Selling prints is one of the major income sources for many artists. Apart from art print pricing, the best selling art print size and print-on-demand platforms, one of the most common questions I get is how to sell more art prints. In fact, there are some proven marketing strategies to boost sales and in this post, I’m sharing with you 10 tips on how to increase your art print sales. Tried and true, so let’s get into it!
Selling prints is one of the most common—and profitable—ways for artists to make a living off their art. In fact, art print sales are the primary source of income for many creative individuals.
The good thing is that every artist can sell their art in print, whether you are new to the field or an established figure in the art world. Selling art online is now more accessible than ever, without needing the support of galleries. Once you’ve honed your style and build a cohesive portfolio, you can dive into sales.
I’m selling prints of my work in my own web store, and the majority of questions I get are about the best selling art print size, fine art printing services, and how to make selling art prints more profitable.
That’s why in this post I’ve put together my 10 best tips for you on how to increase your art print sales.
Here’s what I got for you:
10 Sure-Fire Strategies of how to Increase Art Print Sales
1. Take high-quality images of your art
The most important thing for every artist who wants to sell prints is to have high-quality images of their artwork. If you are a digital artist, all you have to do is save your work for web.
Traditional artists need to do a couple of more steps, because before they can save an image file, they have to photograph or scan their physical artwork first.
Whatever the case for you, ultimately you should be sure to have clear and sharp photos that show the full artwork, as well as close-up shots that accurately capture colors and textures.
Why? Because before people buy a print, they like to see as many details of the artwork as possible, so they know exactly what they will get. (ᴖᴥᴖ)
2. Display your art hanging on a wall
As art buyers want to know exactly what they’ll get, they also want to know what a print looks like when hung on a wall. That’s why your print presentation should include images of your art displayed in different environments. Those environments can be living rooms, bedrooms, office rooms, kitchens, hallways, and so on.
By providing images that help clients envision your art in different spaces, you make it easier for them to imagine having a piece of yours in their own homes.
These contextual photos—whether of the art hanging on a wall or staged in a room—can greatly influence potential buyers and encourage them to make a purchase.
It is almost impossible to take photos of each and every print you sell—framed and hung on a wall in different settings. That’s why I recommend using wall art mock-ups.
Wall art mockups are digital templates that showcase your artwork in a realistic environment. These templates are typically created using graphic design software like Photoshop and allow artists to present their work in a professional, visually appealing way before it’s physically printed and framed.
Two great places to get art print mock-ups for commercial use (i.e. that allow you to display your prints for sale) are Creative Market and Etsy.
The first bundle that I can recommend is the Frame & Wall Mockup Bundle by Yuri-U. It includes 20 PSD files with mockups of various room settings, such as bedrooms, living rooms, and office spaces. These mockups let you showcase your artwork from multiple viewpoints and in several standard print sizes.
The second mockup bundle worth checking out is the Modern Interior Frame Mockup Bundle by Mockup Art Atelier. This bundle includes 24 high-resolution mockup files that showcase your artwork in sleek, modern interior environments. The minimalist style ensures that the focus is on your art, displaying it beautifully from different perspectives.
Another excellent choice for showcasing your art prints is the LA – Poster Mockup Scenes Bundle by Blank Studio. This bundle features 8 realistic mockups set in various rural environments. The warm-toned interiors create a welcoming ambiance and provide a versatile way to showcase your artwork in different sizes and formats.
3. Describe your art prints in detail & use SEO-optimized keywords
When listing your art prints for sale, it’s important to offer thorough and engaging descriptions. Because… have I already mentioned that people want to know as much as possible about the art before they purchase? (>ᴗ<)
Talk about the story behind the artwork in the description, speak about your inspiration, and give insights into your creative process and techniques. This is particularly crucial in today’s world, where so many images are generated by AI.
In order to stand out from the crowd of artificial, mass-produced images, highlight the uniqueness and human touch in your work. Don’t be afraid to show ‘imperfections’ in your art; it’s exactly those subtle inconsistencies that add charm and depth to handmade art.
Your art doesn’t have to be perfect, and art lovers will appreciate your work for its emotional depth and authenticity that AI-generated art is lacking. The more descriptive and genuine you are, the more easily buyers can connect with your art.
Are you worried about your creative future with all the machine-made imagery swallowing up the market?
