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How to Make Money As An Artist?

The skill of taking a scene in front of you and turning it into an image on a canvas is a valuable talent. Whilst traditional ways of making money through art can be a source of frustration, with hefty commissions from galleries and a lack of opportunities, there are a growing number of ways artists are diverging and making money. 

Whether you want to pursue art full-time, or, you may just want to make a little extra cash doing something you love, our guide will introduce you to the most profitable ways to make money as an artist and what you should consider before taking the leap.

Ways to Make Money As An Artist:

  1. Live Wedding Painting: A unique and lucrative niche for artists who enjoy capturing heartfelt moments. Prices range from £500 to £2,500 per commission.
  2. Post Wedding Commissions: Ideal for artists who prefer working from home. You can create custom pieces based on client requests or focus on a specific niche. Starting at around £200, but can make £600+.
  3. Event Illustrations: Perfect for artists who thrive in lively settings and enjoy engaging with guests. Opportunities to earn upwards of £200 to £1,000+ per event.
  4. Teaching Art: A fulfilling way to share your skills and earn money through in-person classes or online courses. Course prices range from £10 to £100+, while in-person classes can command higher fees.
  5. Selling Digital Prints: A cost-effective way to turn a single artwork into multiple sales. Minimal overhead costs make this an efficient way to boost profit margins with a scaleable product.
  6. Art Grants: A valuable resource for funding creative projects without the need for repayment, with prizes reaching £10k+
  7. Art Fairs: Great for selling artwork and networking, Successful fairs can boost your reputation and provide immediate sales opportunities. At the art fairs we’ve attended, artworks have sold for amounts ranging from £75 to over £4,000.

1) Live Wedding Painting

Using your artistic talents to capture magical moments as they happen is a spectacle that is starting to trend. Live wedding painting is a unique and heartfelt way to take a special moment of time and place it on a canvas to be remembered for eternity. 

Live wedding Painters are in high demand, with couples seeking unforgettable ways to hold onto their very first moments as newlyweds. Live wedding painters can expect to charge between £500 and £2,500, depending on their level of experience, size of canvas and the complexity of the artwork. So if you are an experienced portrait artist and feel comfortable painting at a high standard in front of an audience, then live wedding painting may be for you. 

If you are unsure as to whether you have the capabilities to become a live wedding painter, see our guide on the characteristics of successful wedding painters, or if you need more information on live wedding painting, we have a guide covering everything you need to know about live wedding painting.

 

Pros:

  1.  Live wedding painting is a trending experience on special occasions and significant life events, such as weddings, and there is a growing demand for high quality live painters to capture life’s precious moments. 
  2. Potential for high earnings, with prices ranging from £500 to £2,500 per painting.
  3. Engage directly with an audience, offering personal satisfaction and immediate feedback.

Cons:

  1. Requires confidence and skill to paint live in front of an audience during a high-pressure event.
  2. Marketing can be challenging, costly and time consuming.
  3. Involves travel and significant preparation time, adding to costs and time investment.

Artist Quote: Jacob Gourley

“When I signed up to the wedding painters, I had only a few live wedding paintings under my belt. The few that I had done were also months apart and only a minor part of my creative output. Observing on social media that live wedding painting was becoming more popular in the UK. Now I can happily say that thanks to The Wedding Painters, this has become a strong branch of my artistic practice, and my calendar has begun to fill up nicely.” – jacobgourley.com

If you believe you have the capabilities to become a live wedding painter, but don’t know how to promote your service, head to our sign up page, where you will be placed on the only registry for live wedding painters.

2) Post Wedding Commissions

Another accessible way for artists to earn money is by selling post wedding commissions. This approach is ideal for those who prefer to work from the comfort of their studio or home, and in a style of their choosing. Commission artists can either create pieces based on customer requests or focus on a niche.

Due to the sentimental value of the art, prices for post wedding commissions are typically higher than other forms of commissioned art, starting at £200 for an A4 portrait. For artists using a service such as theweddingpainters.com, artists can avoid the high commission fees from online marketplaces such as Etsy and ebay, who can charge as much as 12.8% plus shipping fees, eating into your profit margins.

