What Is the Best Time of Year to Send Art to Auction?

Throughout history, artists, inventors, and creators of all kinds have e'er been connected with those who had the means to invest in their artistic work and support them. Not much has changed. Fifty-fifty though artists enjoy much more than creative liberty, they always flock around events, venues, and people with money hoping to sell their art. Not knowing how to sell art can become a real problem for a young creative mind, especially if they are too focused on making art and likewise little on surviving in the real world.

Today, being an artist is very similar to being a solo-entrepreneur: afterward ideation, invention, and creation, distribution has to come. Enlightened that this may pose a problem for a lot of artists, the Discovery Art Fair team has put their heads together to come up with the Best Guide on How to Sell Art specially designed for creative minds.

Nosotros've fabricated a compilation of the most effective and most common means to market place, spread, and sell your fine art keeping in listen that budgets are always an issue. You are invited to think out of the box, by all means, but commencement – let's see what the box looks like.

artfein Gallery at Discovery Fine art Fair Cologne

How to Sell Your Fine art

Nosotros are lucky to alive in a time when selling art implies a multitude of options. Art can be exhibited and sold traditionally, in galleries and showrooms, but information technology can also be marketed online, on social media, and by using different marketing techniques. Trends in art selling change all the time and sometimes they are affected by "a higher power", such equally the current COVID-19 pandemic. In such a fast-irresolute environment, it's crucial to stay informed and follow the pathways of interest: if you believe your art is best presented at a traditional gallery, follow galleries and meet how they do, but if you retrieve your piece of work tin only also be presented online, then discover ways to exercise so. Whatever you decide, make certain that your selling strategy befits your art.

How Do I Beginning Selling My Fine art?

Equally the hardest offset step, yous need to produce some art. It would be best to create a coherent cycle, series, or group of works that speak for you and your expression. If you have more volumes behind y'all, all the amend because if you want to sell something, it'south essential to have enough goods. But since you are the creator behind the business, always keep in mind that production needs to happen regularly – either every day or in regular defended periods of time, whichever way is best for your practice.

Now that you accept some art, you need to define your style and your target audience. If you're creating abstract fine art – there are collectors for that, and if street art is your thing – you volition attract a unlike crowd. Do you lot create drawings, sculptures or digital art? What is the scale of your works? When you know what style or styles can exist used to describe your art, you lot will observe your potential customers easier.

The adjacent pace would be to figure out the best way of selling for y'all – either through more or less traditional ways, direct arroyo, or pop-up exhibitions in real life or online. Knowing this will help yous define the path you need to walk and tell you lot what kind of promotional materials to prepare.

In this guide, we'll hash out all the most common ways to sell your art then keep reading.

Is My Art Skilful Plenty To Sell?

This is the million-dollar question, isn't information technology? It's hard for an artist to put a monetary value on their artistic work because information technology comes from such a visceral place. Because of this, it frequently happens that artists put either too low or also high prices for their original pieces. This can terminate the sales before it begins considering very low prices can seem suspicious and nobody wants to pay a fortune for a emerging art.

The key is to know where you stand in terms of quality and the respective market.

This is something where an art counselor, art historian, or critic, a gallerist, or an experienced artist can help you. Once yous first mingling with the right oversupply, don't exist agape to inquire for opinions and take them as learning cloth. You lot tin find out a lot by merely showing your art to people from the art world and knowing their opinions, simply beware – information technology tin be stressful to get criticism and you should be prepared.

When you feel that yous got plenty opinions, y'all may accept had a pocket-size exhibition or two and you are confident that your work is solid, you lot'll know that your art is proficient plenty to sell. This may be hard for perfectionists, only try to exist equally rational as possible. In the stop, selling fine art is a rational business concern in essence.

Artist Gregor Kalus at Discovery Art Fair Cologne, 2018

How To Sell Art Offline: Galleries, Art Fairs, and Auctions

In that location are many ways to sell your fine art offline, most of them quite traditional, but proven and secure. If you feel this is the all-time way for you, there are withal several different options to call up near:

1. Joining an art gallery
2. Selling at art fairs
3. Inbound auctions
4. Organizing pop-up exhibitions
5. Selling direct from your studio.