Another tip that I have for your art print descriptions is to include SEO-optimized keywords.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential for driving traffic to your offerings and enhancing your online presence. You can improve your art print descriptions and titles by incorporating relevant keywords that potential buyers might use when looking for your type of prints.
Use terms that describe the subject, style, medium, and unique aspects of your work. Research popular keywords and phrases related to your prints to increase your chances of appearing in the search results. This will allow you to raise your website’s visibility and attract organic visitors.
To find the best keywords for your art—those with a high search volume and low competition, I suggest using a keyword research tool. I’m using the KWFinder, but you can also use Ahrefs’ Keyword Generator, Moz, or the Keyword Tool.
If you are interested in learning more about SEO for artists, you can check out the following tutorials:
Last but not least, make sure to provide clear, specific product information, including details about size, medium, and—of course—the price.
Let your buyers know whether or not framing and additional services are included in the offer and provide information on edition numbers, artist signatures, or certificates of authenticity. Try to be as clear as possible by answering all potentially upcoming questions.
In case any question remains open, make sure to provide a quick link for your customers to contact you. By being precise and approachable, you help customers feel confident in their buying decisions.
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4. Offer your art on high-quality prints only
Print is not just print. There are significant differences between the various printing materials and techniques. The difference between a genuine fine art print and a cheap poster print is immediately noticeable, and customers appreciate quality.
If your customers are unhappy with their purchase, they are not going to buy from you again. Dissatisfied customers will surely not help you increase your art print sales.
To avoid disappointing your buyers, make sure to use archival-grade paper or canvas and pigment-based inks for durability and vibrant colors. To find out more about your options, I have a Full Art Printing Paper Guide that you can check out after reading this post. (ᵕᴗᵕ)
Offering high-quality art prints doesn’t mean you need to spend excessively on top-tier supplies, like a professional inkjet printer with 12 pigment ink cartridges and piles of printing paper.
A much easier and more convenient way is to partner with professional print services that specialize in fine art or giclée printing. Some of the best printing services for artists include Finerworks, Giclee Today, and The Stackhouse.
All three companies produce museum-quality art prints in a wide range of sizes (→ The Best Size For Art Prints That Sells The Most) and drop-ship the final print directly to the customer. For more choices, see the 10 Best Online Printing Services For Artists.
5. Have a professional online shop in place
Having a dedicated online shop makes selling your art so much easier and can considerably help you increase your art print sales. You might think that promoting your prints on platforms like Instagram and other social media is enough to find buyers.
But the truth is that many people feel uncomfortable about contacting the artist and asking to buy a print, for different reasons. For example, they might assume that print is expensive and hesitate to ask for fear that the price will be beyond their budget.
So, unless you want to post all possible print options, sizes and prices under each art print you promote on social media, you might want to look for a better solution. Plus, not everyone reads captions… and it’s always a good idea to not solely rely on social media as an artist. Here’s why:
Using dedicated online e-commerce platforms helps streamline the buying process and build trust with your customers. Those platforms make it easier to purchase directly. Plus, buyers can read reviews and select from a range of secure payment options, which often feels safer.
My first recommendation is to create your own artist website with online store.
A website gives you full control over your branding, sales process, and customer experience. It also makes it easier to integrate e-commerce tools like email marketing, SEO optimization, and analytics.
Building a professional website isn’t difficult these days. You can use platforms like Squarespace, Wix, Shopify, or Weebly. All these platforms offer user-friendly features for designing your website, without needing to know how to code.
They also come with robust e-commerce capabilities, including customizable store templates, inventory management, payment processing, and integrated shipping options.
You can find out more about these website builders and others here: Best Paid & Free Website Builders For Artists.
Another option is to offer your art prints on online marketplaces like Etsy, Fine Art America, RedBubble, or Society6. However, you must keep in mind that your profit margins will be lower because those platforms tend to take a large cut of each sale. Plus, you don’t have as much creative freedom presenting your work, while always being at the odds of the platform.
→ 10 Reasons Why You Should Make A Website For Your Art
Speaking of getting your website seen, I have an entire guide for you to build an artist website for success that shows you everything from setting up a WordPress site, creating an online store, growing a mailing list, to starting an art blog—with a huge chapter on SEO and driving free, organic traffic to your site.
