Sarah-Lynn Brown 19 Sep 2008

I'm not sure if it is Art... but I did sell two of my handmade necklaces today.. one a Jade/adventurine and a red jasper choker.... 40 bucks I didn't have this morning. :D

Evelyn Simon 19 Sep 2008

Hey Sarah, did you sell your necklaces on AW? :o)

Diana Hume 20 Sep 2008

Hi Evelyn, I just checked out Artistful.com Looks like it might possibly build up to be something, but my feeling is that it is a pretty new site. It says it is currently only available to artists. I have to agree that the best target for sales is not to other artists. Not that artists never buy art, but you are more likely to sell art to someone who does not make their own.

There is an area that supposedly lists sales from the site, but the comment there says " No Art Available Yet. Official launch to customers is early September". By my reckoning it is already past early September. So I would have to think there is some disparity between what they want to deliver and what they can deliver.

Congratulations on selling your work, Sarah, Patty and Steven.

I've found an internet marketing site directed at artists that I have found to be quite helpful: http://www.craftedweb.com/

Thanks for the other website suggestions, Denny. You always give very helpful advice. You are a full time artist, are you not?

antti silvekoski 20 Sep 2008

I'll stay to remain poor. Overseas shipments costs too much. In Finland we have ok welfare system... ps. more you have money, more you destroy mother earth!

Evelyn Simon 20 Sep 2008

Hi Diana; thanks for the tip. I tried to join the site, but the upload system doesn't work very well. I think I will say goodbye to it. :o) Have you heard of an art site that gets artists real jobs with real companies called "Creativehub.com?" There are no comment posting there, just upload your photo or artwork, and post a resume.

Diana Hume 21 Sep 2008

I'm not familiar with Creative hub either, but if I were you I would contact 5-10 artists who have art similar to yours and ask them their opinion of the site.

If you don't want to contact them through Creative hub just search for their name with google. You will generally come up with some sort of website and/or alternative contact info.

I have found that people generally don't mind giving their opinion about their experience with a website. I have either joined or not joined a site based on the answers I get.

Good luck.

Carson Collins 23 Sep 2008

No, I've been on AW for at least 5 years, and I've never sold anything, nor do I get very many referrals to my primary site from here.

John Boucher 12 Oct 2008

Grow up. Online art sales is a myth. We should be laughing at ourselves for expecting to get something for nothing. We don't buy art online. We don't know anyone who buys art online. We don't know any artists who sell art online. So why would we expect to sell our art online?

The way these sites work is that enough of us decide to pay for the upgrade, and that keeps the site profitable for the people who run it, and that's what the site is here for, not for any of us to sell our work, except a piece here and there to each other. I've got to hand it to the people who run the site. It's a genius idea. More power to them. They're smarter than we are.

That said, I think the critique section on this site could be a great resource and a lot of fun, and I plan to contribute thoughtful critiques to people and hope they'll return the favor. But that's the limit of my expectations.

Evelyn Simon 12 Oct 2008

Wow, so much for wishful thinking. John, quite a few people have sold their artwork online, and you might want to speak for yourself as to the statement 'We don't know any artists who sell art online;' Some of us do. :o]

shelly loriot 16 Oct 2008

people do...but we have yet to sell alot. we have sold some thru our online store and privately. not too much yet though.

David Vanderpool 16 Oct 2008

I agree with Denny and others. Artists usually dont buy from other artist but there are a few exceptions.

I recently discovered www.redbubble.com and in the first week I sold one print. They offer a large selection of services and not just a print.

My experience with this site is that its great to network with other artists but as for selling.... you need to get the word out. Post a link on your website and blogs or n

http://paper2pencil.redbubble.com/ http://stores.lulu.com/paper2pencil

David

steven mccorkle 23 Oct 2008

It's been interesting to read all the comments generated since I started this discussion back in September. I've followed some of the advice and joined Imagekind and Redbubble and numerous web networking sites. I have put my art out there and then some. I have sold a t-shirt and a coupla mugs. I've received tons of wonderful comments for my work and not one negative comment, tho I asked for complete honesty! So , I have come to some conclusions. 1. Artists rarely buy other artists work and that is understandable. 2. I cannot know how often or in what numbers my art is being seen by those who do buy art. 3. So I am left with the brutal realization that my art is not interesting or pleasing enough to the public that anyone would buy it. Which means that it is of no value to anyone but myself. It is a sobering conclusion but if it ain't working, it just plain ain't working! So I will cancel my account when my year is up and try another creative direction. I do appreciate all the input!!!!!!

Shelley Walden 24 Oct 2008

I guess it is time for me to put my two cents in. I joined Art Wanted a little over a year ago and I have had two sales. Although with the current economy, I am sure art sales are going to suffer as well as everything else. I know the holidays and the beginning of the year are big for selling art but it might be different now. So there is hope but I think it takes a huge amount of tenacity. I found that linking my sites together in different ways helps as well. Well it was great reading everyone's comments, whether I happen to agree or not. I believe we all create because we simply have to, if we make sales that is just an added bonus.

Charles Jones 25 Oct 2008

Hi, So far I haven't tried to sell anything here on Art Wanted. So far I just don't have the time to put into it really. I did sell something from here just by accident. A lady who is a teacher e-mailed me to use one of my studies in some educational material. That is mainly what I have been focusing on to spread my rep on the net. You can google "Bambootiger", which is my artist name, to see what I am talking about. I remember reading the comment by one artist that he can sell more of his work in one evening in a bar than what he can in a year on the internet. There is something about seeing a work in person and meeting and talking to the artist that just isn't the same on the net. Grom my ststs here this is what most people like to look at:

Astha Tuladhar 25 Oct 2008

This is a question. How do you advertise yourself as artist?

K Jacobs 30 Oct 2008

Ummmm....

03 Nov 2008

Charles Griffith 23 Nov 2008

Hi Steve! There is a market for every type of art; you just have to find it! I have had a presence on the Internet for 7 years now, with my own website and about two dozen galleries, and I have yet to sell an original online! I have sold numerous works locally, did a few commisssions, and have sold a few prints on the Internet. I have found the Web to be a superb medium for exposure, but not for sales.

There are a lot of suggestions I could make to help you make sales, but I'll stick to some general things. Concentrate on selling work in your town or city; see if a local newspaper can do a story on you; get some business cards printed; try to get local shops, cafes and small galleries to display your work. Of course, you could consider doing work as an illustrator or graphic designer!

Online, you could sell prints of your works--not much money, but it does get your work out there. Consider getting your own website if you don't already have one (this can make you look like the serious artist that you are!).

Keep in mind that artists are always going to have a hard time selling fine art in a society that worships mass produced crap. So hold on to your day job, okay?

Keep up the good work!

steven mccorkle 29 Nov 2008

Charles, I agree with you 100%. I think I will sell more art locally that I will online. I sold at a street fair a few years back and did very well. Since I started selling art online (started in September) I made a grand total of $9.50. Believe me I have promoted my art to a zillion (slight exageration) people online and zip, zilch, nothing. I get really great comments on my work but no one puts their money where their mouth is. I really don't care that much anymore but I will definitely do the local scene as you suggest. Thanks!

mandy thomas 06 Jan 2009

i agree on the comments that you have to market yourself widely and often. its time consuming but pays off.this is a site that artists publicly display from, hence most people on here are the actual artists. just direct the buyers to the site, promote, give out what you can. good luck everyone x and happy new year