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Selling Digital Art Online for Free [Guide to Selling Art in 2023The Art of Selling

Mar 2, 2023

 Updated: 1 March 2023

For many artists, learning how to market their work online has opened massive opportunities to share and monetize the work of other people who are also art lovers. However, many creative entrepreneurs are in a state of confusion about the steps to take and how they can create a solid online presence.

If you're thinking that this is a familiar scenario and you're among many artists wondering how to sell digital art on the internet, this article is for those of you. We'll walk you through everything you need to know to be able to offer digital artwork online for free.

Below is a brief overview of the topics we'll discuss:

Advantages of Selling Digital Art Online

There are several benefits to selling digital art online as in comparison to traditional art

1. Affect a wider range of people

The selling of digital artwork online allows the artist to connect with a worldwide audience and showcase your artistic work to a wider market than selling through traditional channels.

Digital art is also able to be more affordable to create as compared to creating original art using traditional mediums like oil painting. Selling digital art online makes your work more available to a larger number of customers, which includes those who may not have access to galleries that offer traditional art.

2. Cost reduction - There is no more cost of goods

Selling digital art online eliminates the requirement to store physical art and the cost of shipping, which is a more cost-effective option for artists.

3. Unlimited passive income potential

Selling digital art can potentially provide passive income for artists because you will be able to offer your artwork over and over again , without having to pay additional costs for production or shipping. It is not necessary to take part in the order fulfillment process because most online platforms will automatically deliver your artwork digitally to the customers once they complete their purchases.

4. It's so simple to accomplish with a small budget

Digital art is easily sold and distributed through various online platforms, making the procedure easy and efficient both for buyers and artists. Artists will have the ability to sell your digital art anytime, anywhere, providing you with more flexibility and greater management over earnings and sales.

How do I Create Digital Art for Sale

If you're an established artist, you're probably acquainted how to create your own digital artwork by using Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, Rebelle and many more software that is specially designed to be used by artists.

However, digital art doesn't require exclusive creation in a digital environment. Investing in a good quality scanner allows artists to turn their artwork including watercolors to downloadable digital files , such as JPEGs and PDFs.

The most important thing to think about here is the size of the bed. The majority of budget scanners come with typical paper sizes, like A4. If your work is that is larger than this, you'll either need a larger scanner or you will need to learn to take individual scans and stitch them together in an application like Photoshop. Additionally, you'll likely utilize Photoshop to enhance the quality of your digital scans so that they are ready to sell.

Remember that your clients can increase the size of your image after printing it (so that you print using a resolution that is sufficient). A majority of printers print in 300 dots (dpi) so the 300 dpi resolution will give plenty of resolution even with larger sizes.

The only thing to bear in mind is that higher resolution means larger files. A lot of artists upload different sized files to their online store to allow customers to choose the one that is most suitable for them. You can upload many items within one list, with each file having a maximum size that can be up to 5GB (this will usually be adequate for the majority of artists).

Do I require any other equipment?

A reasonably well-equipped PC or iMac can certainly aid in the process. It will require ample memory for manipulating those large files and a good quality screen that accurately displays colors.

We've mentioned Photoshop earlier. This is a great tool to clean up your digital files as well as removing backgrounds. It's fairly simple to use, and you can find online tutorials available to assist. Cleaning digital files is particularly crucial if customers wish to increase the size of their prints.

Where can I sell Digital Art Online

There are 2 main channels that allow you to sell digital artwork online:

Through Online Marketplaces

There are a myriad of online marketplaces that allow the sale of your digital artwork, such as Etsy, SketchFab, CreativeFabrica, ArtStation, DeviantArt, and many more.

Here are the pros and cons of selling your digital artwork on online marketplaces:

 Pros

  • You can access the marketplace's customer base Access to the marketplaces' well-established customer base and traffic so that you won't have to conduct as many marketing as in the event of driving traffic to your own website (there are certain caveats with this; see the pros section further down)

