If you’re a designer looking to turn your artwork into a source of passive income, selling prints can be a lucrative and rewarding venture. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from preparing your artwork to shipping it to customers, so you can start generating income while doing what you love.

Step 1: Preparing Your Artwork for Prints

Before you can sell your artwork as prints, you need to ensure it’s set up for optimal quality. To begin, use a 4:5 ratio for your images, which works well for both Instagram and standard print sizes. Ensure your image resolution is set to 300 DPI to achieve high-quality results. A recommended dimension is 16×20 inches, which allows flexibility in printing at sizes such as 8×10, 16×20, or 24×30.

In addition to resolution, it’s important to pay attention to the edges and margins of your artwork. Make sure your design has clean edges or a bleed, which prevents important elements from being cut off during the trimming process. Adding a margin of at least 0.5 inches (or 150 pixels) will further protect your design. Before finalizing, perform test prints to verify that your artwork translates well from screen to paper. Save your files in formats like TIFF or PDF to ensure the best printing results.

You can make your own artwork in either Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or even Canva. If you prefer to find a professional graphic designer to help check out Upwork or Fiverr.

Step 2: Printing Your Artwork

Once your artwork is ready, the next step is to decide on the printing method. Each option comes with its advantages and challenges, so it’s essential to choose one that aligns with your needs and budget.

The easiest ways to get your artwork printed and shipped out to your customers is through a service like Printful. Printful is a print on demand service which means every time you receive an order they will print it out, fulfill it for you and even deal with returns. You will need to deal with customer service. The only downfall to this is it can eat into your profits and depending on the item they may take longer time for shipping.

An alternative is to use local print shops, which offer high-quality results and expert guidance. These shops are particularly helpful if you want to create custom or limited-edition prints. Building a relationship with your local printer can lead to better deals and personalized services.

If local print shops aren’t an option, online printing services are a convenient alternative. Popular options include FedEx, Staples, Poster Print Factory, and Costco Photo Center. These services often offer bulk discounts, making them ideal for large print runs. Among these, Costco stands out as an affordable and high-quality choice. While Costco requires a $50 annual membership fee, the quality of their prints and secure packaging make it worthwhile. When printing with Costco, use a 4:5 ratio for sizing, opt for a luster finish for a semi-matte look, and disable the auto-correction feature to preserve the original colors of your artwork.

Step 3: Setting Up an Online Store

To sell your prints and reach a wider audience, setting up an online store is essential. Choosing the right platform is a crucial first step. Options like Squarespace, Shopify, and Big Cartel are popular among artists. If you already have a portfolio website, consider adding e-commerce functionality to keep everything in one place. For those starting fresh, You can get a free trial with Shopify and they have affordable plans starting at $19 per month, This platform includes essential features like tracking, payment processing, and tools for managing your shop.

When setting up your store, consider offering free shipping within your country to attract local customers. Enabling multiple payment options, such as PayPal, Stripe, and Apple Pay, ensures a seamless checkout experience for buyers. Investing in a custom domain name not only enhances professionalism but also improves SEO, making it easier for customers to find your store online.

Step 4: Marketing Your Prints

Selling artwork is more accessible now than ever, and artists no longer need gallery representation to succeed. But creating your artwork is only 1 part of the equation. The other part is the marketing. Without marketing you will probably not have any sales or if they do they will be few and far between. Nowadays marketing is an integral part of an business and their success.

Here are some of the best ways you can market your prints and grow your business.

Have a Diverse Range of Work and Pricing

To cater to various budgets, it’s essential to create a diverse portfolio with artwork available at different price points. Exclusively offering high-priced originals can alienate potential buyers. Including affordable options, such as prints, stickers, notebooks, or greeting cards, ensures more people can support your art. Offering a range of prices allows customers to find something within their budget while still appreciating and purchasing your work.

Partner with Local Breweries and Coffee Shops

Local breweries and coffee shops frequently support artists by featuring their work as part of rotational gallery setups. These venues often offer free opportunities for artists to display their pieces, host live painting sessions, or hold opening nights. These collaborations provide exposure to local and traveling audiences, and venues typically don’t take a commission on sales. Artists only need to provide a body of work in varied price ranges.