Any of these sales funnels tin can be successful, depending on the type of fine art and the character of the artist. Even so, it helps to know that the most successful artists usually have gallerists that represent them.

Find a Gallery

This is probably the most common aspiration of many artists worldwide and, at the same fourth dimension, the hardest one to accomplish. It'due south not piece of cake finding the right match amongst many gallerists and it's common knowledge that they can exist reluctant to take new and not-yet established names. On the other paw, there are galleries that cannot wait for artists' pitches and that'southward where yous need to beware: if y'all have more followers on social media than the gallery, you may want to skip it.

The all-time way to approach a gallery would be through a curator close to one. Make sure to exhibit your work whenever you can and to invite critics and curators to see it. In that location are many curators who venture into the unknown and love discovering new names. Research the curatorial scene close to you and invite the relevant people. It may bring you more chances and perhaps even a gallery representation.

The other fashion is cold pitching. Galleries are different and while some accept submissions and welcome artist emails, others are entirely airtight to them. Find the ones that are open up to new names and draft a smart pitch together with a groovy portfolio. This is generally considered a longshot, simply sometimes it does piece of work, especially if the gallery's artist portfolio matches your work in style and aesthetics.

In that location are many artists who believe that finding a gallery is just too much work and opt to represent themselves. They notwithstanding have a lot of options to showcase and sell their art, just they will have to work a lot harder to gather the right audience. Finding a gallery should, therefore, be a job parallel to the entrepreneurial work an artist does to self-brand and self-promote.

A not bad example of the artist-oriented gallery is Ateliers im Delta, a producers' gallery that participated in Discovery Art Fair Frankfurt 2018 and 2019 likewise equally in Cologne 2018. They are peculiarly peachy to offer art academy students and graduates a presentation and sales platform.

Berlin-based Galerie Z22 is a frequent exhibitor at Discovery Art Fair. Information technology successfully presents and markets exciting artistic positions.

Showroom at an Art Off-white

Easier said than done, for certain, particularly because many art fairs don't allow artists to prove their work unrepresented. Luckily, in that location are organizations, such as Discovery Art Off-white, that accept dedicated unabridged sections to creators. Make sure to do your research and find the right fine art fairs to use for. Once accepted, you can showtime planning your booth.

Selling art at an fine art off-white can be slap-up for your art business. Although fine art fairs are places of trade, they are exhibitions also, places where your art tin can exist spotted by a popular curator or a successful gallerist. Simply most importantly, fine art fairs are visited by art collectors, people you tin come up into directly contact with by just presenting your fine art. This fashion y'all can learn more almost your audience and art lovers willing to pay for your art.

Exhibiting at an art fair as an independent artist may non be your long-term strategy, only it's definitely something yous should attempt because the feedback you'll get you lot cannot go anywhere else.

*** The special portraits by Sebastian Herzau, presented by the dieHO gallery, and paintings by Lukas Frese, presented by Galerie Augarde, were among the bestsellers of the past years at Discovery Art Fair.

Join an Sale

To exist frank – it'south very difficult for an emerging artist to sell a piece through a famous auction house. However, at that place are auction houses and then there are auctions.

If you'd like to run across how your piece of work would do in such an environment, peradventure try to bring together a charity or a local auction, if just as a part of your marketing strategy.

Y'all may find out that your work is popular and go along selling this way, but what will happen – your work will reach a number of collectors interested in purchasing fine art. This could bring y'all more buyers or followers, perhaps even fans in the long-run.

Finally, it'southward dainty to take role in a charity auction so yous will not waste your piece of work or your fourth dimension. And if the auction is commercial, yous take zippo to lose.

Put on a Pop-up Show

One of the popular ways to proceeds more audience, show your work and sell some of information technology is to organize a popular-up exhibition. To practice this, y'all volition need a venue, a way to present your piece of work, promotional material, and something to serve to your guests.

