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How to Get Started as an Independent Artist or Art Dealer |
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Written by Webmaster
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008 |
By Brian Greenberg
 While there are many different ways to start a home based art business, your path will depend on the specific role you want to assume in an art business. If you are interested in selling your own works, you'll need to know some things about selling, licensing, and marketing your artwork. If you are considering becoming an art dealer or art licensing agent for other people's works, the rules of the game are completely different. However, no matter which angle you're coming from, a home based art business can be a very successful career choice.
Selling art isn't as simple as selling other products. Everyone has different tastes, and when it comes to art there is no room for kind of or maybe. People are not going to spend good money on artwork or to buy art if they don't truly love what they see. As an artist, you can sell your work in three different ways: licensing, selling originals, or selling reproductions. Licensing involves giving different individuals or companies the right to reproduce your art and sell it, giving you a percentage of
the profits. There are rules involved, however, which should dictate how they can reproduce your works, what products they can sell, how long the license lasts, and the exact details of the royalty agreement.
If you simply want to sell your originals or reproductions that you've created, this is much less complicated. However, if you are selling originals, customers will want a certificate of authenticity, so be prepared for that. Having a home based art business selling your own artwork can be a lucrative business, as long as you're informed about what you're getting into.
If you want to be an art broker or dealer, that will take you a whole different way. Many successful art dealers work at home by selling art prints, reproductions, and art posters online, at sites like eBay and Amazon.com. Some dealers buy art at discounted prices and then re-sell it for more to make a profit through their own personal websites. The internet is a great tool for a home based art business. You can also sell art offline through a home-based business, but your marketing and sales methods will be completely different. For example, you'll probably do a lot of business over the phone and at trade shows or flea markets, which are great outlets. You can also combine your business, and sell both online and offline, to increase your profits and grow your business faster.
Brian Greenberg is an experienced licensing attorney and a co-founder of LicensArt.com, an online gallery of artwork available for commercial licensing.
http://www.licensart.com
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 07 October 2008 )
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