Freelance art
You make and sell your own art, or take commissions for custom pieces. Income comes from sales, commissions, and sometimes prints.
InstagramInstagram· 1–2 years in · 9 days agoFreelancing as an artist, with the goal of paying bills and going full-time, requires an immense amount of passion and commitment. The initial investment of time, energy, and money could sway many people who may consider it. Depending on your exact niche, clients can be extremely difficult to hunt down, platforms matter more than you’d think, and the quality of materials can make-or-break your works. There are plenty of reasons to take a different, easier career path. Starting from nothing, it can take months to gain a following without paid advertising or knowing someone in the business. Consistency is extremely important, as is interacting with your audience. Fellow artists love building community, and growing alongside them will help expand your reach, making the integration into the art world much easier. Art is incredibly rewarding, so long as you can manage your time. Burnout is common, with many amateur artists suffocating themselves with too many projects and overestimating their abilities. Learning how much you can handle is integral to building a successful business. Even with all of the challenges and obstacles I’ve faced, be it irritating clients, postal mishaps, mistakes that have cost me days of unpaid work… I would never go back to a typical 9-5. The raw emotions I pour into every piece I make for my clientele can be passed on for many years to come. I feel fulfilled, my schedule is flexible, I’ve adapted to my audience, I know my niche, and I can contribute to an important human experience that modern society is trying to erase. If you love art more than you fear failure, you’ll make a great freelancer.
If you're very passionate, you can do it. If you don't care too much, it'll take the joy out of the art.
Most people doing freelance art overpay on taxes — here's the full write-off guide.
