Starving Artist...

My main love is art. I do a lot of oil paintings and sell them (read: a few) via my main website and on a few gallery sites.

Thing is; i'm really not making any money in PPC/Affilliates through my main site, its all art related I don't get all that many visitors amd I really don't want to spam my own site!

Anyway; cut a long story short... I'm looking to set up a couple of sites that I can (hopefully) leave ticking over, tweak now and again, and get a few bucks a day, seperate from my main site, to bring in some cash to help me buy materials and what not.

What kind of thing would you folks suggest?

I know it'll take hard marketing graft (unfortunately ) i'm really just fishing for subject & affilliate ideas really...

Go on folks *clink clink, waves paper cup* help a starving artist...

 

Can you do Human sketches i mean paintings or drawings whatever you call them. Colorful would be better let me know i might buy one from you if you can do one for me (my own)

 

There is a site... http://www.deviantart.com for £50 you can get a subscription wich gives you loads of extra options also a prints account wich allows you to sell prints Then... You make a site with links for peaple to buy your prints. Then you make lots of money from art

 

Lucky to get a comment on dA never mind a buyer!

I only sell original paintings (use PayPal buttons in my gallery), pretty cheap too considering the time they take, but still... most people just don't seem to buy paintings...

No pun intended but; i think i've painted myself into a corner...

 

You have some really nice work in there. I'm not sure what affiliates and such you're using now, but have you tried www.art.com? I know one of the networks I used to write for did well with them on all kinds of sites, and recommended we use them (never really bothered with them myself).

If you want to set up sites to earn money, why not stick with what you like and know?

You could create a content site with art tutorials to teach people how to sketch, paint, etc. You could have short online "courses" about the different methods and materials, art theory, etc. It would take some time to build up the initial content, but then you could just add them periodically when it's more convenient for you to attract new visitors.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

 

As for people not buying paintings, maybe you're just not marketing them in the best way.

You could try appealing to different markets with them by perhaps setting up a Myspace profile or something for your gallery, and feature a different painting each week.

Your landscapes are beautiful, but maybe broadening a little bit more (you do to some extend, but keep going back to landscapes). As someone else said, maybe you'd find more of a demand of portraits, or black and white, etc. to reach out to younger buyers.... your price range would be good for people decorating their first apartment or house on their own for example; so try to appeal to them. Talk to interior decorators who work with commercial clients in your area. They may have businesses who would love unique paintings in their offices, especially if the price is reasonable, which yours seem to be. There's a lot you can do... just be agressive a bit.

 

Thanks for that info, i'll check out art.com and see what they have to offer.

You do make a good point about using the site to teach people art, I've been doing that lately by writing short articles but i suppose I could write longer articles and include photo's or examples and turn each 'lesson' into PDF files for *ahem* 'free' download...

I might do that as a site totally seperate from my own personal site... where people could join up for a free lesson then pay for download of other lessons? I'll have to think that one over more. The site would of course have affilliate links/PPC.

Yeah, thats given me something to think over.

Would you recommend that I make it a seperate site? My own domain already has a PR3, i suppose I could link from my blog to the new site??

 

Again, you make a good and fair point, I should have a wider range of artwork on the site. I can do portraits, sketches and so on so I really should put them up on the site. I know, through others' research, that most people search for landscape in regards to paintings but I suppose I need to reel in the others too...

Thanks again, you've been a great help!

 

Personally, yes, I'd recommend a separate site. You could crosslink between that and your gallery. It would be nice for the simple fact that you can show them that you actually know what you're talking about in teaching them, by showing them your own finished products.

 

I've been thinking it over and I reckon I could maybe make it work. If i sell detailed PDF files for a few pounds and include special offers (buying sets or packs) and put discount codes in particular places then that would draw in customers. I could even give personal critique advice to people who email sketches/paintings?...

And i've been accepted for Azoogle and CJ (eBay, and two art supply sites) and AdSense too...

I have one more question; since i've no add-on domains left, would it be acceptable (in a business/SEO sense) to use a subdomain name? Like, say, learntodraw.ronnietucker.co.uk ? Or would it be best to fork out for a second server with more domain names?...

Thanks again for your advice. If I get this off the ground i'll be sure to have an extra special discount code for all DP members!

 

I'd suggest a separate domain, and upgrading or moving to a new host if your current one is so limited. Personally, I use HostGator and love them, and they let you use unlimited add-on domains.

Sounds like you have a good plan. Good luck with it.

 

I put some (500) photos on a couple of microstock sites (shutterstock and I-stock, Dreamstime.) and have made about a thousand dollars this year. Its not a lot, but its the most I've made on photography. I sell a few in shows too, but the time and cost of putting a show dwarfs what I make that way, even it is more dignified. If you have drawings that could be used as illustrations, it may be something to consider. Good Luck