How to sell your paintings?
Art Galina
Selling your paintings online, sooner or later, you will figure out all the technical aspects. And you will get tired of the endless number of websites, theories, reviews, articles, galleries, promises, and offers. But you won't get answers to your questions about what to do in your specific situation. And how it relates personally to you. It's discouraging, isn't it? That's exactly what this collection of the most popular posts from an art dealer during 2017-2021 in a closed community for supporting artists and sculptors is about. The main topic of discussion in this group, starting with online sales of paintings and sculptures. Impressions, stories, reflections, comments. Chapters can be read in any order. The complete updated version based on "How to Sell Paintings – 1" and "How to Sell Paintings – 2".
Art Galina
How to sell your paintings?
How everything is arranged here
You're an artist or a sculptor who sells their works online. Whether you have a professional education or not doesn't matter. What matters is that you persist and continue.
Perhaps you'll recognize yourself or your colleagues here:
– I'm an amateur, without any artistic education.
– I no longer believe that you can sell a painting for a decent price…
– My personal comparison with the works of other artists.
– I can't determine the price range for this type of artwork.
– There are few criteria to base my prices on.
– I live in a small town, what about you…
– It's difficult to evaluate myself and my work.
– I don't understand? What else should be added to the price besides the cost of materials?
– Artistic value. Does it exist or not?
– Just so they won't ask questions!
– I have my own technique, unique handmade paintings.
– The problem is with the buyers – they always want it twice as cheap!
– It's scary to ask for too much.
– Can I somehow get a percentage of the sales?
– Will my paintings sell?
– Is there demand for pastels?
– It's frustrating to ask too little for a large amount of invested effort. Maybe I'm overestimating or underestimating. Am I overpriced or underpriced?
– I'm a beginner artist. I'm afraid of competition with the pros.
– What's trendy to paint nowadays?
– I don't have a painting education, but I do have complexes and insecurities.
– I'm hesitant to name a price, I'm not a professional.
– I don't consider myself a professional.
– Buyers say my paintings are too expensive.
– How to send a package with a painting?
Selling your paintings online, sooner or later, you'll figure out all the technical aspects. And you'll get tired of the endless number of websites, galleries, promises, and offers. But you won't get answers to your questions about what to do in your specific situation. And how it relates to you personally often remains unclear. It's discouraging, isn't it?
That's exactly what this collection of posts from the group and articles from the blog is about. The most popular and discussed ones from 2018-2021. It all happened in a closed community to support artists and sculptors, on a popular network. The main topic of discussion in this group since 2017 has been the online sale of paintings and sculptures on various platforms and social networks.
It includes answers to questions, my reactions from working with artists as authors, action recommendations, impressions from viewing works, and my personal stories. Yes, all at once, just like in real life. This is a fresh look from the other side of the screen. You've already seen the name of the group above, in the "Acknowledgments" chapter. You read it, didn't just scroll past quickly, right? Smiling.
You can read the chapters in any order. Each chapter is one post. The first words of the post are usually taken as the title. Scroll, review the content fully, stopping at what catches your attention immediately. The style of the text allows you to immediately understand the meaning of what's written. The original spelling is preserved in the comments.
Let's get acquainted. My name is Galina. And what's your name? Very nice to meet you. You'll learn more about me in the following chapters, a little later.
What's necessary for selling your paintings?
You need brains. And an endless number of different attempts and failures. Time and money spent. Being able to read and write in basic English or being able to use a translator. Can't do it? I sympathize. And banging your head against the wall with questions: "How do I do this specifically for me? What works specifically for me? Why?" after another attempt to do so.
They also say you need to learn. For perpetual students, this is sheer beauty. They study without a break. And they think that because they study, they'll make money. But that's not true. You don't study, you acquire information. Those who immediately take action and do things learn. Then they do it again and again. Then finally understand how and why it's done. And do it again.
Smoothly transitioning to my favorite point: self-discipline. Consistency and discipline. If you don't have that, you have serious problems. Discipline and consistency have nothing to do with your temperament, mood, the color of the walls in the room, marital status, or waist size. No self-discipline? You have problems. And you shouldn't even start a business.