What's skilful about popular-up shows is that you lot may sell some piece of work to your erstwhile and new fans and yous volition probably accept a proficient time.

What's tricky is that you can't put high prices because you don't know who'll evidence up, yous don't know y'all'll evidence upwards, and you lot don't really know if it will work at all.

You lot may be inspired past artists you love that do pop-ups all the time, but think almost it – they are ofttimes organized past a gallery, meaning they could exist selling older works at improve prices this way; these artists already have established careers or the pop-upwardly concept fits their artistic approach.

Information technology'south something to try, especially for the younger artists, only non a manner of selling that should become a practise.

Open Your Studio

This is probably one of the best ways to start selling art and 1 that you don't take to discontinue always unless you go an exclusive gallery contract in which case – you won't care.

Most of the artists worldwide sell art from their open up studio. For collectors, this means no gallery fees, no shipping fees for the buyers coming in personally, getting to know the artist, and finding precious art at the place of creation.

Still, you should be aware that you lot tin't sell everything directly, for instance, the art you lot consigned or the art you really don't desire to sell. Information technology tin can be hard to argue with a fan in your personal space, but most of the collectors are reasonable people.

What you'll need to sell art from your studio is, of course, a studio, a well-done portfolio and a website, your works brought in society physically (drawings in folders, paintings neatly put in place etc.), a printed brochure, and a lot of marketing, specially on social media.

Fifty-fifty if you don't brand a sale, studio visits tend to make an impression on visitors, so allowing people into your studio space is also a great way to garner more audience and accomplish new collectors.

Independent and successful, Kaja el Attar a Berlin-based artist who takes part in art fairs and sells her fine art in self-organized exhibitions.

Peer Kriesel is another artist who uses different sales channels and who has dedicated a lot of time to creating a great website portfolio.

Galerie Z22 booth at Discovery Art Fair

How to Sell Art Online: The Easy Way to Start

Selling art online is probably the easiest and the best way to commencement your fine art marketing journey. Today, there are many means to build an online presence and you can beginning by building your website, but you can as well dedicate time to curating a thoughtful social media profile on Instagram. Whichever manner you choose, the channel yous create will exist your portfolio as well as your catalog.

Collectors aren't afraid of buying fine art online anymore, and they are increasingly relying on social media to find new names and pieces, then you can simply apply this state of affairs to put yourself out in that location and accomplish your crowd.

Where is the Best Identify to Sell Art Online?

Depending on the type of fine art you are trying to sell, you lot tin cull from a lot of new and established websites that bargain, present, curate, and sell art for you. The single all-time place is hard to discover considering unlike places work differently and attract dissimilar buyers.

Yous can create profiles on global selling platforms such as Amazon or eBay, because, believe information technology or non – people do await for art at that place. Simply if yous desire something more specialized, in that location are many websites where yous tin create your contour and upload your work.

Some of these places, such as Artfinder or Saatchi Art, accept groovy interfaces, marketing and they are well-known in the art globe as reliable. If you're creating digital work and blueprint, perhaps you'll want to try Behance.

There are many art-selling platforms to choose from and brand sure to practice your research before you discover the best one for you. Fluctuations online are fast and frequent, so what is pop today may be yesterday's news tomorrow.

How to Use Social Media to Sell Art

Permit'south render to social media for a moment. For many artists, social media, especially Instagram and Facebook, only other channels as well, are the best way to stay connected to their audience while being open to taking commissions or fifty-fifty selling existing pieces.

There are artists who jump-started their international careers via Instagram!

However, the main fob is to stay dedicated to your business relationship and to curate it very carefully. Just posting art on your folio may not work, every bit your feed might go monotonous. Information technology's ameliorate to lively up your folio with some studio shots, materials, peradventure friends hanging out at your studio or stories amidst the art. Don't forget to tag relevant profiles too! When you lot gather the post-obit, buyers will come.

There are a few things to avoid while using social media as an creative person. Don't approach galleries via social – information technology'south non very professional and information technology'due south better to send an email. Try not to tag random galleries you're not in contact with, especially not all in one post – they will experience spammed and volition ignore you. Merely recollect about staying professional, but interesting.

