5 Tips for making prints of your art
“Kundalini Yoniflower,” limited edition gold-leaf print
5 Tips for making prints of your art
Are you taking advantage of the times you live in?
Picasso and Dali (and many other greats), all offered prints. In their day, the only way to create art prints was in actual fine art printing studios with real printing presses.
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Nowadays it’s SO MUCH easier. You bet- they would have loved it!
Prints allow you to make unlimited income from a single piece of art. They are one of the best ways for artists to start earning more from their craft.
With a print shop, you can sell your work at affordable prices while protecting the value of your originals. Many collectors will buy lower-priced prints before eventually purchasing high-ticket originals. Best of all, making prints is somewhat passive income, so you can be earning money while you are on vacation or resting.
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Let’s get into it.
1. Get high-quality documentation!
Your print will only be as beautiful as the digital file it’s made from. Unless you have photography skills- hire a professional to document your work.
2. Use a print-on-demand service so that you don’t need to invest money up-front.
Print-on-demand companies, such as Printful and Printify, will take a digital file of your image, turn it into a physical print, and ship it to your customer. This is all done remotely- you only need to upload your digital file to their program. The benefits of print-on-demand companies are that they handle all shipping and packaging, and you only pay when you make a sale. You don’t need any inventory or investment
3. Do your research.
When starting out with a new print-on-demand company, invest in some test prints so that you can check the quality, packaging, and shipping before you start selling them to the public. Make a list of the profit margins, shipping times, quality, and packaging options for each company.
4. Experiment with printing your work in different dimensions and surfaces.
Some pieces look better printed on canvas and others are better on paper. Many customers prefer standard-sized prints because they're easily paired with ready-made frames.
5. Include complimentary add-ons to your print orders, such as free stickers or thank you cards.
This humanizes your business and reminds customers that they are supporting a real artist. Personalized touches will encourage repeat customers.
If you are trying to get by just by selling your originals alone, then you are missing out on so much potential.
When I am working towards a solo show, I’ll go years without selling my originals. Instead, I’ll make prints and merchandise of the images and supplement my income with that while I’m building my portfolio.
For more ideas of ways to make money as an artist, download my free guide:
“Income Streams for Artists” (below)
You’ll learn 10 great ways to earn money from your passion, including passive income streams. This is not just a basic list- I go deep into each income stream and explain exactly how to get started.
Good luck!