 Cons

  • A low profit margin is common in online marketplaces usually charge expensive fees compared to selling from your own website. Furthermore, some online marketplaces will also cost listing fees, regardless of whether you've succeeded in selling the digital artwork you've created.
  • Delayed payouts: Most online marketplaces will only payout your income after you reach the income threshold for a specific amount or on specific period of pay (e.g. monthly).
  • Little-to-no customization of your online store and product listing: One of the benefits of being an artist is that you SHOULD be able to showcase your creative aesthetic in the design of your store online, but this isn't usually available with an online marketplace. Your shop (e.g. Etsy Shop) will look like every other seller's store with minimal personalization.
  • It's not your responsibility to manage your customers' information: It isn't easy to gather your customer's emails and keep in touch with them in order to build ongoing relations and advertise your new products.
  • Some online marketplaces may have a high level of competition. You'll need to constantly fight for attention. However, if the online market changes its algorithm for searching (which has definitely happened multiple times across many online marketplaces) the listing you have on it could be snubbed in search results and your prospective sales.
  • The challenge is to create trust with your customers: They are essentially shopping in an online shopping mall, where they can view your artwork digitally and the work of other artists too. Oftentimes this results in pricing wars, or consumers buying the most affordable products, which isn't conducive for artists looking to build a name or premium on their unique art work.
  • Limited marketing tools Marketing efforts using the internet are usually restricted to offering discounts or coupons. Selling on your own website using platforms like allows you to run various imaginative marketing campaigns ranging from one-time discount to a fully-fledged affiliate programme.

Through Your Own Website

Selling digital art from your personal website is as simple as the registration on an online platform, such as one where you could add your art work and design a completely custom web store or.

There are advantages and disadvantages of selling digital art on your personal website.

 Pros

  • A fully customizable online store or website that allows you to market your work of digital art
  • Potential to generate additional income streams by selling other things from your website (e.g. merchandise, online classes and art commissions and coaching services, memberships and more)
  • Full control over your customer experience
  • Full ownership over your customer's data, allowing you to use email marketing to continuously market your digital artwork items to customers
  • Get paid faster as most eCommerce sites pay you instantly using payment processors such as Stripe and Paypal

 Cons

  • It is necessary to direct visitors to your website which might take some time depending on your marketing efforts

It's no surprise that we would recommend selling your work via your own website. The best thing with this option is that you don't need to decide. It is possible to sell your work on your own website and also on online marketplaces simultaneously. Widen your wings as possible to increase the likelihood of selling!

If you're planning to sell on multiple platforms, you should pick platforms that offer an perpetually-free service so that you don't have to spend a dime until you earn your first cent. Now, let's go over how you can get started in selling your work on the web in the next article.

How do I sell Digital Art Online Free

1. Start an online Store with no cost

provides an excellent list of features which include:

  • Generous forever free plan. It is ideal for creatives who wish to own a beautiful site without having to spend a cent
  • Easy to use website builder, with drag and drop editor (no technical skills needed)
  • The eCommerce toolkit is built-in so that you can sell various products including Digital downloads (e.g. digital art, design assets) Online classes, art tutorials, coaching services or custom art-related commissions or memberships as well as physical goods
  • Security features like limit downloads as well as PDF stamping, which aid in stopping the spread of piracy
  • Unlimited storage space is ideal for artists who need to upload large image files on your websites
  • Domain and hosting for your website is free (you are also able to connect custom domains if you'd like to)
  • Integration with payment gateways Paypal and Stripe so you will be paid instantaneously when orders come in
  • Highly effective marketing tools such as referral systems, affiliate marketing, upselling, cross-selling, coupons, as well as the marketing through email
  • If you have an existing site, you could use to embed a "Buy" button to your current website
  • There's plus!

As a side note, has maintained the same generous forever free plan for over 10 years. So it's safe to say that this plan won't be ever going to change!

Register to get a no-cost account (no payment info needed) to follow along with the remaining steps of our instructional here.

SELL DIGITAL ART ONLINE

Join over 130,000 sellers that have created their online businesses with

2. Upload your Digital Files as Product Listings

After your work is in a sellable digital format, you are able to add them to product listings. It is possible to upload any type of file format on so that you don't need to think about changing your files.

has a comprehensive instruction for uploading the product description of your digital art Here.

Beyond that, here are a couple of other important things to keep in mind:

  • Use a compelling cover image to promote your products. If you're required, create an illustration of your art using graphics design tools such as Canva
  • Powerful product descriptions will not simply entice customers to make a purchase, but also help you get ranked for organic traffic
  • Other things you can do to increase your customers' purchase conversion such as customer reviews and "Related products"

3. Set pricing

If you're new to selling on the internet, determining what price to set can be the toughest decision. It's about finding the sweet spot that allows you to earn an income and establish a reputation while not selling yourself short.

Research how much similar products from similar artists are selling online. Remember, you are able to raise prices whenever you increase your fame and profile.

Additionally, you may set a price-based on what you want for your customers to contribute an additional "tip" in addition to the minimum cost.

