10 Ways for Artists to Make Passive Income

While many people think of selling original artwork and taking commissions as the only ways to make money as an artist, there are actually many different ways to make passive income from your art. This can include selling products with your artwork on them, teaching classes, or even blogging. In this post, I’m sharing 10 different ways that artists can make passive income, many of which I’ve tried myself!

ways for artists to make passive income online

* Please note, some links in this blog post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support and it helps me create more great content for you to enjoy!

Here are just a few of the many ways that artists can make passive income:

1. Print on Demand

Leverage Print on Demand services like Zazzle, Redbubble, and Threadless to showcase your art on merchandise like t-shirts, phone cases and more. Mitigate logistical concerns as these platforms handle all of the printing, shipping, and inventory management, allowing artists to concentrate on their craft – making art!

2. Blogging

Blogging serves as an effective platform for artists to establish their niche, showcase their artwork, and connect with their audience by delivering engaging content. Optimize the blog for search engines, promote it through social media channels, and monetize through advertisements, affiliate marketing, or product sales. A strategically managed blog can transform into a consistent revenue source.

3. Affiliate Marketing

Related to blogging, incorporating affiliate marketing into your online presence can increase your earning potential by promoting products you already use and love. Promote art-related products or tools and earn commissions for every sale made through your affiliate links. This requires minimal effort once set up.

4. Online Courses

Capitalize on your expertise by developing an online course. Select a subject of personal passion, structure it into comprehensible segments, and ensure an engaging presentation. You can use Youtube to get started and then branch out into platforms like Skillshare and Udemy to monetize your courses. You can also consider selling them through your own website or blog if you already have a dedicated following.

5. Books and E-Books

Design and sell printed books and e-books related to your area of expertise. Platforms such as Amazon KDP and Gumroad enable independent distribution. Crafting a series enhances visibility and ensures a sustained source of passive income. You can create things like colouring books, step-by-step “how to draw” or paint series, and more.

6. Digital Art Downloads

Monetize your digital artwork by selling instant digital downloads of art prints, patterns, illustrations, SVGs, and other types of digital art files. Platforms like Creative Fabrica and Gumroad allow artists to showcase and sell their digital creations without the need for physical production or shipping. You can also sell these through your own website.

7. Art Subscription Services

Launch a subscription service where subscribers receive exclusive digital art content regularly. Platforms like Patreon or specialized subscription services enable artists to generate recurring revenue.

8. Patreon

Establishing a Patreon account allows artists to convert loyal supporters into patrons. Offering exclusive content, ranging from behind-the-scenes material to early access, creates an incentive for patrons to contribute. Regular updates and occasional perks maintain patron engagement, ensuring a reliable income source.

photo of a woman researching Ways for Artists to Make Passive Income

9. Art Licensing

Explore licensing agreements with companies that want to use your art on various products. Earn royalties without the need for hands-on involvement in the production or distribution process. This requires some upfront research, and pitching your portfolio to companies and art directors, but if you can get a deal art licensing can be extremely lucrative.

10. Virtual Art Exhibitions

Organize virtual art exhibitions or galleries, either by yourself or with a group of other artists. Charge entrance fees or partner with sponsors to monetize the events without the need for physical set-up or maintenance.

There are an endless number of ways for artists to make passive income, and these are just a few ideas to get you started. The best way to find the right method for you is to experiment and find what works best for you and your art. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process!

Cheers,

The Top 5 Ways for Artists to Make Money Online in 2024

~ Julie ~ 3 Comments

Happy New Year friends! In this post I discuss the top 5 ways for artists to make money online in 2024 and beyond.

Of course, there are many different ways to make money online as an artist or creative professional. This is based on my own research and business earnings. I’ve been selling my own art online for over 8 years, and am now sharing my knowledge and experience with you!

I hope you will find this information helpful, and give you some ideas and inspiration for your own art business.

Watch the video below:

In this video I break down my art business earnings in 2022 to provide some insight into the best ways for artists to make money online in 2024 and beyond.

The top 5 ways artists can make money online in 2024 are:

Print on Demand
Digital goods and products
Education
Affiliate marketing
Consulting and client projects

I go into a lot more depth on each point and show concrete examples in the video so make sure to watch until the end! Also consider subscribing to my Youtube channel as I don’t share every single video here on my blog.

Looking for even more inspiration on how to make money as an artist? Check out my post 101 Ways for Artists to Make Money – The Ultimate List

Let me know in the comments below what were your top income streams in 2022? I’d love to know more and keep the conversation going since the online space is constantly changing and different for everyone.

You might also be interested in these posts:

Wising you all the best and tons of success in 2024!

