Multiple income streams for artists or crafters - how to make more money with your art.
If you’ve been selling your work for a little while and finding it a hard make consistent income while still dedicating time to your practice, then I have a few ideas that can help.
Having multiple income streams as an artist, crafter or designer can be a great way to free up space for getting back into your studio - or the kitchen table - while still bringing in a little bit of money. There’s a little less stress on your time, brain capacity and creative energy if there’s other ways for earning money that feel less time-intensive.
You don’t have to go all in on having a full online business, but adding a few extras to your product base that are not a direct swap of time for money can be necessary.
Let’s start by talking about what multiple income steams actually means.
Many practicing artists might have only one way that they bring in money - by their paintings, photography, original artworks. If they’re earning enough per piece to create a sustainable income then this is wonderful. But based on studies of artists in Australia, the average income from their art practice alone ranges from $10,000 to $23,000. Many artists have to work additional jobs to sustain their art practice, which means either dramatically limiting the amount of time they have to dedicate to their art practice, or totally giving it up!
So, I wanted to share a few ideas of how you can add extra income streams that may allow you to continue working from home with your paint, clay, fabric, camera…….
What are some options you could try:
SELLING YOUR WORK ONLINE IN DIFFERENT WAYS
Turning your original art into prints or products is an excellent way of being able to do your main work, while sharing it with a different audience, and making extra income off smaller things.
You could get your own art prints made up and sell them on your website, at market stalls or additions at your exhibitions.
There are multiple online sites that allow you to upload an image and they will direct ship it to the customer. Downloadable digital prints or products means no need for you to worry about packing or posting orders, paying for and holding physical stock-on-hand, or doing something when an order comes in.
Sites like Etsy or the Australian site MadeIt are perfect for selling digital downloads. These are generally pretty easy to set up. And while they’re not ‘set-and-forget’ they are a great alternative to only selling originals.
Reb Bubble and Society6 turn your uploaded art into products such as canvas artwork, cushions, mugs, notebooks…..
Spoonflower is a great site that takes your designs and prints it onto fabric or wallpaper. You do need to have something that can become a repeatable design, but they have all the tools to show you how to do this.
A suggestion I have for any of these options is to create different work that you’ll sell as prints, downloads or print-on-demand. You don’t want to entirely dilute your original art and your creative brand, so think cleverly about what sites you share your work on. Look at the fees you’ll be charged as well as the income you earn.
Etsy and MadeIt charge you fees per listing and sale, but you set your price and keep the income. Whereas Red Bubble, Society6 and Spoonflower give you a small percentage on the sale.
2. PATREON or SUBSTACK
This is a great way to have your audience support you financially. A little like in the olden days when artists had a patron, you can set up sites that allow people to pay you monthly for something you’ll give them. Often this is an online ‘gift’ rather than the need to create a physical item.
Think a small tutorial - people love to see how you create with watercolour, or mix paint. Filming a little video how-to can be easier than you think. No need to set up a full online course, just a little ‘how-to’ filmed with your phone and uploaded to the site.
Behind the scenes of your work - this allows your audience and customers to see how you work, gain an insight into your ideas of your pieces and your process.
First chance at your new collection or range. As strange as it may seem to you, some people are willing to pay a fee - even $5 or $10 a month - in order to get first access to purchase your work. If your work is in demand then this is a great way to make sure you have a following of people supporting you while also being ready to snap up your work.
Monthly essays on your art work, the tools or materials you use, tips and processes.
Patreon has more art based visual artists and creatives, while SubStack (currently) is more aligned to writers and recipe developers. You might be surprised to hear that some cooks and people who have been sharing blogs with recipes for years, are now making thousands each month through their SubStack subscribers.
Make sure to look into the fees that each charges. SubStack does take a whopping 10% + payment processing fees of the subscription people pay. Patreon takes 8% + payment processing fees.
Before you start with a SubStack or a Patreon I suggest you consider if you’ll be able to keep up with a monthly or fortnightly update. Will filming and uploading a video each month be too stressful for you. Are you able to continue writing essays that people actually want to pay for. Will it end up taking up more time than the income it’s bringing in.
Perhaps you could start by creating three or four month’s worth of content before you launch so that you’re not feeling behind and stressed as soon as you start. This gives you a buffer if you get a giant commission, an exhibition opportunity or sick.
One thing to note is that you can turn the payment off if needed, for a month or so, and most supporters I’ve ever had are generous and understanding if your art gets in the way of being able to deliver something every month.
Some online sites say you can earn anywhere from $200 - thousands each month on Patreon or SubStack. This, of course, depends on what you share, how you promote it, how often you post and nurture your audience. But as you can see this is a potential way to have a connected community who value your work as an artist and want to financially support you in this way.
3. ONLINE COURSES or EBOOKS
Ok, I’m actually quite reluctant to suggest this, but it is something to consider. If the time, situation, space in your creative life makes it work. This is by far the hardest option for another income stream. It takes more time to set up, to promote, and often the start up costs are more than expected. Though they don’t have to be.
I have been selling online video craft courses and ebooks for over 10 years, and they’ve been my main income - alongside in-person teaching and writing - all that time. But they’re also my main work-work. They do require a lot more input to keep promoting than other avenues.
As with anything, you can make them as complicated or easy as possible.
You have the option to set up your own, and host, promote and sell them yourself. There are so many online sites where you can put your courses and sell them. You’ve likely taken one of my craft course on my Petalplum website, or any number of other online teachers.
Ebooks are easier than online video courses, and you can in fact sell them on Etsy or even Creative Market. These are generally something that you’d market yourself through your social media, website or newsletter.
Creating and selling online courses isn’t as passive as some people might make you believe, but it can be an excellent additional income to supplement your original or physical artworks.
While there’s ultimately no one best way to make more money as an artist, it can be worthwhile thinking beyond the usual options of original artwork, prints, wholesale, markets and such. Going online can help boost your income.
Often it does take a bit of initial set up, and usually ongoing tending. But depending on what you set up, the processes you use to make it happen, and your personality in terms of keeping on top of it all, and being excited about the potential rather than stressed or overwhelmed, then it can be an amazing addition to your bank balance.
Would you ever consider doing one of these to make your daily original art-making a little easier? Have you ever tried? Or do you indeed have something already set up - if so, leave a comment so I can check it out.
