Getting Started Painting Portraits, Advice Please

ArtMonkey

Hey all, I want to start an online business painting portraits, but I haven't a clue about the business aspect of things. Although I have talent and the painting aspect isn't a problem, I have no formal training, so I literally don't know where to start, in terms of getting it off the ground. I have started painting sample paintings. But taxes, how to set up an account for payment of work, setting up a website, how to safely package paintings for postage etc, any and all advice will be appreciated.

Please no negativity, I know it's not the most lucrative business to get into these days, but I'm doing it either way, so only helpful advice please.

NyquistFreak

ArtMonkey wrote: »

Hey all, I want to start an online business painting portraits, but I haven't a clue about the business aspect of things. Although I have talent and the painting aspect isn't a problem, I have no formal training, so I literally don't know where to start, in terms of getting it off the ground. I have started painting sample paintings. But taxes, how to set up an account for payment of work, setting up a website, how to safely package paintings for postage etc, any and all advice will be appreciated.

Please no negativity, I know it's not the most lucrative business to get into these days, but I'm doing it either way, so only helpful advice please.

Hey, I started something like this in the last year myself. I can tell you that facebook is a good place to start with getting your portfolio out there, nearly everyone has a facebook I'm also self taught and I'm still just working from my own personal page with a public album. I started a separate business page there recently but I'm not overly impressed with the reach of it to be honest, but it's a grand way to divert the randoms friending your personal account because they want a portrait!

As far as tax, you should be able to find all you need to know in here:
http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/reliefs/artists-exemption.html

So far I'm just taking cash in hand (you can get a receipt book from easons or something to keep record) or straight into the bank account, although I'm considering setting up a paypal too.

As for postage, I just use those cardboard postage tubes you can get in stationery shops for about 1.50 each, the postage on a drawing in one of those is about 3.50 within Ireland, and I haven't sent anything out of the country yet. I work pretty much exclusively in charcoal and pastel so the paper rolls well and the rolls are perfect for me, although I'm not sure how suitable that suggestion would be for heavier grade paper or for paintings. I've used hard backed envelopes too, I don't really have a preference though.

I found pricing my own work was the hardest thing in the world to be honest, still not fully settled in that respect, and the first few times you get enquiries for work, quote a price and never hear back from the person again can be a bit rough! I wouldn't mind a bit of guidance in this aspect myself to he honest! I spent a few months putting my portfolio together, and only really started as a business venture there in November just gone, although I have to say I've been steadily busy since, which was a bit of a surprise after the initial Christmas batch of orders went off to their new homes! I have enough work to keep me going til about April now (considering I'm just doing this in the evenings for a couple of hours after my kid goes to bed I mean, it's not a full time thing at all!) so there's definitely interested out there for that kind of thing anyway

As for a standalone website....no clue sorry! Although I do remember using a program called Dreamweaver in college (not art college though, ha!) that made writing the code to make a website a ton easier, you'd need a host server or something then which I can't remember anything about...but I genuinely hate that stuff anyway, it's too much hassle for the likes of a jumped up hobbiest like me! would you consider something like deviantart or etsy? I've considered it and still haven't got around to it yet as facebook has genuinely been turning up enough interest to keep me busy...Do ease yourself in slowly though and figure out the pace you're comfey working with if you can, I landed myself with a bit more work than I could handle at first with only a couple of weeks til the Christmas present deadline, but feeling much better about the same amount of orders now with no deadline (within reason I suppose!), just takes a bit of time to find your own rhythm

Hope this helps anyway, all the best with it!

Pignut

Have confidence in yourself Artmonkey, the world is your canvas, paint it well

ArtMonkey

Thanks NyquistFreak, you've been most helpful!

I'd given up on getting a reply, hence the late response. Sounds like you're kept busy, which is good! I especially appreciated all the little tips re postage, receipt books, and facebook. I have some paintings on boards and stretched canvas, which I'm wondering how I would package (to avoid denting and damage). You've given me a lot to mull over. I will also be branching out into prints of paintings (not just portraits) for sale online, so etsy will be my first port of call.

I'll report back on how I get on with it all, still trying to source the best printer service etc. In the meantime I've been painting away Thanks so much for sharing your experience, really appreciate it

ArtMonkey

Thanks Pignut, you have a sage like presence

Pignut

Why thank you

James DD

How much does a portrait cost are they expensive.? You can get exposure with a little business cards

Dramatik

Don't forget instagram as well, it's good for reaching an international audience as if you use the right hashtags a lot of random people will see your work. With facebook it'll be mostly only your friends and their friends that will see your work.

Custom Painting

thanks NyquistFreak that's a nice piece of usefull information