Cheers,

How to Digitize your Art for Print on Demand

~ Julie ~ 1 Comment

Do you want to learn how to digitize your art for Print on Demand websites?

You’ve come to the right place, because I’ve been selling my art online for over 7 years. During that time I figured out how to produce the highest quality work for my stores. I have sold thousands of products featuring my artwork through my Print on demand stores, from hand drawn line art to watercolor paintings.

For example: I created a t-shirt from my drawing of a ladybug from the Mandalatober challenge (an art challenge I participated in on Instagram.)

This technique will work on your hand drawn line art, doodles and illustrations, or even paintings, as long as they are small enough to fit in your scanner bed.

In this tutorial I will take you through the following steps:

Scanning your art into Photoshop.
Doing some preliminary clean up of the artwork in Photoshop.
Cleaning up the artwork and smoothing out lines in Illustrator, using the Image Trace tool.
More Photoshop tricks for prepping the artwork to upload to the Print on Demand sites.
Required file types you need for the Print on Demand sites.
Several tips and tricks along the way.

I created this video to take you through the process of digitizing my own hand drawn artwork, using a combination of Photoshop and Illustrator. I figured this would be the easiest way to demonstrate this process, rather than trying to describe it to you.

This tutorial is only a small part of my comprehensive class on how to sell your art online – From Design to Product: Sell Your Art Online with Print on Demand websites.

You can watch the whole class for free when you sign up for a 1 month trial of Skillshare membership!

I hope you’ve found this tutorial useful, and learned how to digitize your art for Print on demand websites properly! If you want to learn more about how to sell your art through Print on Demand websites, check out these posts:

If you’re looking for ways to create purely digital art for use on Print on Demand websites, you may enjoy this class on how to Create Your Own Sublimation Designs.

Cheers,

From Design to Product: Sell Your Art Online Through Print on Demand – My First Skillshare Class!

~ Julie ~ 1 Comment

From design to product: sell your art online through print on demand websites Skillshare class

I’m so excited to share my first Skillshare class: From Design to Product: Sell Your Art Online Through Print on Demand.

This class has been a labour of love and I couldn’t have done it without the help of Skillshare.

As part of their (free) “Teach Lab” program, they basically guided me through the entire process of creating and filming the class, and even edited it for me!

Check out the intro video below:

The class encompasses all I’ve learned from the past 7 years of selling my art online, and contains much of the information I have shared here on my blog over the years in a nicely condensed video format.

Are you an artist who wants to make money by selling your art on real life products through print on demand websites like Redbubble and Society6? Then this class is for you!

Join me as I teach you how to sell your art online through print on demand (POD) websites!

Whether your designs are digital or traditional, you will learn the basics of making an income from your art using POD websites.

During the class I take you step by step through the process of opening up your first print on demand store so you can start making passive income from your art!

from design to product: sell your art online with print on demand

In this class, I will guide you through the following steps:

Digitizing your artwork
Setting up a print on demand store
Uploading your first design on products
Marketing your products
Business tips
Bonus *PRO* tips from an established print on demand artist!

This class is great for beginners, or already established artists who are looking to earn passive income online.

You can watch my class, From Design to Product: Sell Your Art Online Through Print on Demand FOR FREE with a 1 month trial of Skillshare using my link: https://skl.sh/2Z2AjXM

Then when you’re done, you can watch any of the other classes they have available!

Feel free to leave a review so I can improve my future Skillshare classes. I’m already working on my next one as we speak!

Cheers,

Zazzle Design Tool Tips and Tricks

~ Julie ~ Leave a comment

Do you struggle with the Zazzle design tool or just want to know how to get started creating products on Zazzle? Many people do, so I created this video to help!

If I’m going too quickly for you, feel free to pause or even decrease the video speed so you can absorb all of the information because there is a lot.

In this video I demonstrate:

How to navigate to the proper Create section to make items for sale
Adding your own images to products.
Use of transparent (.png) images to speed up creation.
Using filters.
Using layers to maximize creation.
Creating a customize-able template with text.
Copy and Paste function to speed up creation.
Using guidelines.
Changing the font of the text.
Creating patterns and a weird glitch to be aware of (with workaround).
Using the new masking tool.

I hope you will find this information helpful and feel more confident with using the Zazzle design tool now. If you have any other questions about how the design tool works feel free to leave a comment below so I can address it here or in a future video.

Looking for more Zazzle tips? Check out my Youtube playlist with all of my Zazzle videos:

Julie Erin Designs Now Selling on Spoonflower!

~ Julie ~ 6 Comments

I’m excited to share that Julie Erin Designs is now selling on Spoonflower!

Spoonflower is a print on demand retailer, similar to Redbubble or Society6, which specializes in fabric with seamless pattern designs. But I was happy to learn they also sell other products like wallpaper and home décor!

I’ve spent the last few months uploading over 100 of my seamless pattern designs to Spoonflower. Then I had to purchase and wait for samples of them which is required to sell in their marketplace.

I’ve been hesitant about opening a shop on Spoonflower because of this barrier to entry.

However, I do have several pattern designs which sell well on other websites, so I figured it was time to take the plunge. There also may be less competition due to the sample requirement.

The cheapest way I found to get samples is to order a “cheater quilt” which includes up to 42 samples stitched together in a 1 yard sized “quilt”. The cost for one of these quilts is $18.50 USD.

I waited for a Free Shipping promotion so didn’t have to pay for shipping to Canada which can be pricey. The cost came out to about 0.44 cents (USD) per design, which I think is worth it considering the potential earnings.

The print on demand products offered by Spoonflower look really nice. And then there is the endless possibility of things that can be created with fabric.

A nice perk of Spoonflower are their design challenges which are based on current trends in the industry. Entering these challenges can help increase exposure on both on their website and Instagram.

You can enter designs which haven’t been made “for sale” yet and if you make into the top 50 (voted on by the Spoonflower community) it will be listed for sale for free, without having to purchase a sample.

However, there are a lot of talented artists on there so competition is stiff!

Overall I’m excited to start selling my work on Spoonflower and hope it proves fruitful as another income stream for my art.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing a few of my designs available on Spoonflower. If you have an account on there, let’s follow each other!

If you want to see a list of other websites I sell my art on, along with more resources about selling your art online then check out the Artist Resources section of my website.

Cheers,

Selling your art on POD websites – Zazzle vs Redbubble

~ Julie ~ 8 Comments

Today I will be comparing Zazzle vs Redbubble for selling art online. Zazzle and Redbubble are two popular Print on Demand marketplaces where artists can upload their designs for sale on a variety of products.

They may seem like pretty much the same thing, however there are actually some pretty major differences between these 2 platforms which you should know before opening a shop.

I have been selling my designs on both Redbubble and Zazzle for many years now. Read on for my overview and comparison to help you decide where to sell your artwork online.

Zazzle vs Redbubble

Audience

Zazzle’s audience is mostly women aged 25+, in the United States but also worldwide. They cater to people looking for unique gifts, brides-to-be, and customize-able paper products like invitations, greeting cards, and business cards. They also have a wide range of unique items from home décor and accessories to edible brownies!

Redbubble’s audience is younger than Zazzle and more hip, with humorous t-shirt designs, trendy patterns and quotes being the norm. Stickers are extremely popular with teenagers and young adults. They also focus on selling unique gifts including apparel, accessories and home décor. Redbubble’s headquarters is actually in Australia but they have a worldwide presence.

betta fish sticker from redbubble — A sticker from Redbubble

Store Front

Zazzle vs Redbubble’s store fronts are quite different.

Redbubble’s storefront displays a randomly generated selection of products featuring your most popular designs, based on their algorithm. All you need to do is add your logo, header and bio to set it up. It’s much more beginner friendly than Zazzle’s.

However, your Zazzle store front is much more customize-able. The layout is left completely up to you. You’ll need to go into the store’s Settings tab under Advanced Settings to add the available sections to your home page including Categories, Featured Collections and Recently Created Products. I recommend taking this step to set it up properly.

flip flops on zazzle — You can put your art on flip flops on Zazzle!

Uploading Designs

Redbubble is much quicker to upload designs to, and you can upload to all of their products in one go. You can also add a custom background colour and create patterns in the tool. However, there is no option to add customize-able text like Zazzle has.

On Zazzle it is best to upload each product one by one. This does take an extremely long time but it’s quality over quantity here. You can start with just a small range of products so as not to get overwhelmed.

Zazzle’s design tool is more like a mini Photoshop where you can add layers, text, templates etc. and create customize-able products. I made this video with some tips about using Zazzle’s design tool which you may find helpful.

Products

I’ve ordered products from both Zazzle and Society6, and everything has been pretty good.

I slightly prefer Redbubble just due to the types of products I got, like apparel, but Zazzle has a much wider range of items available.

Here is a video I made reviewing a whole bunch of the products I’ve bought from Redbubble. I don’t have as many from Zazzle so I haven’t made a video on those yet but might show them in future. I’ve also shared photos of products I received on my Instagram.

Earnings

Royalty margins are higher on Redbubble, and I’ve personally made more money there.

