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How to Sell Your Art Online: Live a Successful Creative Life on Your Own Terms
An essential guide for artist that teaches them how to skip the gallery system, find their niche, and connect directly with collectors to profitably sell their art.
For years, galleries have acted as gatekeeper separating artists and collectors. But with the explosion of the Internet, a new generation of savvy, independent artists is connecting with buyers and making a substantial living doing what they love.
How to Sell Your Art Online shows any artist how to make a successful living from their work. Cory Huff dispels the myth of the starving artist and provides the effective business strategies necessary to make artistic creations pay. He helps individual artists find their niche; outlines the elements essential for an effective website; and provides invaluable advice on e-mail marketing, blogging, social media marketing, and paid advertising—explaining how to tie all these online activities into offline success.
Most importantly, he shares the secret to overcoming the biggest challenge artists face when self-marketing: learning how to tell their unique stories. Every artist has a reason for making art, but can’t always find the right way to express it. Huff provides exercises artists can use to clarify the intellectual and emotional process behind their art, and teaches them how turn that knowledge into stories they can tell online and in person—and expand their reach through blogs and social media to build their art business.
Drawing from the stories of successful artists, thoroughly describing how art is sold today, and providing tips on how to build connections personally and electronically, How to Sell Your Art Online illustrates the countless ways artists can take control of their creative careers—and sell their work without selling out.
For years, galleries have acted as gatekeeper separating artists and collectors. But with the explosion of the Internet, a new generation of savvy, independent artists is connecting with buyers and making a substantial living doing what they love.
How to Sell Your Art Online shows any artist how to make a successful living from their work. Cory Huff dispels the myth of the starving artist and provides the effective business strategies necessary to make artistic creations pay. He helps individual artists find their niche; outlines the elements essential for an effective website; and provides invaluable advice on e-mail marketing, blogging, social media marketing, and paid advertising—explaining how to tie all these online activities into offline success.
Most importantly, he shares the secret to overcoming the biggest challenge artists face when self-marketing: learning how to tell their unique stories. Every artist has a reason for making art, but can’t always find the right way to express it. Huff provides exercises artists can use to clarify the intellectual and emotional process behind their art, and teaches them how turn that knowledge into stories they can tell online and in person—and expand their reach through blogs and social media to build their art business.
Drawing from the stories of successful artists, thoroughly describing how art is sold today, and providing tips on how to build connections personally and electronically, How to Sell Your Art Online illustrates the countless ways artists can take control of their creative careers—and sell their work without selling out.
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2016
246 people are currently reading
871 people want to read
About the author
Cory Huff
12 books31 followersThe Starving Artist is a myth! Digital strategist to creative beings. I help artists sell their art online.
Beyond that, my favorite reading interests are books about art history, high fantasy, and biographies.
Beyond that, my favorite reading interests are books about art history, high fantasy, and biographies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 24, 2017
I've been reading this book in snatches over the past week and finished it at three o'clock this morning. In many ways, there were no surprises in there - we all know what we have to do, and Mr Huff spells it out pretty clearly. The difference is between those that do, and keep doing, and those that just think or talk about doing, hoping that success will come.
Mr Huff's writing style is spot on - enough humour for you to enjoy the book, but a direct, no-nonsense approach about how to make a living as an artist in the modern world. As a self-publishing facilitator, much of what he said about the art world's 'old ways' resonated with the things we tell our authors about publishing's old ways. These paths still exist, but if you want to make a living from your art - whether it's visual art, writing, whatever - then you really need to get with the 'new ways'.
This book is no magic bullet, but rather a solid reference book for our times. Highly recommended.
Mr Huff's writing style is spot on - enough humour for you to enjoy the book, but a direct, no-nonsense approach about how to make a living as an artist in the modern world. As a self-publishing facilitator, much of what he said about the art world's 'old ways' resonated with the things we tell our authors about publishing's old ways. These paths still exist, but if you want to make a living from your art - whether it's visual art, writing, whatever - then you really need to get with the 'new ways'.
This book is no magic bullet, but rather a solid reference book for our times. Highly recommended.
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September 7, 2016Interesting book. Easy to read. Short.
Good suggestions for people looking for ways to sell their work online.
Good suggestions for people looking for ways to sell their work online.
March 14, 2017
I read this pretty quickly, but it's one I'd like to return to. Lots of what seems like solid and needed advice about how to set up websites, promote yourself, and build up an art business.
August 17, 2017
I found many useful tips. Worth to read
June 18, 2017
This is the book I always pick up to remember a few pointers, my handy dandy resource . It'll always be an inspiration on pursuing my art career . I'd read it over and over again .
July 2, 2024
How To Sell Your Art Online is one of the more practical guides for making a living as an artist. Although published in 2016, Huff's strategies remain true for today's digital world. Furthermore, his tone remains supportive and positive throughout the book; his voice compels the reader to keep turning pages, even if they don't really have time for another chapter that day.
He presents the "starving artist" lifestyle as a choice, and demonstrates that its antithesis is a result of the artist's effort. I am coming to the realization that this might be the case. My whole life I have believed that only a rare few become artists, and that it's all about luck, but Huff's strategies seem to suggest otherwise.
So here's a book for those who aren't initially the lucky ones, but the ones who work hard and will make sure it pays off. Be prepared to take notes. The practical schedules and approaches offered are sure to put any artist on a good path.
