Maybe a stupid question, where to sell my art?

[Lizzy]

Hi!
I am new to this forum and I dont know where to post a question regarding my hobby. I like to paint in watercolor and I wonder what is the best way to sell my original watercolor art not prints. I was thinking about Etsy but I am not sure to create a webshop. Ebay is something to consider? The most challenge is how to get trafic.Anyone who offer their services regarding this?

Thanks for your reply!
Liz

 

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[Strategery]

Paging @broswoodwork

 

[pmaloneus]

I would think Etsy is probably a better route than ebay. Don't be intimated by Etsy, just try to get one posting up.

Created my shop not too long ago, wasn't that hard. Welcome and best of luck!

 

[broswoodwork]

Etsy is easy to get rolling with. $.20/ listing.

Do an etsy forum search on tags, title, description best practices to get found.

Art can be tricky. Your work has to jump out when they're searching for something specific (mountains, ocean, etc).

Pre-edit: I got a notification from @Strategery on this thread as i was typing.

 

[Lizzy]

I would think Etsy is probably a better route than ebay. Don't be intimated by Etsy, just try to get one posting up.

Created my shop not too long ago, wasn't that hard. Welcome and best of luck!

Thanks for replying me ! What kind of stuff are you selling on Etsy? What about FB marketplace?

 

[MπR]

I also think etsy is better than eBay since there is already the right clientele looking.

Another way is to go out to the offline world.
For example:
Cafés, bookshops, bars, flowershops or similar places.
Places you think potential buyers could frequent. The places have fresh artwork and you potential buyers.

This can also bring in the benefit of support your local artist .

 

[tylerwilkinson]

My wife does pencil portraiture, particularly dogs, on the side. She gets some good interest from social media (Instagram and Facebook), especially when encouraging people to share the work she’s done for them.
Another source of work is actually a brand manager at her company. He has some of her portraits of his dogs on display in his (field?) office, and gathers a fair amount of leads, most that turn into work. Is there anything you’re already doing or a resource you already have that could be better exploited?

 

[MπR]

She gets some good interest from social media (Instagram and Facebook), especially when encouraging people to share the work she’s done for them.

Never underestimate word of mouth. Online as well as offline. Its a great driver of customers.

Sometimes a share by the right person on Instgram or facebook can bring a ton of traffic / business.

 

[foodiepersecond]

Depends on what you are selling and how many SKU's you have. I have a Facebook market page called Lienka Frames where I sell custom floral art encased in a frame. Facebook is a breeze to set up but you would need an EIN and a few business items to set up. I haven't done Etsy, but Etsy is usual THE artist site to sell things.
Etsy is tough for me because every item I have is uniquely made, so my inventory is always 1 of everything. I can't fathom paying the 0.20 per item when I have hundreds. You may be in the same boat if you plan on doing a unique water color every time.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

An unusual place, but might be better suited for impulse buyers who are local... OfferUp, the mobile app. And it's FREE.

 

[broswoodwork]

Depends on what you are selling and how many SKU's you have. I have a Facebook market page called Lienka Frames where I sell custom floral art encased in a frame. Facebook is a breeze to set up but you would need an EIN and a few business items to set up. I haven't done Etsy, but Etsy is usual THE artist site to sell things.
Etsy is tough for me because every item I have is uniquely made, so my inventory is always 1 of everything. I can't fathom paying the 0.20 per item when I have hundreds. You may be in the same boat if you plan on doing a unique water color every time.

If they're somewhat similar in build, but with minor differences, you can use variations to get by with fewer listings. I theoretically sell 180 things, but i only have 6 listings.

 

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[foodiepersecond]

If they're somewhat similar in build, but with minor differences, you can use variations to get by with fewer listings. I theoretically sell 180 things, but i only have 6 listings.

Very good to know. Also share that Etsy link, I am curious as to what you sell

 

[broswoodwork]

Very good to know. Also share that Etsy link, I am curious as to what you sell

Haha. I'm a little too shy for a link. Here's a pic of a table I'm finishing up.

 

[becks22]

Etsy and you can always build up locally to start. Craft fairs are still a thing and you can still make money off of them if you get into a good fair. Stay away from ones that are not 100% homemade stuff and aren't juried if you can help it. Too many MLMs at craft fairs near me.

 

[minivanman]

Haha. I'm a little too shy for a link. Here's a pic of a table I'm finishing up.
View attachment 28097

Beautiful work! My very good friend did great work like this until he lost his foot.... but he is on a come back. Even with 1 foot, he is looking to buy a shop to start working out of again.

 

[Greg R]

@AgainstAllOdds

 

[broswoodwork]

Beautiful work! My very good friend did great work like this until he lost his foot.... but he is on a come back. Even with 1 foot, he is looking to buy a shop to start working out of again.

Thank you. I actually enjoy when I'm doing it. Whole days just slip by. Plus, I love it when the lady customers do that little excited jump up and down clap dance thing when we bring the pieces in. They even hug me sometimes, which is weird.

I've actually thought to myself, "how could I keep doing this if I was in a wheelchair?" so I definitely get where your friend is coming from.