However, I know others who do extremely well on Zazzle, especially making cards, invitations, stationary and designing for the wedding market.

Zazzle also has a new Promoter Program where you can get 35% for referral sales of your own products, and 15% on other people’s products. There is also the potential to get bulk orders if you designs things like wedding invitations and stationary, which is actually a huge market on Zazzle.

Zazzle pays you on the 15th of the month after you reach $50 in cleared earnings. Redbubble has a payment threshold of $20, also paid on or around the 15th of every month.

Summary of Zazzle vs Redbubble

In sum, Redbubble is a much easier and faster marketplace to upload your designs, especially for beginners or artists who create more graphic and/or pattern designs. However, Zazzle has a huge potential for customize-able products, greeting cards, invitations and stationary. So which one is best for you will depend on your art style and business goals.

I hope the above information has been helpful for you. If you’d like to receive more Print on Demand education, and keep up with my latest designs and projects, consider subscribing to my e-mail list!

13 Ways to Make Money from Your Art Online

13 ways to make money online from your art

~ Julie ~ 3 Comments

13 ways how to make money from your art online

Are you an artist who could use some extra income?

There are so many ways you can use your creative skills to build a side hustle to generate extra income. Or even just generate SOME income if you’re currently unemployed.

Over the last few years I’ve made over $40,000 in online income while working a full time job. While it’s not enough to quit my day job just yet, I’ve been able to pay for vacations, unexpected bills, and even part of a mortgage.

Yes, it will take time and you’re not going to be making thousands of dollars right away.

However, if you have the patience and drive to do the work and learn, you can be successful. In a few years time you could be generating a few hundred to thousands of extra dollars per month. And well, who is going to say no to that?

So what are you waiting for?

Below are just a few ideas of ways you can make some cash from your art skills online.

This is not a comprehensive list by any means, but just some ideas I’ve come across and some I’ve tried for myself. You will have to dive deeper into researching each of these ideas for yourself. I have linked to my other blog posts on these topics where possible.

13 Ways to Make Money from your Art Online

Sell your original artwork or hand made goods on Etsy.
Create downloadable art prints or worksheets to sell through Etsy or your own website.
Print on demand websites and marketplaces like Redbubble, Society6, Zazzle etc.
Print on demand through your own website (Shopify, Printful, etc.)
Books and book covers through Amazon KDP.
Youtube: Film videos of yourself creating, then once you get enough subscribers and watch hours (1000 subs and 4000 watch hours) you can start generating income from Youtube. You can also make money from affiliate links by linking to Amazon products you use for your art.
Blog with affiliate links: Create articles about the type of art you do, product reviews, tutorials etc. and then you can look for affiliate partnerships like the Amazon affiliate program where you can send people to buy the products you use and recommend.
Teaching: Either through Youtube or a website like Skillshare which charges a subscription fee. If you send people over there to sign up you can get paid.
Patreon: Your fans can subscribe to you by donating a monthly $ pledge, and then you give them exclusive content and interact with them.
Social media: Build up a following on Instagram or TikTok and sell your artwork to your fans straight through the platform.
Create for virtual marketplaces: This one is kind of out there, but if you’ve ever heard of Second Life or IMVU there are many opportunities to create 3D fashion designs or other products to sell within these virtual marketplaces for real cash.
Sell design elements for other creatives or businesses through Creative Market or Etsy.
Offer your design services on Fiverr or through your own website.

Bonus Tips:

Create things people want to buy (do a bit of research).
Use high resolution images as much as possible. (Don’t start with tiny blurry photos or small pixel sizes, it’s a waste of time).
Never stop learning and growing your skills.

That should be enough ideas to get those creative juices flowing. As a creative person you will probably come up with even more ideas to make money from your art. And always be keeping an eye out for more opportunities!

Which one of these ideas resonated with you the most? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers,

How to Sell Your Art on Books with Amazon KDP and Book Bolt

how to sell art on books amazon kdp book bolt

~ Julie ~ 1 Comment

Have you ever wanted to sell your art or photography on books?

Today I’m sharing how you can get started selling your art on “low content” books through Amazon KDP using an in browser app called Book Bolt.

What is Amazon KDP and what are low content books?

KDP, or Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon, is essentially a “print on demand” marketplace, similar to Redbubble but for books. Your book is printed and shipped only after someone has ordered it.

Now you can totally write a novel and sell it on KDP, but what I’m talking about today are “low content” books. Meaning things like journals, notebooks, planners, sketchbooks, even coloring books, with beautiful cover designs featuring your own artwork.

Watch my video below for a demonstration on how to create a book like this from scratch (cover and interior) for KDP using Book Bolt, or read below for more info on how to get started.

