Traditional artists often face several challenges when trying to earn money online. While the internet provides vast opportunities for showcasing and selling art, there are specific barriers that can prevent traditional artists from achieving financial success in the digital space:
1. Digital Skill Gap
- Lack of Technical Skills: Traditional artists may lack the technical skills needed to navigate online platforms, set up digital shops, or market themselves effectively online.
- Learning Curve: The transition from traditional methods to digital tools and platforms can be daunting, requiring time and effort to learn.
2. Marketing and Self-Promotion
- Limited Marketing Knowledge: Successful online selling requires effective marketing strategies. Many traditional artists may not be familiar with digital marketing techniques like social media promotion, SEO, email marketing, and paid advertising.
- Reluctance to Self-Promote: Some artists might feel uncomfortable promoting themselves and their work, which is essential for building an online presence.
3. High Competition and Market Saturation
- Oversaturated Market: The online art market is highly competitive, with countless artists vying for attention. Standing out in such a crowded field can be challenging.
- Undervaluation of Art: With a vast array of artworks available online, some potential buyers might look for the cheapest options, which can undervalue the time and effort put into traditional art.
4. Pricing and Perception Issues
- Difficulty in Pricing: Traditional artists may struggle to price their work appropriately for an online audience, especially if they are used to gallery pricing or commission work.
- Perception of Value: The value of physical art can sometimes be difficult to communicate online. Potential buyers may not perceive the same value in digital images of traditional artworks as they would in seeing the piece in person.
5. Limited Understanding of Digital Products
- Digital Adaptation: Traditional artists might not fully understand how to convert their art into digital products that sell well online, such as prints, digital downloads, or merchandise.
- Resistance to Change: Some traditional artists may be resistant to digitizing their work or adapting their art for online sales, preferring the tactile, physical nature of their art forms.
6. Shipping and Fulfillment Challenges
-Logistics: Selling physical artworks online involves handling shipping and packaging, which can be complicated and costly, especially for international orders.
-Risk of Damage: There’s a risk of artwork being damaged during shipping, which can deter artists from selling physical pieces online.
7. Copyright and Art Theft Concerns
- Fear of Theft: Artists often worry about their work being copied, shared without permission, or even stolen online, which can make them hesitant to display their art digitally.
- Lack of Legal Knowledge: Many artists might not be well-versed in copyright laws and how to protect their work online.
8. Platform Fees and Costs
- High Commission Fees: Many online marketplaces and platforms take significant commissions from sales, which can reduce an artist's earnings. Like Etsy. Nuff said. That's why I switched to Creative Fabrica
- Subscription Costs: Some platforms require upfront subscription fees, which might be a barrier for artists who are just starting out or who have limited budgets.
9. Building an Audience
- Time-Consuming: Building a loyal following online takes time and consistent effort, which can be a slow process.
- Need for Consistent Content: Engaging an online audience often requires creating and sharing regular content, which might be challenging for traditional artists who may not work as frequently or have a backlog of pieces to share.
10. Emotional and Psychological Barriers
- Fear of Rejection: The fear of receiving negative feedback or not selling any art online can be discouraging.
- Imposter Syndrome: Many artists struggle with self-doubt, feeling their work isn't good enough to sell, especially in the competitive online market.
By addressing these challenges and gradually building up digital skills, marketing knowledge, and a strong online presence, traditional artists can overcome these barriers and find success in the online marketplace.
Here's a good t-shirt design for artists:
