Key takeaways
- You can sell your art online without a gallery — directly to your audience.
- Sell originals or prints in editions, photographed in true colours.
- A certificate of authenticity or edition number creates trust.
- With Microcart you open your art webshop and determine your own prices.
Sell art online with photographs that show the work, its details and its scale. State the dimensions, materials and whether the buyer receives an original or a reproduction. Build your time and packaging into the price, then plan how each piece will reach its buyer safely.
What exactly are you selling?
You have more options than just the original work:
- Originals — describe the specific unique work, dimensions, medium and any previous sale or ownership. Set the price using your own costs and market comparison.
- Prints or reproductions — state printing method, paper, dimensions, edition and what is included. Calculate printing, packaging and selling costs for each version.
- Commissioned — work to order, with a down payment and clear agreements.
For each work, record whether it is an original or reproduction, image and paper dimensions, technique, edition size and framing. Explain number allocation for a numbered edition. A framed room photo must not imply that a frame is included when you sell only the print.
Pricing your work
Build a pricing sheet covering materials or printing, labour, packaging, channel fees and a damage or returns allowance. Calculate what remains from the price excluding VAT for each sales channel. Compare lead time and edition availability too; a higher asking price alone proves neither value nor demand.
Photos: crucial for art
Someone buys your work online based on a photo. It must be correct:
- photograph straight from the front, with even, neutral light (no reflections);
- display the colors as truthfully as possible;
- show detail (texture, brushstroke) and the work in a space for a sense of scale.
An incorrectly exposed photo will detract from your work and will lead to disappointment upon receipt.
Shipping fragile artwork
Art can be fragile and large. Pack securely (protect corners, flat shipments between cardboard, paintings in a sturdy box), and insure valuable pieces. Calculate the shipping costs honestly or include them in your price. General tips can be found in sending packages cheaply, although fragile or large work often requires sturdier (and more expensive) shipping.
Tell your story
With art, one buys the creator as much as the work. Your story, your process and your face make the difference:
- show yourself and your studio;
- tell the inspiration or story of each work;
- use Instagram to show your process — an ideal showcase for art.
Own webshop versus platform
Your own store gives control over presentation and direct contact with buyers. You still pay for the platform, payments, packaging, shipping and acquisition, alongside materials and time. Compare those costs with an art platform’s commission and other charges; a higher margin is not assured. See also: an art webshop.
Frequently asked questions
How do I determine the price of my art?
Record materials, time, packaging and channel fees and set the amount you need to retain per work. Compare asking prices with actual comparable sales where that information is available.
Should I sell originals or prints?
Compare fulfilment, buyers and the amount left after all costs for each format. An original does not automatically earn more than a print. You can combine them if presentation, edition and availability stay clear to buyers.
How do I send art safely?
Pack securely and protect corners and surface; insure valuable pieces. For fragile or large work, consciously choose sturdier shipping.
Is your own webshop better than an art platform?
Your own store offers more presentation control; an art platform may offer reach. Cost both channels fully and assess which combination suits your work and available time.
How do I stand out as an artist online?
With your story and your process. People buy the creator as much as the work — show yourself, your studio and your inspiration.
Get started
Determine what you're selling (originals, prints or both), set up a consistent pricing logic and take accurate photographs of your work. Tell your story in your own webshop and use Instagram as a showcase. Ready for the specific approach? Check out how to start an art webshop with Microcart. Do you also make other crafts? Learn how to make and sell jewelry.