How to Sell Your Art on Books

Step One

Download any of these free interiors provided by Book Bolt, or you can design your own interior using Google Slides or Powerpoint.

You can access even more interiors with the pro version of Book Bolt. The pro version also includes research and design tools, a puzzle book creator, and is basically an all-in-one app to create books for KDP. You can get 20% off the pro version with code julie20.

Step Two

Choose the size you want your book to be and the number of pages you want it to have. Write this down or remember it because your cover needs to be the exact same size. You can also select Bleed or No Bleed.

Step Three

Create the cover for your first book. You can do this within the Book Bolt Design tool as demonstrated in the video, or download a template from Amazon (the same trim size and page count as the interior you chose) to create your cover in an image editing software like Photoshop.

how to sell your art on books amazon kdp — “Low content” notebooks published with Amazon KDP, created in Book Bolt

Step Four

Now you are ready to upload your files to Amazon KDP.

If you do not have a KDP account it is easy to create one. You don’t have to apply and then wait for a response like you do with the Amazon Merch program.

Go through each item on all 3 pages and fill them out to the best of your ability. You can use the Book Bolt Keyword Research tool to find relevant tags and categories for your book.

Conclusion

Amazon KDP is an easy way to sell your art on books and share them with the world, at no cost to you.

One great perk is that you can order “author copies” for extremely cheap, I’ve paid around $2.50. You do still have to pay shipping on that but that is pretty good!

I hope this tutorial has been inspiring for you to see how simple it is to sell your art or photography on books.

And make sure to check out the Book Bolt app and give their pro version a try for free for 3 days. Then take 20% off with code julie20!

Cheers,

*Please note: Some of the tools listed include an affiliate link. When you make a purchase through the links I may earn a commission, which helps me create more content ?

6 Tips to Increase Your Sales on Society6

~ Julie ~ 7 Comments

Hey guys, today I’m sharing my top 6 tips to help you increase sales on the print on demand website Society6.

I’ve been selling on Society6 since 2014 and have made some decent passive income with it alongside my other Print on Demand shops.

Also read: How to Sell Your Art Online – The Definitive Guide

Watch the video below for my tips, or scroll down to read them.

6 Tips to Increase your Society6 Sales

1. Create more Designs (Increase volume)

To make more sales, you need to make more artwork. I recommend having at least 100 designs in your shop. This will take time. Try not to get discouraged or overwhelmed by this number. Find ways to speed up your design process if you can.

If you already have 100 designs, then make more of what is already selling for you. This includes re-colours of the same design, but be strategic.

Don’t just throw everything on there and hope for the best. You don’t want to waste your time uploading sub-par designs that won’t sell anyway. Quality is always better than quantity.

2. Sign up for the Society6 Blog and especially the Creative Brief

Take a look at the Society6 blog and read the advice they provide. I also like to get the Creative Brief in my e-mail. This quarterly brief includes valuable information such as trending topics, design styles, keywords people are searching for, product types to promote and upcoming holidays to hit with your promotions.

3. Use proper keywords and tags for your designs

I can’t stress this enough, to get found on Society6 you must use good titles and tags.

Use the search bar on the Society6 homepage to research keywords for your design.

They recommend using single words rather than phrases, and if you do use multiple words put a dash in between them (ex. pineapple-pattern).

4. Have all your assets ready before you upload new designs

I create 3-4 different assets per design. One for t-shirts and stickers with a transparent background, one that looks good as a print, and sometimes a pattern to cover furniture and larger items. 10,000 x 10,000 pixels is what I use for the larger sized items.

The yoga mat has a special size so I usually make one specifically for that product.

I like to have all 3 or 4 images ready to go before I start uploading so it can go as quickly as possible.

5. Promote your products on Pinterest

Marketing can be difficult for artists. The simplest way I’ve found is to use Pinterest. You can pin your products straight from the product page by clicking on Pinterest sharing icon.

You can also use a mockup generating service like Place It to create fun and unique mockups of your designs to share on Pinterest and other social media.

Read more about my Pinterest marketing strategy here.

6. Experiment with different storefront layouts

You can change the layout of your Society6 shop to showcase different things like your latest designs, specific product types etc.

I recommend experimenting with the different store front layouts and give it a month or so to see if it helps with your sales, then switch it up to see if anything changes.

Bonus

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful and learned something new.

Make sure to follow my blog so you never miss my latest print on demand tips and tricks! I’m always sharing new strategies I learn along my journey of making an income from my art with print on demand websites like Society6.

Let me know what you thought of this post by leaving a comment below!

Cheers,