In that location is some other line of thought to follow in one case you decide to sell your ain art – sales guided by your medium.

*** One of the artists who sell art online quite successfully is Eliot the Super. Check out his website hither. He presents his Urban Fine art at the Discovery Art Fair regularly.

*** Some other Discovery Art Off-white exhibitor is a tech-startup smart-collectors, selling fine art successfully online. They were among the "ten Exhibitor Highlights from the Rhine-Chief Region" at our Discovery Art Fair Frankfurt 2019.

Eliot The Super berth at Urban Fine art Section at KOELNER LISTE, 2017_-photo Stefan Maria Rother

Dissimilar Mediums – Different Funnels

Art is such a wide term and nosotros know it can include everything – from drawing to performance. Assuming that performance artists don't really look into direct sales due to the nature of their medium, others should be aware of the opportunities and limitations imposed by their creations. For instance, prints are easy to send, but sculptures – not so much. It's technical things like these that define a lot of the approach in fine art selling.

Let'southward look at the important things to consider in selling your art according to the medium.

How to Sell Fine art Prints

Art prints are probably the almost versatile fine art product when it comes to sales. You lot can sell them any way you desire – through a representative gallery, from the studio or online. They are fairly easy to ship and many shipping companies worldwide are used to sending prints to distant places safely.

If you're an emerging printmaker, consider starting with online sales while searching for the right gallerist. Y'all can accomplish success sooner than you lot recollect.

How to Sell Art Drawings

As paper-based works, drawings are similar to prints in terms of sales technicalities. Easy to ship and present online, they are convenient to create and distribute. However, drawings are original works and you may demand to consider better insurance at shipping considering a lost drawing is hardly the same every bit a lost edition impress.

If you're a draughtsman looking for sales funnels, consider the prophylactic issue meliorate. Otherwise, you have a pretty big window of opportunities to present and distribute your art.

How to Sell Sculptures

At present, sculptures are something else. Made out of solid materials, some are heavy, some delicate, some complicated. Made in different scales and installed in different ways, sculptures are very complicated to ship. This is why the best way to sell sculptures would probably exist through a representative – a gallery, an art consultant, or similar – who has the help and the experience in technical matters regarding the sculpture market place. It's not impossible for an independent sculptor to bargain with these matters, but knowing everything about legal, safety, and shipping matters requires a full-time job.

If you're a immature sculptor, look at the market that's near you and endeavor to showroom there. Await at artist collectives and local galleries, also every bit the exhibiting, grand or residency opportunities. And curate your social media well.

How to Sell Paintings

Paintings tin be either easy or complicated to sell. Presuming they tin can exist presented in all the ways as prints and drawings, texture, painting materials and sheet do play a function in a buyer's decision. This is why it'southward all-time to sell paintings in direct contact with the heir-apparent, which may be either individually or through a representative.

Every bit for the technical issues, they depend on how complicated the painting is. The majority of paintings can be dismounted from the frame and shipped safely, but this is really individual and each creative person should consider their own situation.

If you're an emerging painter, focus on exhibitions. Go far real-life contact with the art crowd as much as you can, but always mind that there are online platforms that do distribute paintings worldwide. It really depends on how yous utilise your medium and what your intentions while selling are.

How to Sell Objects or Installations

Objects and installations can be complicated, depending on the cloth scale and purpose. Many installations are site-specific and that is where an individual artist cannot exercise much – they need professional person help in sales. But smaller, solid, and not-hands-broken objects can be sold online without much hassle.

If you're exploring dissimilar media and hope to sell your ain art, practise consider the complications information technology may bring. Think nigh your materials, physical durability, and shipping safety and you volition know where to await for the right sales funnel.

How to Sell Digital Art

Immaterial and fresh, with digital art aircraft is a non-outcome. However, presentation and validation are but equally of import.