There is nothing wrong with selling your art.
He presents the "starving artist" lifestyle as a choice, and demonstrates that its antithesis is a result of the artist's effort. I am coming to the realization that this might be the case. My whole life I have believed that only a rare few become artists, and that it's all about luck, but Huff's strategies seem to suggest otherwise.
So here's a book for those who aren't initially the lucky ones, but the ones who work hard and will make sure it pays off. Be prepared to take notes. The practical schedules and approaches offered are sure to put any artist on a good path.
There is nothing wrong with selling your art.
November 7, 2022
I read this book when it was a little outdated, and also it is VERY geared towards fine artists and not makers/crafters who sell products like I do. So, 4 stars. That being said, it's a great little book that still has a lot of helpful tips and advice even 6 years later. It's a quick easy read and you can pick out the bits that you need - that's what I did. Even though I have a product-based business there was still some great stuff in here.
February 5, 2017
Offered some useful tips related to selling online; the most useful chapter was about discovering your "uniquity" and utilizing it to tell stories about yourself and your art.
January 16, 2018
out dated
March 9, 2020
The basics on how to market your art. This book should be mandatory reading for all working artists.
November 7, 2021
Must read book for any artist or any kind of maker that wants to sell online!! I love the analogies the author makes between music & fashion & art world. I'm still in that curious state of noticing changing trends & how to sell this book teachs. I love the advice on creating a client experience. This book got me so excited to start selling my art online. I followed the steps, redid my website, started my podcast & I actually started selling prints & also sold a mini original! Never read anything or watched a training like this before!
November 17, 2018
This book would have been 5 stars if not for a few(!) egregious typos (really, HarperCollins?)
That said, as someone who is coming at making money online from someone who did not grow up as an artist but became one later, I have found A LOT of what he said to be super accurate. And I still learned a lot! I will be coming back this again and again.
That said, as someone who is coming at making money online from someone who did not grow up as an artist but became one later, I have found A LOT of what he said to be super accurate. And I still learned a lot! I will be coming back this again and again.
June 20, 2021
Solid info for launching art marketing
This is worth a 5 for the starting point and framework it provides. I'm also taking one a the author's courses. I was wary of taking the course because I get bombarded with ads for art marketing and many are scammy. But after reading this well written and informative book I felt confident about it.
This is worth a 5 for the starting point and framework it provides. I'm also taking one a the author's courses. I was wary of taking the course because I get bombarded with ads for art marketing and many are scammy. But after reading this well written and informative book I felt confident about it.
August 16, 2017
The book is a nice round-up of direct actions to start the online selling journey. Though the steps are well known, the book lists them step-by-step, making it easier to grasp. I found it very helpful in my online effort. - Sanjay Marathe Fine Art Photography
January 22, 2020
A pretty decent and well-rounded guide with a lot of practical advice for artists who wish to build and market themselves as an independent brand. Nothing in this book was new or revelatory to me personally, and it is severely outdated when it comes to technology and SMM tools.
September 7, 2020
It's great. Full of practical useful tips, very easy to read. I've read some other books on selling art but most of them were just motivational speech. This book on the other hand has actual great advice on selling art.
October 23, 2021
While semi-outdated. I found this book to have great tips and strategies to start selling art online. I have a lot of notes and highlights from this book, and plan to start implementing them myself soon.
February 5, 2023
LEARN ALL THE INS AND OUTS ON HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING YOUR WORKS OF ART
This book is a no holds bared, no b.s., get straight to the point how to book. If you want to learn the business side of what it takes to make a great living as an artist, learn by reading this book!
This book is a no holds bared, no b.s., get straight to the point how to book. If you want to learn the business side of what it takes to make a great living as an artist, learn by reading this book!
May 25, 2017
easy read. would be great for someone just starting. I got a few helpful ideas but mostly stuff I've already heard & am working on
June 20, 2017
Useful (current) information for anyone who wants to sell anything online. With realistic goals and outcomes.
December 3, 2017
Really useful and practical
A great read that provided me with practical tips to get going with my online art business. Direct and to the point.
A great read that provided me with practical tips to get going with my online art business. Direct and to the point.
January 4, 2018
This book has a lot of practical advice that was extremely helpful. It got me thinking about my art in a whole different light. Loved it!
May 10, 2018
some interesting ideas here.
May 14, 2018
Very well organized book. Good pieces of advice. Nice design. Very encouraging.
July 31, 2018
Really great read. Full of useful information, examples, suggestions and ideas. A great book to help the budding artist start out, or improve!
October 5, 2018
Some of the info in this book seemed useful/new. A lot of the info was too basic/surface level in my opinion though, and there were sections that seemed a little outdated.
November 24, 2018
Really useful
Learnt a lot I didn't know (and I thought I knew a lot). Definitely recommend this one for aspiring artists.
Learnt a lot I didn't know (and I thought I knew a lot). Definitely recommend this one for aspiring artists.
January 25, 2020
It‘s a great book and very helpful! It is easy to read and has a lot of tips for artist who try to dive into the world of online marketing! A must read!
May 3, 2020
Apparently the answer appears to be by becoming deeply derivative and insufferable. The title should really be How To Make Your Art More Like Stuff That Already Sells and frankly sod that nonsense
May 4, 2020
A must-read for all artists.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews