Today kicks off a series of posts during April and May focusing on one of my favorite art business topics: art licensing! If you’re not sure what licensing is, it’s basically like renting your art to another company so they can use it on their products. And of course, you get paid for this! There are many nuances to licensing and how to get licensing clients, so I’ll be sharing more about that in the coming weeks!

We all want to get our art noticed, right?! Well, at least if you’re trying to earn a living from it. So today I want to talk about one major trait that will get your noticed more easily by potential clients and customers: 

Consistency. 

I know, I know. That sounds a little boring. But getting new clients and eyes on your work isn’t boring, right?! So let’s talk about what exactly I mean by consistency and how you can apply it to your art. 

Consistency in your art does not mean painting the same thing over and over again. Far from it! I mean something more along the lines of…

Being consistent with the general style of your art. 

I’m all about experimenting and having fun with your creativity. It’s actually super important! When you first start out creating art, it is absolutely key to experiment, and make lots and lots of art with varied subjects and supplies. But if you’ve been at that stage for awhile and you’re starting to feel comfortable, it may be time to move on to something more consistent. 

Think about the artists you admire. What ties their work together? Is it the color palette, subject matter, medium of choice? Thinking about your own art, what could that be for you? If you’ve been sharing work that’s a bit all over the place, try to narrow it down even just a little bit. Even if that’s just for a month or two to start, I challenge you to stick to one medium or one general style of art and watch the growth that happens. 

Your audience will pick up on it, and it will be easier for them to connect with your art when it’s a more focused series. And if you want to license your artwork or gain collectors, they will have a stronger understanding of what to expect from you. 

For example, if you know down the line you want to focus on painting landscape commissions using oil paints, but you’re still sharing portraits painted with watercolor, it’s time to start painting and sharing the kind of work you actually want to get!

And remember that can still cover different subject matter or use different types of materials: just think about your long-term goals, and achieving an overall sense of your own style, and work towards that. 

(After you read this post, head to one of my past posts all about finding your signature style for more tips). 

Being consistent with sharing your work. 

If you’re serious about making a living with your art, it’s time to commit to sharing about it online on a regular schedule. This doesn’t have to be every single day, you can find the schedule that works for you and your current situation. 

But once you do find it, stick to it! This builds trust in your audience. When you disappear for weeks at a time without notice, it can be confusing to the people who were excited to see new posts from you. 

This counts for in-person interactions too. You don’t have to seem narcissistic, but find ways to talk about what you’re working on with people in real life. Making real life connections is extremely helpful, especially when you are first starting out! You never know if they know someone who would be interested in your art.

Being consistent with your professionalism. 

Sharing your work consistently is a big part of building a professional reputation. But there are other areas to remain professional, too.

Respond to every comment, message, and email about your art as soon as you can. Even if you get emails about something you’re not interested in, let them know that you aren’t available at this time and thank them for contacting you (unless it’s spam, ha). 

Have business cards handy in case you strike up a conversation with someone about your art. Send them to friends and family to hand out as well. This is where the details matter, and will take you far in the long-run. 

I hope these tips help you think about your art in a new way. Not everything hinges on making the “best” art out there. I credit any of my success with being consistent when sharing my work, the type of work I share, and staying on top of the details. 

Being consistent is giving your art the respect it deserves! When things seem overwhelming or like you’re getting stuck, remember that you always have the power to start again. It IS hard to be consistent sometimes, and you will most definitely get sidetracked at some point. But, you can always come back to it! And I KNOW you will, because you’re here. 🙂