those memories, sights, sounds, and emotions. With his ability to capture the drama, light, and feeling of a moment, the artist brings the heart of his painting to the viewer.

G. Harvey is not only an extraordinary painter, but an accomplished sculptor. His original works and bronze sculptures are in the collections of major corporations, prestigious museums, American presidents, governors, foreign leaders, and captains of industry. The artist has been the recipient of innumerable awards and the subject of four books. Harvey has been honored with one-man shows at the Smithsonian Institution and the National Archives in Washington, D. C.

The artist’s original paintings are represented in major galleries. His annual, one-man shows are consistent sell-outs where Harvey collectors come from all around the country to view and compete to own an outstanding work by the artist.

G. Harvey lives in the beautiful Texas Hill Country with his wife, Pat, where they enjoy living near their children and grandchildren. A studio adjacent to his home is a sanctuary for creating the paintings that his legions of devoted collectors eagerly anticipate with each new work.
G. Harvey’s work reminds us that the world has changed very much and very little; country lanes and city streets are still romantic. It is, after all, from living in the present that the artist draws inspiration for the past. -20-

The image above is one of many G. Harvey images we have available. If you would like more information on G. Harvey Fine Art Prints or would like special pricing considerations, please email Floyd@FASGaallery.com. You can also follow us on Twitter @FASGallery. Enjoy! - Floyd Snyder

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