Sell Landscape Portraits
Selling landscape portraits online is an exciting opportunity, especially if you’re passionate about art and nature. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting out, the key to successfully selling landscape portraits is to highlight the unique qualities of your work, find the right platform for selling, and develop a marketing strategy that attracts the right buyers.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to sell landscape portraits online:
1. Define Your Art Style and Niche
Before you start selling, it’s essential to define your artistic style and target market.
- Artistic Style: Is your landscape art realistic, abstract, impressionistic, or minimalistic? Are you focusing on mountains, beaches, forests, or cityscapes?
- Medium: Do you create traditional paintings (oil, acrylic, watercolor), digital art, or photography-based portraits?
- Target Audience: Consider who is most likely to purchase your landscape portraits. Are they:
- Homeowners looking for art to decorate their homes or offices?
- Interior designers seeking unique pieces for commercial spaces?
- Nature enthusiasts who appreciate the beauty of landscapes?
- Art collectors seeking original or limited edition works?
Once you have a clear understanding of your niche, you can tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.
2. Create a Portfolio of Your Work
A strong portfolio is essential when selling landscape portraits. Potential buyers will want to see a curated collection of your best work.
- High-Quality Images: Ensure that your landscape portraits are photographed or scanned in high resolution. Good lighting and proper angles are key to showcasing the details and vibrancy of your work.
- Consistency: Ensure your portfolio showcases a consistent style and theme. This makes your art more recognizable and attractive to specific buyers.
- Show Different Sizes: Offer various sizes for each portrait (e.g., small prints, medium-sized canvases, large-scale artwork) to appeal to a wide range of customers.
If you’re new to selling, consider offering limited editions or prints of your original works to allow more people to purchase your art without devaluing the original piece.
3. Choose the Right Selling Platform
Now that your portfolio is ready, it’s time to choose the best platform for selling your landscape portraits.
1. Build Your Own Website (eCommerce Store)
- Platform Options: If you’re serious about selling art long-term, consider building your own website using platforms like Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, or Big Cartel. These platforms are easy to use and provide excellent eCommerce functionality.
- Customization: You’ll be able to customize your site to reflect your personal branding and style.
- SEO: A personal website allows you to optimize your content for search engines, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
- Payment Methods: Integrate payment processors like PayPal, Stripe, or even cryptocurrency to offer flexibility to buyers.
2. Sell on Online Art Marketplaces
If you don’t want the overhead of managing your own website or want to take advantage of existing traffic, you can list your landscape portraits on art marketplaces such as:
- Etsy: A great platform for handmade and original artwork. Etsy has a large community of buyers interested in unique and custom art pieces.
- Saatchi Art: An online marketplace that specializes in fine art, including landscape portraits.
- Artfinder: A platform that focuses on original artwork, where you can connect with buyers directly.
- Fine Art America: A platform where you can sell original works or prints of your landscapes, with the added benefit of offering products like framed prints, canvas prints, and home decor.
These platforms give you access to a broader audience but charge commission fees for sales, so keep that in mind when pricing your art.
3. Social Media Platforms
- Instagram: Instagram is visual-based, making it an ideal platform for showcasing your landscape portraits. Create an art-focused profile, share your process, and engage with followers through regular posts, stories, and even live streams. Use art hashtags like #landscapeart, #naturepainting, #artforsale to reach potential buyers.
- Facebook: Join art-related groups, run targeted ads, or create a business page to connect with a larger audience.
- Pinterest: Pinterest is a powerful tool for visual inspiration and is widely used by people searching for home décor. Pin your landscape portraits and link to your online store or Etsy shop.
- TikTok: Share short videos showcasing your painting process, time-lapses, or behind-the-scenes of creating your landscape art. This can create buzz around your work and help build a dedicated following.
4. Pricing Your Landscape Portraits
When determining how to price your landscape portraits, you need to consider several factors:
- Size: Larger paintings or prints typically cost more.
- Medium: Oil paintings or other traditional media might be priced higher than digital art or prints.
- Complexity: Highly detailed or unique landscapes can justify a higher price.
- Market Research: Look at what other artists are charging for similar works in your niche. If you’re just starting out, consider pricing your work more competitively to attract initial customers.
- Prints vs. Originals: Consider offering prints of your original landscape portraits at a lower price point. For example:
- Original painting: $500–$2,000
- Limited edition print: $50–$250
- Open edition print: $25–$100
Offer Discounts or Packages: You can create promotions like “buy two, get 10% off” or “free shipping on orders over $100” to encourage more sales.
5. Marketing Your Landscape Portraits
Once your work is online and you’ve set your pricing, you need to implement effective marketing strategies to drive traffic to your store.
1. Content Marketing
- Blog: If you’re selling on your own website, create a blog where you can write about your artistic journey, landscape painting tips, or the stories behind your works. This not only provides value to your audience but helps with SEO and driving organic traffic.
- Email Newsletter: Collect email addresses from customers and potential buyers, offering them a discount on their first purchase or exclusive access to new works. Regularly send out newsletters with new landscape portrait releases or upcoming art shows.
2. Collaborations and Guest Posts
- Collaborate with Interior Designers: Reach out to interior designers who might be interested in incorporating your landscape portraits into their projects. Offer them a commission for any sales referred by them.
- Guest Features: Contact blogs or magazines in the art, home décor, or nature niches and ask if you can contribute a guest post or feature your artwork.
3. Run Paid Ads
- Facebook & Instagram Ads: Use targeted ads to reach people who are likely to be interested in landscape art or home décor. Create visually engaging ads that highlight your best work and include a call-to-action (CTA) directing users to your online shop.
- Google Ads: Running paid ads on Google can help you appear when people search for keywords like “buy landscape art online,” “nature portraits,” or “original landscape paintings.”
6. Offer Additional Products
You can expand your product offerings beyond just original paintings and prints:
- Framing: Offer framed versions of your prints to make it easier for customers to display your art.
- Merchandise: Turn your landscape portraits into merchandise like tote bags, greeting cards, mugs, or t-shirts.
- Commissioned Art: Offer custom landscape portrait commissions where customers can request a specific scene or location to be painted.
7. Engage with Your Customers
Once you start making sales, it’s important to maintain a relationship with your customers.
- Follow-up: After a customer purchases your artwork, send a thank-you email and ask for feedback or reviews.
- Customer Reviews: Display testimonials or reviews from satisfied customers on your website or product pages to build trust with future buyers.
Example Pitch for Selling Landscape Portraits:
Subject: Bring the Beauty of Nature Into Your Home with a Custom Landscape Portrait
Hi [Customer’s Name],
Imagine the tranquil beauty of a [sunset over the mountains/ocean view] hanging in your living room, capturing the serenity and vibrancy of nature. I’m excited to offer you a custom landscape portrait that brings the stunning views you love right into your home.
You can choose from original, hand-painted works or high-quality prints to fit your space and budget. I also offer framing and custom commissions, so your landscape can reflect exactly what you envision.
Check out my portfolio and let’s create a masterpiece that complements your style!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Conclusion
Selling landscape portraits online requires a mix of creativity, smart marketing, and finding the right platform to showcase your work. By building an engaging portfolio, pricing your art appropriately, and leveraging social media and online marketplaces, you can create a successful business selling your landscape artwork. Keep refining your approach based on customer feedback, and you’ll be on your way to growing a dedicated following.
Let us know if you need further advice or specific help with setting up your online store or marketing plan!