You can find out more about the e-guide here:
6. Offer art prints at different price points
If you’re looking to generate a solid income from selling art, one effective strategy is to offer prints at a range of price points. This allows you to reach a broader audience, meet different customer needs, and increase your art print sales while maintaining the value of your work. Why?
Well, the logic behind this strategy is very simple. Not every potential buyer has the same budget. When you provide several price options, you increase the likelihood of someone finding a print they can afford, which leads to more sales. More sales can also increase your visibility as an artist, because more people will come into contact with your work.
Offering lower-priced prints doesn’t mean you’re devaluing your work. On the contrary. This approach can help you build trust with your audience. If your customers are happy with the more affordable prints, it’s more likely that they later become interested in purchasing higher-priced, exclusive pieces.
→ How To Identify Your Target Market As An Artist In 4 Steps
Now, let's talk about how you can sell prints at different price levels, without devaluing your art.
1. Different Print Sizes: The first option is to offer prints at different sizes, from small prints over medium prints up to large, and maybe even extra large prints. Larger prints typically cost more due to the higher production and material costs, while smaller prints are usually affordable for everyone.
A small print, for example, can can be sized 8″ x 10″ and priced lower. A medium-sized print could measure 16 “x 20″ and be priced in the middle range. A large print, such as 24″ x 36” or an oversized print, could be your premium offering.
Two art print offerings in different sizes: small print of “Naufragée” in the foreground and medium-sized print of “N-lightenment” in the background.
2. Different Printing Options: Naturally, the type of paper, ink, and printing method used significantly impact the price. As I said above, you should only use high-quality prints. However, there are also differences between high-grade printing papers.
You might consider offering different materials like canvas, wood, metal prints, or gallery-wrapped canvas. But even archival papers differ from each other. Prints on matte photographic paper, for example, tend to be a bit more affordable than glossy or metallic art prints.
→ Best Photo Finish For Framing Art Prints – Matte vs Glossy
Giclée prints offer the highest-quality reproductions that only use archival inks and papers. That’s why they belong to the most expensive fine art print options.
No matter what printing papers you eventually choose, there are printing services that allow you to offer prints without paying any upfront costs. These services typically handle printing, packaging, and shipping, and you can easily set your price margin above their base prices.
Two of the most affordable printing providers, which I especially recommend for prints on matte and glossy photographic paper, are Printful and Printify. Three other companies that specialize in high-quality archival prints (and that I also use for my art prints) are Finerworks, Giclee Today, and The Stackhouse.
3. Framed vs. Unframed Prints: Understandably, framed prints come at a higher price point because they are made ready-to-hang. Unframed prints, on the other hand, are more affordable because there are no costs for materials like the frame itself and the labor for assembling the frame.
Plus, shipping unframed prints is cheaper as they are rolled up and can be shipped in a tube, which is also less risky for damage during transit.
Apart from that, I’ve made the experience that many customers appreciate the flexibility of choosing their own frame. This allows them to pick a frame that caters to their personal taste in color, material and design—and also matches the interior of the room where it’s going to hang!
Want to know how to increase your art print sales by displaying your prints in different interior settings? These 6 Tips To Display Art Prints For Sale Online will tell you how to do it.
4. Open Edition vs. Limited Edition Prints: The last tip that I have for you to help you increase your art print sales is to offer open edition and limited edition prints. What’s the difference between these two?
Open edition prints are not numbered and can be reproduced indefinitely. They are priced lower than limited edition prints, which makes them more accessible to a broader audience.
Limited edition prints, on the other hand, are numbered and signed. Oftentimes, they also come with a certificate of authenticity. Because they are limited in number, they are more exclusive and can be sold at higher prices.
7. Optimize your art print sales pages
An optimal print sales page attracts, informs and converts visitors into buyers. This can be done with a combination of compelling design elements, clear information, and strong calls to action (CTAs).
Here’s exactly what you can do to create an effective art print sales page:
1. Compelling Headline & Subheadline: The first thing visitors see is the headline of a product. When you are selling art prints, the headline will most likely be your artwork’s title. That’s ok. You can still provide more detail in the subheadline, pointing out the quality details of the print and letting your customers know what benefits they’ll get.
