Make Money Online – The Internet has created so many opportunities for Digital Artists to make a living online doing a hobby they love. Each new technology has created a new category of art, and now artists have the most powerful artistic tool of all, the internet and an eCommerce platform.

These two tools have enabled and enhanced digital art, as well as opportunities for artists to sell their work. In the last ten years alone, more than 50 million creators have joined the creative economy. And every day millions of people now sell digital art.

But the landscape is so diverse, and changing so quickly, it’s often hard to know how digital artists make money online.

What is a digital artist?

Digital artists are artists who use technology to bring their art to life. Art was made in physical form before the internet, with paintings, sculptures, and other hand-crafted items. While traditional art still exists today, many artists are realizing the power of the internet to harness their art.

Most digital artists work in visual effects and animation. They usually hold jobs in film, software, design, advertising firms, or are self-employed as freelancers or creators.

3 Main Benefits of Becoming a Digital Artist to Make Money Online

Digital Artists are constantly debunking the myth of “the artist with little money”. With an increasing number of people joining the creator economy, many people are realizing the benefits of being a digital artist, including:

1. More efficient

Digital Artists can create sketches, designs and illustrations in minutes. With design tools (such as presets) available at your fingertips, exposing your art to thousands of people has never been easier. When artists have the right tools, they can make their dream come true: getting paid for their work.

2. Location Freedom

You are not limited to create in the art studio. You could be in a coffee shop, a coworker’s office, the airport or anywhere else! Whether your goal is to travel the world or work in negligee/pajamas, designing from your laptop is all you need.

3. Artwork Sales

Traditional artists need paper, pencil, frames, canvas, and many other types of physical equipment. Digital Artists can create art once and sell it easily. This phrase applies to all digital products sold online. You can sell digital art to consumers and marketplaces to attract high-quality clients.

How to Make Money Online from Digital Art

1. Use social media to sell digital art

Social media is a great way to build an online portfolio. The social media platform you choose should showcase your work. Since you sell visual art, maybe Instagram, Pinterest, or Tiktok are good platforms to showcase your work to others.

For example, Jimmy (@jingsketch) uses his Instagram to share his illustration work with hundreds of thousands of people. He uses Gumroad to give people access to his illustration collection and he also makes tutorials for those who want to learn the basics of digital painting and lighting.

Jimmy also provides accessibility for those who may not be able to afford his complete brush collection. So he is offering portions of his collection for free or at a lower price through Gumroad. Jimmy currently sells his digital products from $0 – $80, and they include a combination of illustrations, brushes, and tutorials.

You can:

Use your Instagram bio to showcase your skills and let others know where to buy your products. Use the behind the scenes of your creative process as a way to build your online brand and true fan base. Use social media to collaborate with brands, companies and content creators to build your network and net worth.

2. Sell digital art knowledge

Apart from selling your own art, you can also sell your knowledge through tutorials in various forms. Ergo Josh is a YouTuber and digital artist who believes creating should be fun and not frustrating. His YouTube channel is full of valuable tutorials for becoming a successful online digital artist.

Online tutorials are great for creators looking to help others follow in their footsteps after gathering some experience in the industry. You can sell your knowledge through ebooks, online courses and memberships.

3. Sell Plugins, brushes and designs as digital downloads

Digital downloads are one of the best ways to measure yourself and your product. Vegalia is a full-time Digital Artist featuring her Black-centric illustrations on Instagram and TikTok. He sells digital brushes that digital artists can use using CSP, Procreate, and Photoshop to help save time when creating artwork.

Vegalia has successfully used social media to build influence with a mission to help misunderstood individuals express themselves through art. By selling digital products that he loves so much, he can fulfill his dream of becoming a full-time Digital Artist.

4. Become a freelance digital artist

If you’re not ready to launch your own work as an artist, becoming a freelance digital artist is one way to step into the world of entrepreneurship. Being a freelance digital artist means taking on short-term projects if you can’t give up your current job or need extra income.

One of the easiest ways to start your freelancing career is to gain experience on freelancing platforms.

Here are some examples of freelance platforms you can use to build a portfolio:

Freelancer.com
LinkedIn ProFinder
Fiver
Guru
99 Designs
Opensea.io.

5. Work with agents

This approach is perfect for artists who don’t want to spend time marketing themselves and looking for work. Agents earn a commission for finding your project. However, they save a lot of time. You can focus more on your art than looking for clients, which we know many digital artists struggle with.

If you value freedom, independence and have excellent self-management skills then freelancing could be a great option for you to consider.

6. Sell your digital art through online platforms like Mayar, Gumroad, etc.

You can sell your digital art through online platforms. Using an online platform to sell your digital art has many benefits. Firstly, you can reach so many people by simply uploading them to online marketplaces.

Benefits of Make Money Online by Selling Digital Products

Here are the main advantages of selling your digital products on online platforms:

1. Easy to set up

Online platforms like Mayar or Gumroad are known to be easy and fast to set up. When you decide to start selling, a website can be automated in minutes.

2. Create a website without the hassle

Even if you use an online platform like Mayar or Gumroad, you can still adjust to your brand preference. For example, installing a logo, or using a brand theme that suits your needs. This way, you can send direct links to your audience instead of sending them to other markets where there is a sea of competition.

3. Sell whatever you want (within terms of service)

Are you looking to sell merchandise, training services, memberships, online courses, e-books or anything else you can think of. Customers can find you!

4. Price is very cheap

The online platform is made for digital artists and creators. So, creators can get the maximum profit possible. That’s why, get started or try first with the 30-day free plan! The best part is, the more you make, the less we take. It’s a win-win situation.

How To Balance Schedule and Sell Your Digital Art to Make Money Online

As a digital artist, creating is your forte, and sometimes selling is too much to manage. Here are three tips on how to survive and thrive as a Digital Artist who wants to earn well without burnout:

1. Schedule tasks

Your creative work will not be the same as a typical 9 – 5 job. Schedule tasks is one of the most popular productivity tools you can use. This technique helps you stay focused in a block of time.

There will be times where you will finish work within 2 hours, and you will have to finish your work through different times. Focus on work hours to enable you to complete and prioritize important tasks during the day.

For example, you can spend drafting time in the morning and editing time in the evening. Among other things, you can do other tasks that don’t require the same level of energy that you spend on your work.

According to a Scientific American article, research shows that brain downtime increases productivity, recharges attention, and encourages creativity. Scheduling tasks will help you manage your time and energy effectively.

2. Group tasks

This is an activity where you group together a group of tasks within a day. If you find yourself being divided between many tasks or projects, pick a day to work on them. For example, you might choose to spend your creative time Monday through Wednesday. And on Thursday and Friday, you can do your business administration tasks.

3. Use technology to automate business

There are tons of tools to help digital content creators get more done, in less time. As a digital artist, you will be responsible for creating, marketing and selling your art. So taking the time to learn about the different tools that can help you save time can be very beneficial for you and your business.

For example, as a digital artist who needs to maintain your presence on Instagram, using a software scheduler can help you plan your posts in advance. Spending a few hours scheduling your posts means you don’t have to publish every day for Make Money Online.

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