The Artist’s Money Map: Every Realistic Way to Earn With Your Art

The Artist’s Money Map: Every Realistic Way to Earn With Your Art

If you’ve ever thought “I know I can make money with my art… I just need more than one way,” this is your comprehensive menu. Mix a few active income streams (paid now) with a few leveraged ones (paid later / repeatedly) and you’ll have a much steadier business.

1) Sell originals (direct)

What it is: One-of-one work sold from your website, DMs, studio, or email list.
Why it works: Highest perceived value + strongest collector relationships.
Tip: Make buying easy: clear sizes, pricing, shipping/pickup policy, and a simple checkout (Shopify is one common route).

2) Commissions (custom work)

What it is: Pet portraits, house portraits, family pieces, venue murals, custom watercolor maps—anything made-to-order. This is where I started. 
How to scale it: Waitlists, deposits, limited “commission drops,” and clear terms (revision limits, timeline, usage rights).

3) Sell prints (you fulfill or a lab fulfills)

What it is: Open-edition or limited-edition prints from scanned originals.
Where it fits: Great “mid-ticket” offer between originals and small items.
Related: Many online selling guides include prints as a core model.

4) Print-on-demand products (POD)

What it is: Your art on merch/home goods without holding inventory.
Examples: Printful-style POD that connects to your shop and fulfills orders for you. I personally use Gooten to do this on my site. I've been using them for years and very happy with their quality. It's great for more budget friendly customers.
Also: Marketplaces like Redbubble emphasize uploading designs and getting paid on product sales.

5) Sell on art marketplaces (originals + prints)

If you want built-in audiences (with trade-offs like fees/competition), look at:

  • Saatchi Art (artist profile + selling)

  • Artfinder (apply to sell; focuses on original handmade art)

  • Fine Art America (sell prints/products; set markup; also mentions licensing options) I personally can't stand Fine Art America. Their customer service is extremely lacking and once your art is on there you can't get it off. (I learned this the hard way)

6) Sell on handmade marketplaces (like Etsy)

What it is: Original art, prints, and certain handmade items—great for search-driven buyers.
Starting point: Etsy’s own seller guidance on selling fine art. 

I have a lot of experience with Etsy and not a fan of the direction they've headed in. I even wrote a blog on it here

7) Digital products (high margin, repeatable)

What it is: Downloadable items you make once and sell forever:

  • Procreate brushes, Photoshop textures, watercolor scan packs

  • Clipart, patterns, greeting card templates

  • Printable wall art, coloring pages, planner inserts
    Where to sell: Gumroad is a common option for selling digital products.

8) Design assets marketplaces (for illustrators/designers)

If your work translates into commercial-use assets (patterns, textures, fonts, graphics). You can even get an art agent in this specifically which can be a great income stream. It's one I've personally looked into but my style isn't commercial friendly.:

  • Creative Market (open a shop; reach design buyers)

9) ArtStation / digital goods (especially for concept/character artists)

If you create digital packs, brushes, 3D resources, tutorials, etc.:

  • ArtStation Marketplace (they advertise up to 95% earnings on marketplace sales)

  • ArtStation prints / “sell goods” for physical products fulfilled through them

10) Memberships & subscriptions (recurring revenue)

What it is: Monthly support in exchange for behind-the-scenes, tutorials, downloadable goodies, early access, etc.

  • Patreon: paid memberships + other creator earning tools

  • Ko-fi: tips, memberships, commissions, and a shop

  • Substack (if you write/teach through email): paid subscriptions guidance

  • Teachable (The one I use) I love that they're cheaper per month and you can sell one off classes, series, etc. It's very user friendly as well. You can get a $25 credit if you use my affiliate link by clicking here

11) Tips / “buy me a coffee” support

What it is: Low-pressure contributions from fans.
Ko-fi specifically positions this as a core use.

12) Content monetization (YouTube, livestreaming)

If you teach, vlog, paint live, or share process videos:

  • YouTube Partner Program (eligibility and monetization overview) Of course don't forget to subscribe to my channel! Tina Williams Art on YouTube

  • Twitch (Partners can earn via subscriptions; Bits have defined revenue mechanics in Twitch help docs)

13) Crowdfunding launches (big projects, finite runs)

What it is: Fund a book, deck, print collection, product line, or exhibit upfront.
Kickstarter describes its all-or-nothing funding model and basic mechanics in their handbook.

14) Art licensing (royalties, flat fees, or both)

What it is: You grant permission for a company to use your art on products/packaging in exchange for payment.
Great for: fabric, stationery, puzzles, calendars, home decor, book covers.
A clear definition + the licensor/licensee structure is explained well in artist education resources.

15) Stock licensing (photos, illustrations, vectors)

What it is: Upload licensable images/illustrations for commercial use; you earn royalties per download.

  • Adobe Stock contributor site includes royalty info (e.g., their stated royalty percentage for images).

  • Shutterstock has a contributor portal to “start earning” from uploads.

16) Teaching (in-person + online)

What it is: Workshops, retreats, private lessons, corporate paint nights, community ed, guest teaching.
This is often one of the most reliable “cash-flow” arms for artists because you’re paid for time + expertise. At this time about 50% of my income comes from teaching, 40% from commissioned work, and 10% from online income (like YouTube, etc). Eventually I'd like it to be 30/20/50

17) Brand collaborations & commissions-for-business

What it is: Paid projects for local businesses, product labels, murals, custom venue art, packaging, book/album cover art.
Tip: Always clarify usage rights (where/how long they can use the work).

18) Grants, calls, residencies, public art opportunities

What it is: Funding or paid opportunities via organizations, arts councils, and institutions.
In the U.S., the NEA’s “Grants for Arts Projects” is one example of a major funding lane (note: these are commonly for organizations/projects, not always direct-to-individual funding).

A simple “starter stack” (works for most artists)

If you want a sane plan that doesn’t require doing 27 things at once:

  1. One high-value offer: originals or commissions

  2. One repeatable offer: prints or a small POD line

  3. One community offer: memberships (Patreon/Ko-fi) or a paid newsletter (Substack)

  4. One discovery channel: YouTube or Etsy/marketplace SEO

  5. One long-game lane: licensing or stock (optional, but powerful)


    A lot of my own income growth came from filling a need. Someone asking me, "hey, can you do this?" And my answer was, "Not sure, but I can try!". It's been a very organically grown business and I've definitely gone with the flow of things. 
    Every once in a while I try to shift that flowing a river a bit. Like right now I find I'm burning the candle from both ends because I'm doing commissioned work during the day and teaching at night. Leaving very little room for my own personal life. 

    I find that if you adapt an attitude that your business will require change and some buoyancy then you've already won half the battle. 

    Let me know which one resonates with you the most? What would the ideal full-time artist life be for you?

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