4 ways to make more money, without making more art

Great! You've made tons of art you can only sell one time. Now what?

Original artworks are sought after mostly for their higher investment value and their uniqueness. Which is fantastic news for artists solely because, if priced right, an original piece can bring in tons of $$$. BUT, its incredibly frustrating to put in so much work and effort to only be shared with 1 audience, 1 collector, 1 time.

Here's 4 ways I monetize my art EVEN after the original has sold. And all you need is a half decent camera (photo resolution needs to be 300dpi for best quality)

1.Prints

Making prints of originals = unlimited reproduction of one artwork. Prints can be sold time and time again, in many easily frameable sizes. Their inexpensive to reproduce, and they're usually sold at a much lower price range making art accessible to audiences that aren't looking for a long-term investment. I myself love to order my prints through MPIX. The quality is fantastic, the cut is always perfect, and they ship orders over $35+ for free! (I promise this isn't sponsored, I just love ordering my prints through them). I also know there's almost always a local print shop excited to make prints accessible for local artists. You can have artworks printed on just about anything these days, but my preference is Fine Art Paper as it's archival quality and way more durable. Slip your prints in some sleek packaging with a chipboard backing so they can be safely sold out of your studio, cafe's, etc.

2. Puzzles

While this is still a fairly new concept within my art business, it has been such a fun reproduction of my artwork that my clients find super unique and exciting. There's tons of custom puzzle websites, so shop around for a puzzle-maker that fits your budget.

3. Licensing

Places like Homegoods, hotel franchises, framing companies, hospitals, etc., are always looking for unique artwork to sell or display. These companies pay a certain flat rate per x amount of reproductions, or 10-30% of their sales from the artworks, making it a simple way to monetize your art without having to do any extra work. Personally, this isnt something I do with big box stores like Homegoods. I prefer to work with local makers who are in need of artworks for their products, like NC based Hey Fred Handmade. Christa is always looking for incredible art to put on her canvas and cork bags!

4. Framing services

While this isn't quite using the same artwork to make more money, it's still one of the best ways to add more value to your work and reproductions as well as making it simple for clients to eagerly display your work. You could keep a stock of common frame sizes that pair well with your art, or you could offer a curated framing service. I am more of a fan of the later. I like to thrift unique frames, or source them from local framing companies, and offer the service as a "surprise" my clients can opt into. This works wonderfully for both orignals and prints, and having a good trust based relationship with your clients makes for a unique surprise when they get their order.

There's always a few ways to make your artwork continue to work for you in your art business, and it's truly excited to discover how many people would love to bring your art home in one way or another.