Pros:

  1. Flexibility to work from home or studio.
  2. Ability to specialise in high-demand niches like celebrity portraits or wedding commissions.
  3. Potential for a steady high income stream if positioned well in a popular niche.

Cons:

  1. Need for versatility and ability to adapt to different styles or customer demands.
  2. High competition in online marketplaces with significant commission fees (e.g., Etsy, eBay).
  3. Marketing and promotion require ongoing effort and can be time-consuming if all handled by yourself.

If you are seeking to earn money through art commissions, sign up with The wedding painters to be listed on our post wedding commissions page.

3) Live Wedding Illustrations

Live Wedding illustrations are becoming a popular trend, offering a unique twist to photographs on special occasions, giving people a way to memorise a moment through an illustrated portrait. For an artist who enjoys socialising and has an ability to create detailed portraits swiftly, then live wedding illustrations are an ideal avenue for artists to make money. 

Guest illustrators often find that their services fit more comfortably in a couples wedding budget, typically charging anywhere between £200 to £1,000+, depending on whether the artist charges by the hour, or per illustration. For artists, overhead costs for wedding illustrators are generally lower than live wedding painting, as the artist may use less expensive tools such as watercolours, pens or pencils.

Pros:

  1. Lower overhead costs compared to live wedding painting as less expensive materials are used. Ideal for someone who is skilled using watercolours, pens or pencils rather than paints. 
  2. Flexible pricing, with potential earnings from £200 to £1,000+ per event.
  3. Ideal for artists who can work swiftly and are skilled at using tools such as watercolours, pens or pencils

Cons:

  1. Lower pricing compared to live wedding painting, potentially reducing overall income, especially if the artist charges per illustration.
  2. Requires confidence to work in front of an audience and adapt to spontaneous requests.
  3. Difficult to promote the service to the right audience.

If you are interested in making money as an illustrator at a wedding, join us by choosing a subscription package that best suits your needs.

4) Teaching Art (in person or through a course)

If you’re an experienced artist with a passion for helping others improve their skills, teaching art through classes or courses can be a fulfilling way to make money. Not only do you get to do what you love, but you also have the opportunity to shape the future of aspiring artists. Contrary to popular belief, teaching isn’t just for seasoned professionals. If you specialise in a specific style or technique, you can pass that expertise on to others.

If you have the skills and confidence to communicate your knowledge and demonstrate your skills in a clear manner, then teaching art can become a profitable way to follow a passion. Teaching art doesn’t even have to be done in person, artists can create online courses which can be a more informative and effective way to teach, as aspiring artists can learn in their own time and at their own pace. 

You can even combine both methods. Selling online courses and offering in-person classes to reinforce what you’ve taught. A single course typically ranges from £10 to £100, depending on the content and materials provided. For example, platforms like The Virtual Instructor offer various art courses with options for monthly subscriptions, which can be a flexible model if you plan to offer multiple courses. In-person classes usually command higher prices, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand pounds, depending on the complexity and duration of the course.

One of our artists, Jacob, who trusts our service to find his clients, offers a variety of courses, from portrait painting to landscapes.  You can view Jocob’s Live Wedding Painters profile here.

Pros:

  1. Fulfilling work, helping others develop their artistic skills while earning income.
  2. Flexible teaching methods—live classes, online courses, or a combination of both.
  3. Potential for recurring income through course sales or subscriptions.
  4. Opportunity to build a reputation as an expert in a specific style or technique.

Cons:

  1. Requires strong communication skills and confidence to teach effectively.
  2. Initial investment in developing course materials and marketing.
  3. Competitive market with many free online resources, making it harder to stand out.
  4. Ongoing effort needed to maintain and update course content or attract new students.

 

art class

5) Sell Digital Prints

A great way for artists to make money from their passion is by offering digital prints of your artwork. This approach allows artists to turn a one-time sale into multiple sales, as many customers can purchase the same digital copy, significantly enhancing repeat revenue potential.

Digital prints have minimal production costs since they’re digital assets. All an artist needs is a high-quality camera or scanner to capture detailed images of their artwork, some photo editing to ensure the colours and resolution (ideally 300dpi for fine prints) are perfect. Opting to print and sell physical bundles, partnering with a reliable supplier is key to maintaining quality. Although this has higher costs as you must factor in the printing costs into your price for customers.