There are many digital artists selling their work online, individually, and somewhat successfully. Just if you lot desire to enter the 'real' art world past creating digitally, you volition demand someone to back up you lot – a gallerist or a respected art advisor. Image is of import here, and your art needs to be excellent. The time of beautiful posters has passed and the fourth dimension for complex, cute, immersive videos and visual imagery has come.

Think of new technologies, viewer engagement, contextual layering, and research. And don't shy to apply for grants and competitions.

*** Edvardas Racevicius, a Discovery Fine art Fair favorite, exhibits at our art fair individually and sells his sculptures from his studio and through several galleries. He doesn't limit himself in terms of sales paths, but rather takes what's in that location and applies it to his work.

Edvardas Racevicius at DAF with Peter Funken, the art fair curator

A Few Art Marketing Tips for Artists

Equally y'all see, in that location are many ways to sell your fine art, offline, and online, and they all depend on your style, approach, aesthetic, and medium. Once you manage to ascertain your expression, you'll know what the best way for y'all is. Simply whatever you lot decide, there is ane thing y'all'll need to take care of – and that is YOU.

Self-branding is crucial for artists. You lot need to become known in the art circles and hither are a few fine art marketing tips on how to accomplish that, elegantly.

Communicate

This is the key. Communication with art professionals can get you the network you need, so don't hesitate to talk with swain artists, curators, gallerists, journalists, collectors, art lovers… To talk to people, you need to exit there and frequent openings, popular-ups, performances, exhibitions, and other fine art events. Enter the art globe and do it without hesitation. It may seem intimidating, but it's actually only another market.

Make an Immaculate Portfolio

In instance you meet an interested someone – a heir-apparent or a curator – y'all demand to accept a portfolio prepare. It doesn't have to be physically present with you, just if you have it online and in hard copy, that will work for yous.

All the same, a portfolio is not just a compilation of your work. Information technology's a advisedly curated, chronological, well-photographed, and smartly written presentation of who you are as an artist and what your art is about. It needs to be flawless to prove your dedication and how serious you are about your work.

Your art does speak for itself. Merely your portfolio speaks for your art.

Talk to Your Crowd

When y'all get-go getting the idea who your collectors and followers are, outset the conversation. Use your social media to practise this, but don't exist shy to do it in person. Ask for ideas, ask for opinions, inquire for feedback and advice.

Downwards-to-Globe people are e'er favorite, and so be i.

Use Marketing to Your Advantage

This one may seem foreign and stupid, but it'south not. Classic digital marketing techniques such as electronic mail outreach, targeted social media posts and campaigns may spread the word about your art further.

If yous're non certain how to do this by yourself, get help from a professional or read up about it online. With the earth at your feet online, it'due south a shame not to have advantage of such simple, all the same constructive techniques.

Peer Kriesel boot at Discovery Art Fair Frankfurt, 2018

Permit's Summarize!

Starting an artist'due south journeying is difficult and selling your fine art tin be even harder. However, information technology'south very possible and even easier than e'er with the ways we covered in this guide. We do not presume these are the only approaches in art selling, but they are the all-time known and proven to piece of work for thousands of artists.

You can dedicate your fourth dimension to finding a gallery or find ways to sell straight at an art fair or a popular-up show.

Y'all can find an art-selling platform online, create a great website, or employ your social media profiles to reach a new audience.

You can start browsing the art globe starting time to get the feel of information technology and then decide according to your own art. The world is, pretty much, your oyster, simply selling your fine art volition crave a lot of work and a lot of patience.

So, if you're still struggling with how to brainstorm, come to the fair, talk to us or our artists and get some inspiration in person. And know that if nobody is buying your art now, they may do then in a few months. What's of import is not to requite up!

Until then, don't forget to create! That IS the most important, subsequently all.

Discovery Art Fair team and participants are always open up and happy to assist newcomers to the scene, then bank check out the upcoming fair edition and come! We'll assistance yous observe the all-time selling option for your art with our inspiring program.

smart-collectors booth at Discovery Art Off-white Cologne 2019

Featured image: Exhibitor Atelier Joerg Minarth Discovery Art Off-white Cologne

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Source: https://discoveryartfair.com/how-to-sell-art/

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