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7 min
I’ve known from a young age that I’d be an artist, but I didn’t realise I could actually make a healthy living from my passion. I would have been happy to just ‘make a living’, but luckily for you and I, we are living through a time where opportunity is limitless.
It’s important to me that I share my knowledge with artists because I remember how big and scary it felt when I was starting. I had no clue where to look for help and ended up learning the long-winded way!
So I’ve compiled my lifetime of marketing knowledge into an e-book which outlines every step I've taken to build my multi 6 figure art business.
So now, let me tell you my story.
In this blog post I share how I've generated over a million in revenue from my artwork. Read on to discover my most successful revenue streams and tips to help you do the same.
Before we get into it, if you’re interested in learning my Chinoiserie painting techniques, I can help you! Join me by subscribing for free advice and downloadables, with so much more to come.
Many years ago as I was flicking through a book about wallpaper, I noticed something a bit different, something exotic. It was the extraordinary art form known as ‘Chinoiserie’. I noticed it didn't repeat like normal wallpapers, it was a scene. An endlessly beautiful scene of nature, colour and joy.
Related blog post: The Timeless Allure Of Chinoiserie Of Chinoiserie Wallpaper
I wrote to the only company in the UK still making silk wallpapers the traditional way. I wanted to be part of this SO badly.
The stars aligned and I spent 7 sweet years painting and drawing for them in watercolours and gouache, travelling the world and living a dream.
I learnt the traditional painting techniques in China, from master craftspeople. I saw levels of talent I didn’t know existed. I became more and more absorbed into the world of Chinoiserie art.
I painted in luxury residences, yachts, hotels, casinos and celebrity homes. But my favourite time was painting a floral chinoiserie scene inside a bespoke Rolls Royce Phantom.
It was all very very special! But I wanted to share this mysterious and unique art form with more people, so I set up on my own…Diane Hill Limited…ahhh the dream!
I painted all the walls in my home with Chinoiserie murals, I photographed them and established myself online.
Related blog post: Painting A Chinoiserie Nursery - The Entire Process
Work didn’t exactly come flooding in, or at all. But I continued painting at my dining table, in the ridiculously small window of time I had between kids and life. Always sharing on Instagram, learning the ropes every day.
For the first 3 years I focused exclusively on bespoke hand painted projects, this made sense as I had no money to invest, all I needed was my own two hands and some basic art materials.
I worked with some incredible interior designers on the most luxurious schemes, painting murals directly onto walls, or creating silk wallpapers from my studio.
Related blog post: Creating The Ultimate Chinoiserie Chic Bedroom
At year one I’d jump for joy if an enquiry landed in my inbox, desperately awaiting replies and discouraged when they didn't come through. By year 3 I was inundated with a 12 month waiting list and was able to pick and choose what suited me.
Eventually I felt overworked and financially limited. Being up a ladder all day is not easy and there was a ceiling to my earning capacity.
So I turned to the wonderful world of print, with a global audience and an established presence in the design world I was able to sell my art online.
My business scaled fast because I set up with an automated print on demand studio (The Print Space), this meant orders were fulfilled automatically and I was not responsible for packing and shipping, giving me more time to create art.
Related blog post: The Making of my Botanical and Bird Print Collection
If you want to scale your art business and serve a global audience I’d encourage you to sell your art in printed form. This could be art prints, wallpaper, fabric, accessories, the list is endless. But my biggest tip is to start with the easiest route with the biggest margin and in my humble opinion, that is art prints.
I learnt that the marketing of my work was more important than the art itself! I realised that you could be the most talented artist in the world, but without an audience you won’t sell a thing.
I spent every spare moment learning about online marketing, I binged podcasts - Shopify Masters, Amy Porterfield, The Ecommerce Roadmap, just to name a few, and read many books, my favourite being Donald Miller - Storybrand.
I learnt the importance of email marketing, brand presence, web conversion optimisation, SEO and all the things I never thought I’d understand in a million years! I applied them and over time my sales were consistent, without any paid ads.
With a growing online presence I was approached by brands offering collaborations, you can learn more about them here. Brand collaborations are an incredible way to connect with new audiences and potentially earn a considerable passive income.
This could be in the form of royalties (a small percent of the overall sales, 4-8% average), where you do the work once and get paid for years to come, or you could licence a design for a larger one off fee.
My social media following consists of a large number of artists who are inspired by my work and eager to learn, so I also began selling my own art materials and launched an ebook to share my techniques.
Today this accounts for a large percentage of my business revenue and is incredibly rewarding, which is why I’m now developing an online course.
My advice to any artist growing their own business is to look for opportunities and capitalise on them. If you are regularly asked for something, explore how you could make that happen. You’ll be serving others and growing your business simultaneously, how great is that!
Since my dining table days, I’ve converted my attic into a bright and beautiful art studio where I’ve been able to create the dream I set out to achieve.
I’ve made Chinoiserie accessible and created a multi 6 figure business selling my art online. I’ve landed some incredible licensing deals with aspirational brands. And I live a fulfilling life, working 30 hours a week, doing what I love.
So from my privileged position, I’d really like to help you. You may have already achieved your dreams, or you may be at the very beginning. Either way, I'd love to help you grow even stronger as an artist and professional. There are just 3 magical ingredients you’ll need:
If you apply these 3, there is no way you can fail, I promise. You don’t need to be the best artist, I certainly wasn’t! You just need drive and ambition, you got this!
I hope you enjoyed reading about my journey!
If so, please sign up below and check out my new marketing eBook 'The Art of Marketing'! With heART, Diane
Comments
Hi Diane,
Love every email from you. You are always so encouraging and generous with your skills. I have one question here. How did you approach designers or people who commissioned you initially at the beginning . I don’t know how to approach people or get that 1 st job !
Thanks
Thank you for sharing this and inspiring so many!
Such journey and stories inspires people around and I m inspired too. It gives a sense of possibility, even I could achieve the same.
I love art and painting. Hope to start up my own studio one day (for sure) and earn out of it, just the way you did! A 6 digit salary. Your story was motivating. Thank you for sharing it. :)
