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6 Tips for starting Artists that Are Looking for Commissions
Creating some original artwork and putting it up for sale is a great way to earn a living from your art. However, not every potential buyer will like the work you put on sale. This does not mean that you aren’t a talented artist or that your work isn’t of good quality. It may just simply not match a buyer’s personal sense of style. Read more about how a starting artist can gain there own commissions!
As such, a number of starting artists prefer to make commissioned artwork for their clients. A commission is a sort of paid request where an artist is commissioned to make a specific kind of artwork for a client. Many buyers are willing to pay good money for commissioned artwork, as it usually results in them being guaranteed to like the final work produced.
If you are an up-and-coming artist, getting some commissions is a great way to supplement your income from selling your art online.
Many of the artists that actually get a lot of requests for commissioned work to have a few things in common. They are artists who aren’t afraid of putting themselves out there; they talk to and build relationships with the right people and always maintain a positive attitude.
If you are looking to gain some commissions, here are 6 tips that can help you along the way:
1. Create an Online Portfolio
Creating an online portfolio can greatly increase the number of people that come across your artwork instead of just having your art displayed at one or two physical locations. When it comes to commissions, you don’t necessarily have to be in the same location as your potential clients. However, it is important to remember that your portfolio might be the only reference potential clients have of your work, so you should use high-quality, well-lit, and well-stage photographs to represent your art.
2. Sign Up with an Online Art Selling Platform
The more people that see your artwork and your call for commissions, the more commission requests you’ll get. There are a number of art-selling platforms online that you can sign up with. You can not only sell your existing artwork on these platforms but also benefit from their large audiences. Any of their buyers may come across your work and send you a commission request. Art Over the World is one such platform for selling your artwork online.
3. Ensure A Strong Presence on Online
Building a strong online presence aligns with putting yourself out there. Online art-selling platforms, for example, are a great way to attract specific kinds of audiences. Several younger clients would be more willing to find an artist to commission online rather than looking at brick-and-mortar establishments. By being online, you can also create a sense of familiarity between an artist and a potential client. The client may feel more comfortable reaching out to you and talking to you candidly about a potential commission they want you to do for them. So, be sure to sign up for online art platforms that post pictures of your work and let fans of your art know that you are looking to do commissions.
4. Get to Know the People That Have Previously Bought Your Art or Supported You
Repeat buyers are the ultimate goal for someone selling art or wanting to do commissions. If someone has previously bought your work, they might like your style. Getting to know these people or reaching out to them and letting them know that you’re up to doing commissioned work can be a great way to get them to buy more of your work. It can be easier to get a previous buyer to become a collector of your artwork or to commission you rather than trying to convince a new person to give you a chance.
5. Be Responsive to Potential Clients
If a potential client reaches out to you or shows an interest in your request for commissions, timing is key! You must be quick in your responses to the potential client and don’t keep them waiting unnecessarily long. If you take a few days to get back to them, they may have already moved on and gotten in touch with a different artist, and you will have lost a potentially good opportunity. Responding promptly can also show your potential client that you are enthusiastic about working with them, which can help foster a good working relationship.
6. Stay Under the Client’s Budget
Our final tip for artists hoping to do commissions is to work within the client’s proposed budget. If a client wants artwork that you think is outside their budget, don’t hesitate to give them alternate ideas or other suggestions. Don’t undersell yourself and do more work than you’re being paid for, as this can damage an up-and-coming artist like yourself. Try and always explore new and creative ways in which you can go forward with the commission while keeping yourself and your client satisfied.
Art Over the World – Unique and Handmade Art for Everyone to Buy
If you want to sell your art online and explore getting in touch with new audiences that might be interested in buying your work or commissioning you, then Art Over the World is the perfect platform for you to use! Based in the Netherlands, Art Over the World is an online platform with over 33 million buyers looking to buy handmade art.
Whether you are creating paintings, sculptures, drawings, digital art, NFTs, or any other kind of handmade art, you can sell your work online with us. We also offer a shop-in-shop feature so that you can integrate the shop with our website if you already have an existing online art shop. So, what are you waiting for? Become a vendor now; hopefully, you’ll sell a lot more art and gain some commissions, too.