Who Says You Can’t Earn from Home with Your Art: HOW ARTISTS GET PAID ONLINE

Welcome (back) to Part 2 of Who Says You Can’t Earn from Home with Your Art. In the first installment of our series, we’ve talked about how writers can earn money online without even leaving their homes. And for today’s post, we’re going to talk about the many ways a visual artist can earn money online with their work. But first things first…

What kind of art are we talking about here exactly?
As art can take a vast multitude of forms, for the purpose of this article we’re limiting our definition to the following occupations:

• Digital
• Paper-based (e.g. postcards, stickers, sketches, paper cutting, etc.)
• Handicrafts (e.g. clothes, jewelry and accessories, toys, sculpture, pottery, etc.)

Now that we’re clear on that, let’s move on with the most important stuff, which is how you can finally prove your naysayers wrong and show them that ART does pay.

Virtual marketplaces (Etsy, Society6, Facebook Marketplace, Zazzle, eBay, OLX, Shopee)
Gone are the days when you had to be featured in an art exhibit or gallery to get your name out or pay for a stall or booth in local bazaars and events so you can sell your stuff. Nowadays, all you need is an email address, a PayPal account, photos of your work, and you’re all set to earn online.

And as for what to sell on these sites, it’s all up to you.

Etsy, for instance, gives you the option of selling digital downloads of your art while websites like Society 6 only ask that you upload your artwork to their system, and they’ll take care of the rest. They can have your art printed on mugs, shirts, phone cases, blankets – almost everything, really, and yes, they’ll take care of shipping as well.

With virtual marketplaces, just remember to read their T&Cs and FAQs as they generally vary site to site.

Subscription-based crowdfunding (Patreon, Podia, Kickstarter Drip)
I’m sure you’ve already heard about crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, Go Fund Me, and Indie Go Go. While those can certainly serve an additional source of income for home-based artists, you have to understand that these sites are also project-based. You’ll need to explain to would-be supporters what you need financial assistance for, and – depending on which site you’re using – it’s not always guaranteed that sites like Kickstarter will find your campaign goal worthy of hosting on their sites.

Moreover, project-based crowdfunding sites typically require you to have a target end date for your funding campaign and – in some cases – you’ll need to meet your target goal or end up with nothing at all. Basically, this means if you want to raise $100 by January 31, and the amount that people have already pledged to pay is $99.5 at the end of your campaign – they won’t be charged, and you won’t be paid. It’s as painfully simple as that.

Thankfully, artists now have a better alternative with subscription-based crowdfunding sites like Patreon and Podia. Through these sites, fans of your work can pledge a monthly sum just to show you how much they love you. I’ve seen this very thing offered by various artists, actually – for $1 / month, fans will know in their heart of hearts that they’ve given their favorite artist a reason to smile. And that’s it! No other reward required!

P.S. We’re thinking of writing a more in-depth article on how websites like Patreon work. If you’re interested in reading something like it, do let us know! ☺

Virtual tipping
This is also crowdfunding in a sense, but one that’s more suited for your casual fans. All you have to do is sign up for an account with the likes of PayPal, Ko-Fi, and Buy Me A Coffee, paste their links in your social media accounts, and that’s it.

Live streaming and filming 
With websites like Twitch, you can film your work process live and earn from it at the same time. Once you’ve accumulated enough views and subscribers, Twitch will let you monetize your channel, and you’ll be paid advertising revenue. This is how you can earn from YouTube as well; the only difference is that while Twitch viewers tend to expect or prefer livestream content, YouTube viewers tend to prefer a more professionally edited product.

Another livestreaming site that you can earn money from is Picarto. But rather than paying you a share of advertising revenue, this site asks viewers to subscribe to your channel for a monthly fee (a major portion of which will, of course, be transferred to your PayPal account). So basically, this site is just like Patreon, but with more focus on video and livestreaming content.

P.S. Twitch also offers a monthly subscription program to creators, but they have pretty stringent requirements for it. As of time of writing, the website has a pool of more than two million active broadcasters – but only 17,000+ of them have successfully acquired the title of “Twitch Partner”.

Online workshops, courses, and tutorials
Show them how it’s done through websites like Skillshare, from which you’ll be paid a royalty rate based on the number of watched minutes you “earn” per month. Sites like Udemy, on the other hand, pay you by revenue share (e.g. 97% of the course fee goes straight to your account if the student uses an instructor coupon at time of purchase; otherwise revenue is split 50/50 between Udemy and instructors).

And that’s it for Part 2 of our Who Says You Can’t Earn from Home with Your Art. Next up: how photographers can earn from their work. Please watch out for that, too!