Protecting digital products is also crucial. To showcase them on a website without risking theft, use watermarks or display lower-resolution images. This way, you can attract buyers while safeguarding your work.

Pros:

  1. High-profit margins due to minimal production costs for digital assets.
  2. Potential for multiple sales from a single digital file, increasing revenue.
  3. Flexibility to sell prints as add-ons to other services like live wedding painting.
  4. Various online platforms available to sell digital prints, expanding reach.

Cons:

  1. Requires high-quality equipment (camera/scanner) and photo editing skills.
  2. Printing physical bundles involves additional costs and requires reliable suppliers.
  3. Risk of digital theft, necessitating protective measures like watermarks.
  4. Marketing and promotion required to attract buyers, which can be time-consuming.

6) Art Grants

Art grants are another method growing in popularity and offer artists a way to earn money whilst practising or enhancing their skills in a specific area. An art grant is an award, typically a monetary reward given to artists who support creative projects, artistic endeavours or other related activities. Grants do not need to be repaid, which makes them a valuable resource and a good money earner for artists looking to complete a project related to their field of study.

Art grants can be provided by various sources, including government agencies, nonprofit organisations, private foundations, and corporations. They can be awarded for a wide range of purposes, such as creating new work, funding exhibitions, pursuing educational opportunities or conducting research. 

Each grant typically has specific eligibility criteria and application processes, and they may be competitive, with applicants required to submit proposals, portfolios, or detailed project plans. Some even have an entry fee, which increases the upfront costs. Therefore, this method can be quite inconsistent at times with varying costs and high competition. 

Several online platforms provide comprehensive lists of art grants an artist can explore and apply for. One such platform is StarvingArtistOpportunities, which offers an extensive selection of grants to suit various artistic preferences.

Pros:

  1. Provides financial support without the need for repayment, allowing artists to focus on their craft.
  2. Opportunities to enhance skills, fund projects, or pursue educational opportunities.
  3. Can significantly boost an artist’s portfolio and reputation.

Cons:

  1. Sometimes a competitive application process with strict eligibility criteria.
  2. Inconsistent income source.
  3. Some grants may have entry fees, increasing upfront costs.
  4. Time-consuming application process with no guarantee of success.

7) Art Fairs

Art fairs offer a fantastic opportunity, not only to sell artwork, but also to network with other artists, galleries, and potential buyers. The best part? The people attending are there specifically to buy art, so there’s a good chance someone will appreciate your style. Many galleries host these events, and if you’re a member you might even get invited for free, reducing your costs.

However, art fairs do have their drawbacks. They’re not as frequent, so you may find yourself travelling to smaller, lesser-known events with a more limited audience. Additionally, the upfront costs for transporting your artwork, setup fees, and travel expenses, can eat into your profit margins. While your art may speak for itself, you’ll need to be your own salesperson to close the deal with potential buyers.

Pros:

  1. Direct access to potential buyers who are specifically interested in purchasing art.
  2. Opportunity to network with other artists, galleries, and collectors, all helping to build your reputation in the art world.
  3. Potential for high earnings if artwork resonates with attendees.
  4. At the art fairs we’ve attended, artworks have sold for amounts ranging from £75 to over £4,000.

Cons:

  • Upfront costs for transporting artwork, setup fees, and travel expenses can reduce profit margins.
  • Fairs are infrequent, requiring travel to smaller events with limited audiences.
  • Requires strong sales skills to close deals on the spot.

Considerations Artists Must Make

The most difficult aspect of making money as an artist is to promote and advertise your talent and style of work. Getting in front of the right audience, who are willing to pay for the artist’s service can be difficult. Promoting your art online, through social media or by creating your own website, can be time consuming and expensive, taking away from your availability to take on jobs and reducing your profit margins. 

Finding a niche market who are willing to pay a fee which you deserve for your talent is also difficult. The wedding market is one of the highest paid avenues for artists to focus on, as couples are seeking to make their special day as memorable as possible. 

At The Wedding Painters, we are the only platform to connect artists with customers seeking someone to make their day even more special. If you are an artist looking to make money at weddings, view our subscription options, or if you want to find out more about being an artist at a wedding, read our guide on how to become a full time wedding artist.

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