How to Sell Abstract Art for a Living

Making and selling art for a living can be extremely rewarding but may not be for every artist. In addition to knowing how to create beautiful abstract artwork or paintings, there are many other marketing concepts with which you need to be familiar to know how to sell art successfully.

Can I Sell My Artwork?

Is art more than a hobby or a part-time profession for you? Do you wonder if you could turn your love of art into a full-time art career? Is it even possible? It is! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of all artists are self-employed, and earning income from selling their artwork.

Making art for a living can be extremely rewarding but may not be for every artist. In addition to knowing how to create beautiful artwork, you need to know how to assess your work, how much to charge, who to sell it to - and how to market yourself. Selling art for income is like any other business – you need to have knowledge of marketing and business administration to become successful. You might be the next Monet but if you don't know how to get your artwork in front of potential buyers, you won’t succeed as a professional artist.

For an artist, there is nothing more rewarding than making your art and sharing those creations with the world – except maybe, also earning a living from doing what you love!

What Kind of Artist Are You?

Do you create traditional pieces of art? Are you an abstract artist, or want to get into selling abstract art?

Abstract art is color and form and lines and shapes used in a non-representational manner. Modern painting and sculpture that depart from the idea of art as an imitation of nature are considered abstract. The painting or sculpture might have started out looking like something easily identifiable; but due to distortions and alterations, it is not anymore.

Contrary to those who exclaim "My five-year-old could do that!", abstract art is not easy to create. In fact, Kandinsky claimed that, "Of all the arts, abstract painting is the most difficult."

The subject of abstract paintings are the colors, lines, and shapes; not something generally recognizable. According to World Encyclopedia, "There are two main types of non-objective art: expressionist, which is fundamentally emotional, spontaneous and personal; and geometrical, which works from the premise that geometry is the only discipline precise and universal enough to express our intellectual and emotional longings."

Wassily Kandinsky, often credited with the invention of the abstract art movement, said "Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot physically see with his eyes... Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an explosion into unknown areas."

If you see yourself (and your art) in these descriptions, and abstract art is already a hobby or a passion, you may want to try making art for a living.

Make a Living Selling Art

Do you have acrylic, oil, or watercolor paintings, abstract artwork, or other contemporary art, that you would like to sell? Once you have a body of work, you will need to figure out how to sell abstract art. To increase your chances of selling your abstract art, you will need to show it to the largest number of people possible.

One way to get started selling abstract art or other artwork is through a website. You can set up a website inexpensively and showcase your work. The hard part is learning how to get your website in front of potential buyers. You may want to start by visiting websites that exist solely for the purpose of helping you sell your art. A few sites that both amateur and professional artists use are Yessy.com, MyArtSpace.com, and Etsy.com.

Also, you should check out the local art scene. Sign up for art shows and exhibitions. Include your own website URL on your business cards and flyers (yes, you need business cards as a professional artist!) Think about bringing your pieces to local galleries for display and exposure. Networking is crucial for artists looking to sell their artwork just as it is for any other self-employed business owner. Getting to know people in the field is just as important as getting the word out about your art.