4. Make your site attractive

Source: https://shop.alainajensen.com/ (Example of a Design Assets Online Store on )

You can choose one of the free themes to create an appealing and cohesive design for your website, or you can build one from scratch by using the no-code drag-and-drop store builder. It also offers an easy-to-follow video guide on how to create a site for free by using their store builder, so let your imagination run wild and design an incredible website that showcases your individual style as an artist!

A strong online presence is crucial for selling digital artwork and showing your work. Your website should be easy to navigate. Create separate pages on your website to showcase your work, your biography Contact form, biography, and finally your online shop section. Use only high quality photos and proofread your writing to ensure that your website looks professional.

5. Promote your website or online store

After you've had all the pieces set and ready to roll now is the time to advertise and drive people to your site so that they can browse your work and buy items.

Here are some low budget marketing strategies to get you started:

  • Create a following on social media. Social media platforms are great chances to connect with prospective clients and showing off new ideas.
  • Meet others artists and professionals within the industry. You might be able cross-promote your online stores or recruit associates to join your network.
  • Participate in virtual art shows or join galleries to increase the chances for selling
  • Develop content that will engage the readers, such as newsletters, blog posts or even questions and answers

What Other Digital Products Can I Make Money with as an Artist?

As artists, you can sell a variety of digital products beyond just digital paintings or other traditional art. Some examples include:

Below are links to tutorial videos in which you will be able to see what it's like to sell these types of products as an artist. That will help you get your imagination flowing of how you can establish these income streams yourself.

 Final Thoughts - Selling your Digital Art Online

Selling digital art online can be an exciting and lucrative possibility for artists. Due to the popularity of online shopping and digital platforms making it easier than ever to reach a global audience. With the help of the suggestions and strategies outlined in this guide, you can boost your chances of success and start earning cash from the passion you have.

Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out It makes it simple to sell your digital art and get your work seen by a wide market. has a generous forever-free plan that lets you start an online enterprise without paying even a dime. With  it, you'll have everything you need to turn your artwork into a successful company. Begin selling your digital work in the online marketplace for no cost today!!

FAQ

What is digital art?

Digital art is a broad concept that covers any type of work created with digital technology, at any stage of the process. In the example above, one could take a photo and then make use of digital tools to alter the image into a work of art. Digital art may include art and drawing, 3D modeling, photo manipulation, pixel art, animation and many more.

What should I charge my digital work?

Digital artwork is sold for anywhere from a couple of cents to millions of dollars, contingent on the work and its creator, and on whether it is sold as a single NFT or as multiple copies. If you're making custom versions of digital artwork, you might be selling them for $100 or more. If you're selling digital artwork that can be bought over time, such as general graphics, the price is likely to be somewhere in the $1 - $50 area.

Do I have enough art for it to be offered to buyers?

The only way to really determine if your work is worth selling is to test it by selling it. It's difficult to tell if artwork can be described as "good" as opposed to not as this is so subjective. Artwork that someone likes could be seen as uninteresting or poorly created by someone else.

Is being a digital artist really worth the effort?

If you love creating digital works of art and are interested in becoming a digital artist can prove to be extremely rewarding. It can be a long the time needed to earn significant amounts of money, many digital artists earn a regular salary from their job. Be prepared to put in the hardwork to grow your client base before you begin to see a an impressive return on the investment in time.

Can selling prints of art be profitable?

They can be viewed as an artwork created digitally because you've likely designed the artwork using a computer or other device, and you're selling them on the internet. They can be a really lucrative way of selling your art, especially when you are a fan of art which is suitable for printables. You could, for instance, enjoy designing borders, calendars, checklists, or any other element that is suitable for printing.

Do you think that the digital representation of my work is it still considered to be real art?

It's true that the digital rendition of your work is not considered to be real art. It's not cheating: even digital fine art painting or digital illustrations, graphics, or digital sketches require a great deal of skill, time, and effort. While digital art work can be reproduced multiple times without losing qualities, they still have significance as artwork. It is possible to use NFTs to also give digital artworks that unique, exclusive feel of physical artworks.

It is better to create an Etsy digital product listing or have a product page on your website?

Do I have to sell prints of art?

Selling the digital versions of your artwork is simple and enjoyable alternative is to give your clients the option to buy art prints from you. Certain customers might be equipped with the printers needed to be able to print out the digital artwork which can showcase your creations in the most professional light. Prints of art can be sold via print-on-demand companies who print your art on demand and ship the art prints directly to your customers. There is a reasonable profit margin by selling art prints.