Starting not long ago as a visual artist, I found it to be creatively very satisfying. There were many artistic discoveries that helped me find my true self, and when it comes to my network, some people were supportive and others were not comfortable acknowledging it. A friend once told me that because art evokes feelings and deep imagination, it can affect those who are not ready to be expressive. So be prepared to accept criticism and rejection as part of the process.

You may feel completely alone in your career as an artist with so many contests on the market and a product that is undervalued. But these are some of the challenges we face on a regular basis and even for the much more established professional these are common problems.

1. My art is not good enough

Feel like you’re not “creative or good enough”? Think deeply about what your definition of creativity is for yourself. Do you think your art is not creative or cool enough since it doesn’t look as special as some other piece of art that you should have compared it to? Or is it because you haven’t been making art for a long time? Whatever it is, you should not feel that your art is not creative or good enough, as such art will continually evolve and improve as time goes on. The real remedy to this problem is simply to get your art on the market and commercialize it, even if you don’t think it’s good or creative enough to sell it.

This provides a good learning experience and will help you accept the reality that art is not designed to be perfect. Even though you may see your main artwork and feel like it sucks, well that happens to most, so embrace it and embrace it. If you really believe that your art requires some work, then you should keep practicing and enter more courses that can help you develop further.

2. No one is buying my artwork

When you feel like no one is buying your artwork, ask yourself if you have a plan to achieve the required sales. What channels are you selling from and what are you doing to make sure those places generate revenue? Do you regularly update your online store? Are you selling your artwork to the right target audience? Are you promoting through social media and are you doing it efficiently? Let’s consider each of these queries below and discuss them individually: In order for you to come up with an ideal solution to this problem, you need to be willing to find where your problems are and solve them as quickly as possible.

Personally, I don’t freely sell my art to anyone because there must be value and respect for my creations, so finding the right buyer is a constant challenge. You don’t want to sell your art to someone for coins and find that your masterpiece has been left in the basement and is gathering dust. If you are marketing your collections at a more affordable price, invest in the sale of art reproductions / prints.

3. I don’t have a plan for my sales

To achieve more sales, you need to have a plan for how you will achieve them. Having plans / blueprints keeps you focused on your mission and helps you reach your goals faster as you have a better vision of where you will go depending on said plan. If you don’t have a plan; so this could be why you are not selling enough artwork.

Another good option would be to see other artists and how they market their artwork. You don’t always need to sell in galleries or markets. These days you can upload your art to many platforms that can help you sell.

4. Not knowing how to take advantage

If you are marketing your artwork independently, you need to make sure you have multiple means to do so. This ensures that you have more opportunities to make money and that your projects look better. In case you are only trading at the same time either online or offline you have to work in some other channel / income stream. This can range from marketing your art in various places online or offline, receiving commissions, and licensing your art. It’s exactly like that popular phrase: don’t put all your eggs in one basket!

5. Incorrect target audiences

You need to have a concrete idea of ​​the type of people who are likely to buy your work. We refer to this as your “Target Audience or Market” and it is used to classify who your actual buyers are. If you haven’t thought about who your target audience / market is, start asking your friends and family for feedback first. Once you can identify the type of people who prefer your painting, drawing or sculpture style, they will become your target audience. You will need to market your products to the same age group, gender, demographics, and lifestyle preference as your initial research. Simply put, if your painting style is pop art, you will most likely suit younger millennials than baby boomers. So you need to start creating and marketing specifically for this group.

6. Not enough online / social media presence

Whether you are marketing online or offline, you may miss out on a lot of prospects if you are not promoting your art on various social media. Suppose you are, even though you are not getting enough engagement or results from it. If so, you have to ask yourself if you are doing it correctly, that is, are you posting at the right time? Are you publishing the right content or projects? Are you aware of how often you should post on a social media platform? It may seem like too much; However, once you acquire all this data on social media, it will be easier for you and it will be the best investment of your time, as you will get amazing results.

7. Nobody supports my artistic career

Many artists and creatives have family, loved ones, or friends who do not support their artistic career. Such a reason could be because they don’t see it as a promising career, and they don’t realize how you would advance or support yourself with such an endeavor, and to be blunt, they just don’t get the whole picture / scene. We can even assume that they are concerned about you, as it is an unfamiliar area. The best way to have them on your side would be to tell them your plan. Discuss with them how you plan to earn money and let them know what you will do to make a living out of it. If you have a plan, it would be great if you revealed it and pointed it out to other existing artists who are making a living from their art. Through this, they will have a better vision and understand that this is a viable career prospect.

Your art business can be rewarding in many ways, yet it comes with many risks and sacrifices. If you’re willing to stick to your plans and invest your time and energy in development and problem solving, it can be quite a rewarding career. Remember to ask for help from those who are willing to offer you guidance and knowledge.