Digital Product Explosion! What’s Your Story?
After years of being in, and working within the arts, I am very amazed at how I initially overlooked using my digital camera, and my love for visual arts and media, as a tool for selling or earning a living online. I had seen so many visual artists display their awesome works all over the internet for some time. There was a digital product explosion! While creating digital art myself, I was so wrapped up in other forms of “marketing”, I completely did not see the forest for the trees.
One day a bell rang while I was designing yet another fansite for a well-known musician. While creating and building websites was something I had already come to know well, my experience with selling my art was basically still sleeping. I finally woke up to the entire digital art market (took me long enough lol). A good thing too, because although I had been relatively successful at marketing at that point, rest assured, I felt I was out of place, and kinda stressed out.
Selling my own work on platforms and marketplaces
To make a long story short, around 2012, I began researching and experimenting with different platforms and ideas to sell my own works. Some of those platforms are fabulous, while some are so-so. Others are just not worth the time and money to get someone started. You see in this world today, the majority are just struggling to stay afloat. Most people do not have any “extra” cash to invest in buying store software or hosting. Nor can they afford to pay a platform aka marketplace, to add items, and pay for each listing upfront, regardless of a sale or not.
Not to bash any platform, but some are just better than others. This is one reason why I am still experimenting with platforms, and most likely always will. You can and will currently find art and other digital items I have available in several places. It only makes sense if you have a brand and you want it “out there”. But aside from my own stores, it is not any secret that my Creative Fabrica Store is my favorite platform all around!
And then there is Print On Demand (POD)!
Oh, how I love Zazzle! Have been happy there for years. Do you need more testimony than that! I have 10 stores here and they still make me passive income.
The reason I give you this info is that Print On Demand (POD) is alive and well. Some of you reading this love looking at, and in most cases purchasing these beautiful designs from artists, but think you can not play in the digital game yourself, because you believe you have no artistic talent of your own. I am here to tell you, that is a lie, or at least that you are fooling yourself into believing that is true. Anyone can create, and also sell what they create, whether they made it from scratch, or used design resources to get the final result.
What is artistic? Life and everything around us. Inspiration is art, thought is art. In other words, words are art! If you can cook a meal you have created something artistic. It’s true!
So if you believe you can not make a living or need a lot of investment in creating and selling art, I’m telling you POD is the way to go. Right here on Creative Fabrica you can browse for art and graphics with commercial use, which you can use to create graphics you can resell. Some artists here create POD items which you can also use to start your own business on platforms like Zazzle or other POD platforms. Zazzle only charges fees after sales, as well as many POD platforms do, unlike those that charge upfront for listings. Not to mention, it is so much fun to create mugs, pillows, and so many other items with designs you have put together.
If you have been browsing designs and using them for any number of things, such as making cards, scrapbooks, wall decor, etc., why not think a step further, and use them to create something you can also sell.
In a sense you could say, I as an artist, and many of my fellow artists, create resources for you to take and make something new, that will not only bring you happiness, but a few (or many) peanuts on the side!
Happy Creating!
Angela
