Making Money With Art

Making money by selling artwork is one helluva fun. Have you been in this familiar situation? You're among a group of friends and the conversation turns to art. You feel out of place because some of your friends can draw, paint, or turn a clump of clay into someone you can recognize instantly. But all you can do is say, I wish I had talent."

Stop wishing and become one with them even with nary an art talent. Become the most popular and sought after person among your group of "arty" friends. Yes I'm talking about being an art broker. Here are following things you may enjoy while doing this along with making money of course:

1. Be the most important one in your circle of friends by selling the other's artistic creations.
2. Constantly have a changing art exhibit in your own home.
3. Earn commissions on every sale.

Making money by being an art broker is a delightful way to add numbers to your bank account, with this pursuit - there is always a chance that one of your artistic friends will become fairly well known and sought after. If that materializes, you've tied yourself to a star that can bring you instant fortune!

To start making money, all you need is a group of people with some talent in the arts. If you don't know too many of them, you can find them by joining clubs or classes in town, by going to lectures, or even advertising for them. Put a little ad in the paper that says an "art dealer wishes to add one or two more talented painters to the group of artists he represents" and your phone will be busy for a week. Your biggest job will be to judge, with some accuracy, those artists who can paint salable pictures.

Line up a group of artists who will agree to work through you whenever any of their works may be sold. This is important. You don't want to develop a market for a certain person's work and then discover that he is making money by selling things himself and eliminating your fair commissions

Be smart while making money. Have the artists sign a simple agreement-similar to what you would sign if you gave a real-estate agent an exclusive offering to sell your house. You should get at least one third of the selling price as your commission.

In making money being an art broker you need to get several of your artists' work for display and live with them in your own home for a while. It's amazing how some things will grow on you, and how others will quickly pall. This is good indication of which items will be most easily sold. Also, check your insurance coverage. Usually, the artist is responsible for insuring his own work.

With making money with art as your goal you need to know that cost of your promotions sometimes won't cost you anything. Rather, you should become skilled in public relations and get as much free publicity as possible. You can do it in various ways.

1. Offer to put on free "art shows" at your local library, service club, school, or church group.
2. Develop a "story" about your artists and try to get some stories in your local paper about one of them from time to time.
3. Work with decorators, designers, architects, and buyers in department or furniture stores. Many times you can work a "consignment" deal with them.

And of course your biggest promotion is the the permanent of display you have in your own home. If you want to keep on making money don't be shy or afraid to show everyone who comes to visit you some recent additions to your collection.

Your growth will come in two ways: you will add more and more artists to your string; and you will be able to increase prices (thus making your more money) of certain works as the artists gain a certain reputation and following. Minor fads can develop rather quickly. A customer buys a seascape by a certain artist through you. Her friends see the picture, and soon they all come to you wanting similar seascapes by the same artist. Be ready to capitalize on situations such as this and keep on making money. Art money that is.