Create and Share Business Cards

Business cards remain an effective way for potential buyers to connect with artists. These can include a QR code, contact information, or even be handwritten. Having this point of contact ensures interested individuals can follow up or inquire about purchasing artwork later.

The Power of Email Marketing

Email marketing can be one of the most effective tools for driving sales. Unlike social media, where algorithm changes can drastically affect reach, email allows you to communicate directly with your audience. You can start building your email list by reaching out to friends, family, and social media followers. To incentivize sign-ups, you can offer free phone wallpapers and early access to your print launches or even coupons.

Over time, this list can became a powerful resource for announcing new products, sharing updates, and sending reminders during print store launches. Even those who didn’t purchase during the first drop will remain potential customers for future sales.

Using the power of email marketing you can even set up automations for people who sign up to your emails or even those who abandon checkout. These can be powerful automations and if set up properly, can be profitable. A good email marketing software to sign up to is Constant Contact as it’s a simple to use software and is cost effective.

Using Time-Limited Offers

Creating a sense of urgency was another key element of my strategy. By making prints available for only a limited time—typically one to two weeks—you can encourage customers to act quickly. You can emphasize that certain prints might not be available again or would only return after a significant delay. This scarcity can motivate some buyers to complete their purchases.

You can also create offers such as buy one get one free, 50% off for 24 hours or 2 for $x. Obviously you would want to work out that running the offers would still be profitable for you.

The One-Month Build-Up

To ensure a successful launch, I dedicated an entire month to building excitement and awareness. Each week, I increased the frequency of my posts across social media platforms, from two to three posts per week in the first week to daily posts in the final week. I shared sneak peeks of the prints, behind-the-scenes content, and information about the quality and sizes of the products.

By consistently reminding my audience about the upcoming launch and sharing my genuine excitement, I ensured that they were just as enthusiastic when the store went live.

Social Media

Nowadays every business should be using some kind of social media. At the end of the day it is free advertising for your business, all you have to do is put some time and effort. There are many different social media websites and apps and obviously you shouldn’t use all of them for your business. After all it would drive you crazy keeping up with all of them! Choose a couple and see which one fits your target audience.

If you target technology focused audience then they may like to use X (formerly Twitter) or if you have prints targeting motorcycle enthusiasts then you may want to target Facebook or Instagram.

Now you might be asking, what do I post on social media? Depending on the platform but you can post behind the scenes content, lifestyle content, memes, new products, product photo shoots and quizes.

Step 4: Shipping Your Prints

Shipping can initially feel overwhelming, but with the right tools and materials, it becomes a manageable part of your business. If you’re using Printful to fulfil your orders, they will print and ship your prints for you.

However if you are printing them yourself, for printing shipping labels, Pirate Ship is an excellent resource. This platform offers competitive rates and allows you to choose from multiple carriers, including USPS, UPS, and FedEx. You can also print labels at home using a laser or thermal printer, which is cost-efficient in the long run.

When it comes to packaging materials, the size of your prints determines the best approach. For larger prints, such as 16×20 or 24×30 inches, sturdy tubes provide excellent protection. To prevent accidental openings, secure both ends with tape. For smaller prints, such as 8×10 inches, reinforced envelopes with cardboard inserts are ideal. Adding fragile or “Do Not Bend” stickers ensures extra care during shipping.

Protecting your prints is also crucial. Roll large prints in parchment or craft paper before placing them in tubes to avoid damage. For flat prints, include extra layers of protective paper between the artwork and cardboard inserts. Additionally, signing your prints can add a personal touch. Using Stabilo archival-grade pencils ensures your signature works on various surfaces, from matte to glossy paper.

Conclusion: Start Earning Passive Income Selling Prints

Selling prints is an excellent way to turn your designs into passive income. By preparing your artwork, choosing the right printing method, setting up an online store, and streamlining your shipping process, you can create a sustainable and profitable business.

Whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting, the steps outlined in this guide will help you launch your print-selling journey with confidence. Start today and turn your creative passion into a reliable income stream.