 

[Ing]

Haha. I'm a little too shy for a link. Here's a pic of a table I'm finishing up.
View attachment 28097

Thats very nice. But with this technic i d be afraid, when it gets older, the gaps get wider, when the wood works. No problems?

 

[Creed]

Depending on where you're located, Catawiki might be an option worth considering.

 

[broswoodwork]

Thats very nice. But with this technic i d be afraid, when it gets older, the gaps get wider, when the wood works. No problems?

Thank god I'm not shy about sharing my work with an international audience of ruthless entrepreneurial pirates or anything...

Nah, they hold up good. Well sealed, kiln dried wood, designed with a bit of expansion/ contraction in mind, and recommended for climate and temperature controlled environment. All that stuff. Plus I've built and delivered new stuff for customers that've had them in their homes for 3-4 years, and they're holding up good.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Haha. I'm a little too shy for a link. Here's a pic of a table I'm finishing up.
View attachment 28097

OMG look at all that glorious wood in a glorious workshop!!

 

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[Bertram]

Thats very nice. But with this technic i d be afraid, when it gets older, the gaps get wider, when the wood works. No problems?

Are you very technically skilled at old-style custom woodworking @Ing? What do you think of the Reclaimed Wood Movement?

Wow, this is distinguished, quality work, @broswoodwork.
The planing streaks and imperfections of age on complex patterns very naturally inspired a great brand for you.
Blow it up!
A century from now these pieces will ID your design aesthetics like an Eastlake or Greene & Greene or Windsor.

Of course it won't come apart at the seams, @Ing!

 

[Ing]

Thank god I'm not shy about sharing my work with an international audience of ruthless entrepreneurial pirates or anything...

Nah, they hold up good. Well sealed, kiln dried wood, designed with a bit of expansion/ contraction in mind, and recommended for climate and temperature controlled environment. All that stuff. Plus I've built and delivered new stuff for customers that've had them in their homes for 3-4 years, and they're holding up good.

Ok, fine. I married into a family of carpenters and have an eye on many works.
so when you see furniture in maybe Greece with many cold and warm and dry and moist changes,I often see changes in the structure of them After some years.

first sentence: you don’t have to be afraid! Not many men can do that work! Coppiing nearly impossible Its very good!

post scriptum: oh, i have an idea...

 

[Suzanne Bazemore]

Another way to gain exposure might be if you join a local art league, if you have them where you live. Sometimes they have art sales from their members, and you could generate local interest, and refer to your website or etsy shop by handing out business cards.

 

[broswoodwork]

Ok, fine. I married into a family of carpenters and have an eye on many works.
so when you see furniture in maybe Greece with many cold and warm and dry and moist changes,I often see changes in the structure of them After some years.

first sentence: you don’t have to be afraid! Not many men can do that work! Coppiing nearly impossible Its very good!

post scriptum: oh, i have an idea...

Haha. I meant "pirate" in more of the adventurous, living a different sort of life, and quick to make you walk the plank if you suck sense; not in a thievery sense.

Anyone with a home depot nearby could start doing what I do by close of business today, if they don't mind violating time and scale (which I've been doing too long honestly). I'd even help them as best as I could... preferably if they weren't in the northeast market of course.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

Haha. I meant "pirate" in more of the adventurous, living a different sort of life, and quick to make you walk the plank if you suck sense; not in a thievery sense.

Anyone with a home depot nearby could start doing what I do by close of business today, if they don't mind violating time and scale (which I've been doing too long honestly). I'd even help them as best as I could... preferably if they weren't in the northeast market of course.

Unless they live in an apartment and can only sand during the weekends while their kids wear earplugs.. not that I know from experience or anything.. lol.

Still haven’t made my end tables.. dammit. Lol.

Table looks cool dude. Nice work.

@RazorCut you see his table? He needs guy woodworking person encouragement, lol, so I tagged you.

ETA: how many freaking lols is that?!? Wtf..

 

[SamRussell]

Could you start making videos of you painting your art? Time lapse style videos? You’re already painting, so the videos would be easy to make and you can start putting them up Facebook / YouTube.

 

[RazorCut]

@RazorCut you see his table? He needs guy woodworking person encouragement, lol, so I tagged you.

Thanks @Primeperiwinkle We do keep in touch via DM what with us being Wood Brothers an all.

 

[hisamats]

@Lizzy, thanks for asking about this, can relate and interested in similar things.

I once bought an original lithography by a famous (dead) artist. When I opened the package, I remember how disappointed I was initially as it literally was just this piece of paper, old, with partly torn edges. After I framed it properly, it could unfold its magic.

Once heard that people tend to perceive canvases with "deeper" frames (distance to wall) as more valuable. Maybe because they feel more like an object. I think frames and passepartouts etc. might be an interesting variable to consider with regards to how your art is being delivered.

At Etsy I recently saw some astonishing numbers for some artwork being sold. Looked like serial production, but some were prized pretty highly and had a lot of reviews by previous buyers. not sure that is what you are after though (serial production).