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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.

  1. Live Wedding Painting:
  2. Teaching Art: 
  3. Post Wedding Commissions: 
  4. Selling Digital Prints: 
  5. Wedding Illustrations: 
  6. Art Grants: 
  7. Art Fairs:
  8. Becoming an Influencer:
  9. Entering Art Competitions:
  10. Selling Art Printed Products:
  11. Frequently Asked Questions

Live Wedding Painting to Earn Money As an Artist

Earning Potential: £500 to £2,500 per wedding.

Live wedding painters are becoming a high demand addition to a wedding ceremony, as couples look for unforgettable ways to capture their first moments as newlyweds. These artists are booked prior to a wedding and are tasked with creating breathtaking art pieces in real-time during the wedding ceremony. 

These portraits are typically completed on the day of the wedding and revealed to the couple as their first glance of themselves as a wedded pair. These beautifully crafted portraits are then taken by the couple so that they can treasure the image for a lifetime.

Pros:

  1. Growing demand for high quality live painters to capture life’s precious moments. 
  2. Artists can make money through various avenues, including live events and online sales.
  3. Engage directly with an audience, offering personal satisfaction and immediate feedback.

Cons:

  1. Caters for experienced portrait painters who are comfortable painting at a high standard in front of an audience.
  2. selling your art online can include high competition and market saturation.
  3. Marketing can be challenging, costly, and time consuming.

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

Teaching Art Online or in Person to Make Money as an Artist

Potential Earnings: £10 to £100 per class, making money online through teaching art techniques. £10 per person per month through online courses can be a great way to make money.

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. 

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. For example, platforms like The Virtual Instructor Offer various art courses with options for monthly subscriptions, which can be a flexible model for artists to make money online.

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, allowing artists to make a lot over time.
  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

Post Wedding Commissions Is a Great Way to Make Money

Earning Potential: Starts at £200 for an A4 portrait

Another accessible way for artists to earn money is by selling post-wedding commissions through an online store. 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.

Pros:

  1. Flexibility to work from home or studio.
  2. Potential for a steady high income stream if positioned well in a popular niche.
  3. Due to the sentimental value of the art, prices are typically higher than other forms of commissioned art.
  4.  

Cons:

  1. Marketing and promotion require ongoing effort and can be time-consuming if all handled by yourself.

Sell Digital Prints to Make Money Online

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 in an online store.

Digital prints have minimal production costs since they’re digital assets, however, artists will require a high-quality camera or scanner to capture the detailed images of their artwork. Artists will also require a website or become familiar with selling platforms such as Etsy to promote their digital prints and will need to maintain partnerships with reliable suppliers if they choose to outsource their printing.

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.

Wedding Illustrations is a Rewarding Way to Earn Money as an Artist

Earning Potential: £200 to £1,000+ per wedding

Live Wedding illustrations are becoming a popular trend, offering a unique twist to photographs on special occasions, giving people a way to remember their most special moments through an illustrated portrait. 

Live wedding illustrators are not only booked for the newlywed couple, as these illustrations can be created more swiftly, guests can also have the portraits created, giving everyone the chance to see themselves through a stunning artform.

Pros:

  1. Lower overhead costs compared to live wedding painting as they require less expensive materials.
  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 watercolors, pens, or pencils in various types of art.

Cons:

  1. An effective pricing strategy is required to maximize potential earnings. 
  2. Requires confidence to work in front of an audience and adapt to spontaneous requests, essential for artists in 2024.
  3. Difficult to promote the service to the right audience.

Art Grants

Earning Potential: £1,000 to £100,000*

*source: Arts Awards 

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 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 to earn money as an artist. 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 are often found in online marketplaces., 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.

Art Fairs

Potential Earnings: £75 to £4,000+

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? Artists can make money online while doing what they love. 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.

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.

Cons:

  1. Upfront costs for transporting artwork, setup fees, and travel expenses can reduce profit margins when participating in art shows.
  2. Fairs are infrequent, requiring travel to smaller events with limited audiences.
  3. Requires strong sales skills to close deals on the spot.

Become an Art Influencer to Make Money

Earning Potential: £100 per post for micro influencers to £1000s if you are a mega influencer*

*Source: Influencer Marketing Hub

Brands are always on the lookout for new ways to expand their reach and break into new markets. One way they do this is through parenting with influencers to use social media for promotion. Artists can generate large followings with people interested in the content that these people create and the visual representations that are inspired by the world around them. Brands see this as a way to target like-minded people, of which share similar values and interests. 

Of course, the obvious brands art influencers may work with are those promoting their art supplies and products, but there are broader opportunities to earn money as an artist. Lifestyle brands want to show how the influencer integrates their products into their daily life, travel and tourism brands may want the influencer to how how their hotel can spark creativity, and fashion brands will want to resonate with the self expression of the influencers audience. 

Parenting with brands can also lead to opportunities to collaborate on designing new products, take Turashi Murakami for example, who worked alongside Nike to create a limited edition design of their Air Force 1. 

Pros:

  1. You don’t need a large social media following to be considered an art influencer, as micro-influencers are used by brands as they drive greater return on investment
  2. Being an influencer allows you to stay true to your artistic vision while aligning yourself with brand that match your ethos
  3. You have control over the brands you decide to partner with, which can enhance your art business.

Cons:

  1. Working with brands requires ongoing commitment to the relationship, especially when using social media platforms for promotion.
  2. You may have to adhere to strict contracts and obligations set by the brand
  3. There is a risk of losing brand deals if your art and content doesn’t align with the brands.

Enter Art Competitions to Win Money

Earning Potential: £1,000 to £10,000+ depending on the competition

Art competitions give you the opportunity to test your skills against fellow talented artists from across the world, for a chance to win a cash prize. Some of the most notable art competitions include the Royal Institute of Oil Painters and the New English Art Club Annual Exhibition, both of which include a cash pot worth £1000s in an online marketplace. 

These cash prizes are often only for artists who finish in the top three positions, however, attending these competitions offer more than just a cash incentive. These competitions attract the very best artists, so it gives you a chance to learn and network with other artists, which may lead to opportunities to advise your art career. 

If this looks like a possible avenue for you, take a look at this list of art competitions you can enter in 2025. 

Pros:

  1. Opportunity to network for artists who have a range of skills and perspectives.
  2. Participation could increase your visibility and boost your social profile in the art world.

Cons:

  1. These competitions are highly competitive and attract the very best talents from across the world.
  2. Limited prizes, only guaranteed for the top positions.
  3. Fees to enter are often required.

Selling Your Art Through Online Platforms

Earning Potential: £5 to £50 per product, depending on the product

Selling digital prints of your art doesn’t have to be limited to just a canvas. Artists can create designs that can be printed on a full spectrum of products, such as hoodies, cushions, notebooks and mugs. 

The designs you create on these products could attract a diverse range of buyers who are drawn to your unique style, so there is no limits to what you can create, and when it comes to selling these items, platforms such as Etsy make it easy for artists to set up a shop and attract thousands of potential customers. 

Pros:

  1. Offers you creative freedom to express your artistic style across various products, providing a way to sell your work.
  2. Simple to set up and easy to access to a large customer base on platforms such as Etsy

Cons:

  1. With many artists selling these types of items, it may be difficult at first to find a niche
  2. Transaction fees are charge after each sale, reducing your overall profit
  3. You’ll be responsible for finding a printing supplier and shipping products to customer

Frequently Asked Questions

The most difficult aspect of making money as an artist is to promote and advertise your talent and style of work. It requires sales and marketing skills you may not be aware of, and requires investment into website development, SEO and social media marketing. 

Platforms such as TheWeddingPainters.com reduce these challenges and help you get in front of the right audience, giving you a better chance of making money from art.

 

There is every possibility of becoming an artist full time, however it requires you to choose an avenue that can best showcase your talents, with a style of art that is unique to you. Finding a niche market for your art will go a long way in helping you become a full time artist.

At TheWeddingPainters.com, we can help you become a full time artist through promoting your services on our platform, but if you require more information, take a look at our guide on how to become a full time wedding artist.

Although it is more difficult for a beginner artist to make money, it is possible, as art is a subjective medium, whereby people have their own views on what is considered good or bad art. However, honing your skills so that you can consistently create similar art in the style of your choosing is a fundamental skill if you want to make money from art as a beginner.

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