2. Clear Pricing Information: Naturally, your art fans want to know how much they’ll have to spend for a print of yours. That’s why the pricing should be easy to find and transparent. If you’re offering a discount, make sure the original price is visible, so buyers know immediately how much they are going to save. (ᵕᴗᵕ)
3. Prominent Call to Action: A call to action is an eye-catching button that urges the visitor to take the next step. For selling your art prints, it can read something like “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now.” A clear CTA gives the user direction and increases the likelihood of conversion. To make the button stand out, you should choose an attention-grabbing color and placement.
4. Shipping / Return & Refund Policy / FAQs: Your sales page should answer all questions your customers could probably have about ordering and receiving the art print, as well as possible return and refund options. This saves your customers the time researching the information on your website and you answering emails you’ll get if that information is missing.
5. Related Product Recommendations are aimed at increasing the average order value (AOV), as marketers would put it. (>ᴗ<) Such recommendations can include additional product suggestions that complement the customer’s initial choice or offer some kind of enhancement.
Cross-sells show the customer related products on the sales page that go well with the art print the customer is currently viewing.
Upsells usually appear on the checkout page and encourage the customer to add another item to their cart that they might be interested in based on their current selection.
In my opinion, you should definitely make use of both types of recommendations because they can significantly contribute to increasing your art print sales.
8. Host limited sales and discounts
Running promotions or discounts for a limited period of time is an effective way to increase your art print sales. Limited-time offers create a sense of rarity and urgency. It’s a powerful marketing strategy to encourage customers to act quickly in order to not miss out.
You can time these offers for holidays, special events, or just as limited-time deals whenever you feel like. (ᴖᴥᴖ)
For example, you might offer a discount for purchases made within a set time frame or provide incentives like free shipping or a bonus print for larger orders.
Other possibilities are limited edition prints that you sign and number or exclusive perks for email subscribers and loyal customers. Such offers are especially popular with collectors and can also help you build a devoted customer base.
Whatever you decide to offer, make sure that these promotions are clearly communicated on your website or storefront to let your buyers take action promptly!
9. Get the word out about your art print sales
Always make sure to let people know that your artwork is for sale! While this may seem obvious, you’d be surprised how often I see comments like “Is this for sale?” or “How can I buy this?” on artists’ Instagram posts.
Sometimes the artist has provided clear instructions in their caption or bio, but other times, they may have forgotten to include this key information. Even if you do manage to make a sale with someone who asks, you could be missing out on other potential customers who didn’t take the time to inquire or read your caption.
I’m not suggesting that every post needs a “buy now” or “DM me to purchase” message. However, letting your followers know that your art is available for purchase can make a big difference in your art print sales.
I know that we artists tend to be a bit wary about promoting our work because we don’t want to appear “salesy.” I was the same when I started my art blog. But every marketer will tell you that you cannot wait for people to create opportunities for you.
You will have to take action and make it happen yourself! I’ve learned how to market my art (and am still learning), and along the way, I have written a couple of posts to help other artists to take the plunge, too:
10. Don’t sell yourself short
My last—but not the least—tip that I have for you is to never sell yourself short. Pricing your art prints has a lot to do with your creative confidence as an artist.
Never sell your artwork for less than what you need to make a reasonable profit. Take into account all your expenses, including art supplies, working time, overheads, marketing, delivery, and administrative tasks, such as maintaining your web store.
If you’re a new and emerging artist, it’s tempting to price your work lower to make sales. And while it’s easier to increase your prices than to lower them, you should not make the mistake to undersell your art. Underpricing your prints can send the message that you don’t value your own creativity, time, and skill. And, you will never be able to make a living with your art.
Setting fair, sustainable prices is crucial for every artist’s long-term success. It will not only allow you to get compensated appropriately for your efforts, but also to create the perception that your work has value and deserves respect.
So, whatever you choose to do to increase your art print sales, never sell yourself short—that’s probably the most important takeaway from this post. ʕᴖᴥᴖʔ
By the way, selling art prints is not the only way for artists to make money, by far. Here are 19 passive income ideas to monetize your art skills!
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I hope you could get some ideas on how to increase your art prints sales from this post. What strategies are you using to sell your prints? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you! Don’t forget to sign up for my email list so you don’t miss out on new blog posts and other cool stuff. ♥
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