What's quality education? It's acquiring skills. Creating a biography, a package of photographs, videos, tags, and more. Skills can be learned.
Discipline and motivation. And it already comes from within you. It's not treated or learned until you're pushed against the wall so hard it's impossible not to do it the way you should and want to. Almost all artists start thinking and doing only when they're really pressed to avoid disaster and have something at least. So on all sorts of training for the trained, they scare them and shove their noses into what's been done. I hope this isn't about you.
And only a very small fraction of artists think and do, even when they're doing well. To make it even better and even more. Preferably not just for themselves, but for others, and even strangers. That's why they are their own motivation, happiness, and joy. That's about me. Maybe it's about you too.
You need to be able to take photos of paintings, write descriptions, choose tags again and again. You can redo them endlessly. Quickly compose and type texts, watch successful masters, set prices, communicate with curators and clients. Know how to attract and retain attention. Monitor exhibitions and galleries. Understand how customer flows on websites work.
If you come up with the bright idea to hire a specialist and you don't understand the essence of the process, you'll just quickly throw away your money. So you'll have to figure it out yourself. Even if you're one of those who say, "I'm an artist, a creative person, I'm a girl." Constantly do this. Do and analyze. And do it again. You need to be able to ask the right questions. And be honest with yourself.
As you can see, there's nothing complicated about selling your paintings. And also, for those who haven't been scared off, offended, or run away so far. Business isn't about "learning," and it's not about "how to sell 10 paintings in a month" and not about "believe in yourself and positive thinking." It's about putting everything through your actions, drawing conclusions, engaging your brains, and applying it to yourself.
Portrait of a Successful Artist
When I'm asked how to become a highly sought-after artist, I say that it's difficult. And it really is very tough. It will take the perseverance of a hereditary librarian and the ability to draw on demand. And in terms of stress tolerance, you must confidently compete with the potholes that drivers curse on the roads every day.
A successful artist is a hardworking, persistent person. Ready for constant improvement and endless criticism from colleagues. Very hardworking. Extremely persistent. And the brighter you are, the deeper the criticism. If you want to avoid all of this on your way to fame and wealth, then you're out of luck. You'd better go look for oil.
Ideal Collaboration
The ideal contract between an art dealer, let's call them a savvy producer, seller, manager, or curator, and an artist looks something like this.
The art dealer says, and the artist does quickly and correctly, on time. Without disputes and ambitions, but by enhancing the proposed. With all their novelties at the level of good nonsense, they first come to the art dealer. Often these are quite workable ideas. The themes, style, technique, and other attributes of the works are monitored by the art dealer. What and how to present to the public is also up to them. Prices too. And now the most interesting part. In case of attempted dumping and cheating on the part of the artist, draconian fines and penalties come into play.
Let me explain what's going on here. Sometimes, due to their narrow-mindedness, the artist thinks they're the smartest. They believe that they've come from scratch and are already a master of selling art, while the art dealer just came to stroll around the art business territory. And the artist decides that they'll negotiate a high price with the art dealer, and the art dealer will exhibit the paintings on good platforms at a decent price. And not just publish them for sale but also promote them. And they'll also set the price, write descriptions for each piece, and find the top tags themselves, which they'll add to the title and all the texts.
And the artist will show links to lots and listings, and quietly offer to buy directly from them at a low price. Then they'll come with complaints that they were bought directly from them, but not from the dealer. They'll shift the responsibility and present themselves as innocent fluffy bunnies. Ignoring prices and backstage games. Well, what can I say. It's interesting how some people's brains work.
That's why the art dealer takes money for everything, including the mere fact of publication. And adds their commission to all of that. Artists, blinded by their uniqueness and incomparability, overlook the most important thing. The art dealer has plenty of artists to choose from. Pick any. And the customer base also belongs to the dealer.
Many artists, especially beginners, look at this ideal contract and say, "Yuck, I don't want that. I want to be a star of auction houses, I want to focus on creativity!" And then they list a dozen objections and grievances. Because they're attracted not by real professional activities but by external romanticized attributes.
