Artstation 101: A Full Guide to Selling AI Art

Raw & Real Still17
11 Jun 202312:01

TLDRIn this informative video, the creator, still17, shares his personal experience and strategy for selling AI art on Artstation. He explains that Artstation is not only a platform for selling art but also a community where artists can build their portfolios and connect with others. The video covers the features of the platform, including the Gallery, Shop, Portfolio, and Job sections. Still17 details his sales strategy, which involves analyzing the market, creating high-quality image collections, and using social media for promotion. He emphasizes the importance of a good cover design and clear product descriptions. Despite initial slow sales, he saw an increase in revenue during a multi-promotion sale event. The video encourages patience and consistency, as success on Artstation may not be immediate but can be highly rewarding in the long run.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 **Artstation Overview**: Artstation is not just a platform for selling art; it's a community where artists can communicate, share, build portfolios, and sell digital art.
  • 📈 **Sales Strategy**: Success on Artstation requires a strategic approach, including analysis, marketing, PR, and understanding the platform's features.
  • 🔍 **Market Analysis**: Analyze the marketplace to understand what sells well, focusing on popular product types such as image collections.
  • 💡 **Content Generation**: Use AI tools to compile high-quality images on specific topics, creating a unique and appealing product.
  • 🖼️ **Cover Design**: A standout cover design is crucial for attracting customers and should clearly represent the collection's content and theme.
  • 📝 **Product Description**: Craft clear and compelling product descriptions, taking inspiration from best sellers and tailoring them to your offerings.
  • 🏷️ **Tags and Themes**: Utilize tags effectively to increase the discoverability of your work on the platform.
  • 📈 **Portfolio Promotion**: Leverage the portfolio section to showcase your work and link to your products, as it attracts significant attention.
  • 🌐 **External PR**: Use external platforms like Pinterest to drive traffic to your Artstation profile, increasing visibility and potential sales.
  • 📈 **Sales Growth**: Be prepared for an initial period with little to no sales; growth on Artstation can be slow but becomes more substantial over time.
  • 📅 **Consistent Posting**: Maintain a regular schedule for posting new content to keep your audience engaged and to capitalize on trends.
  • 💰 **Earnings**: While earnings may be modest initially, they can grow as you refine your strategy, with the potential to significantly outperform other platforms in the long run.

Q & A

  • What is ArtStation and how does it differ from other platforms like Adobe Stock or Etsy?

    -ArtStation is an online platform and a community where artists can sell their digital art, communicate, share, and build their portfolios. Unlike stock image sites like Adobe Stock or print-on-demand platforms like Etsy or Redbubble, ArtStation is not focused on instant sales but rather on long-term growth and community building for artists.

  • What are the main sections of ArtStation?

    -The main sections of ArtStation include Gallery, Shop, Portfolio, Jobs, and a personal profile that combines all these sections.

  • How does one start selling on ArtStation?

    -To start selling on ArtStation, one needs to create a contributor account, analyze the market, create high-quality image collections, design a cover for the collection, upload the product with a detailed description and tags, and set the price for different licenses.

  • What is the strategy for selling AI art on ArtStation?

    -The strategy involves analyzing best sellers, creating a compilation of high-quality images, generating titles and descriptions, setting up a logistics system, using the portfolio section for promotion, and performing external PR on social networks like Pinterest.

  • How does the portfolio section help in selling AI art on ArtStation?

    -The portfolio section acts like an Instagram built into ArtStation where artists can post their work, write descriptions, use tags, and attract likes and subscribers. It is a key area for gaining visibility and driving interested people to the artist's digital products.

  • What are the two main options for selling on ArtStation?

    -The two main options for selling on ArtStation are selling digital products and prints. Digital products can include artwork ranging from paintings to 3D renderings, while prints involve publishing artwork as posters with ArtStation handling printing, packaging, and shipping.

  • How does the speaker use Pinterest for external PR?

    -The speaker uses Pinterest by posting images from new collections with links to their ArtStation collections. This strategy has resulted in thousands of visits to their Pinterest profile and dozens of clicks through to ArtStation.

  • What was the speaker's experience with sales on ArtStation in the first month?

    -In the first month, the speaker made a total of $18.62 from sales on ArtStation. Initially, there were no sales for the first half of the month, but after ArtStation's multi-promotion sales event, sales and product views increased significantly.

  • What advice does the speaker give for artists looking to sell on ArtStation?

    -The speaker advises artists not to expect quick sales and to be prepared for a period of time without sales or views. They also emphasize the importance of creating a good cover design for collections, using the portfolio section effectively, and engaging in external PR.

  • How does the speaker plan to continue their presence on ArtStation?

    -The speaker plans to continue posting weekly content, maintaining and developing their portfolio, tracking trends, and creating interesting collections of images and prints on ArtStation.

  • What are the additional ways the speaker has set up for viewers to support their channel?

    -The speaker has set up the YouTube Partner program and created an account on Buy Me A Coffee, allowing viewers to support the channel through small donations or by buying the speaker a coffee.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Introduction to ArtStation and Personal Experience

The speaker, still17, introduces the topic of selling digital AI art on ArtStation, a community-driven platform for artists to showcase, sell, and share their work. They discuss the various sections of the platform, including the Gallery, Shop, Portfolio, and Jobs, and emphasize the long-term benefits over quick sales. The speaker also outlines their strategy for success on ArtStation, which includes analyzing the market, creating high-quality image collections, and utilizing the platform's features to maximize visibility and sales.

05:00

📈 Sales Strategy and Content Generation on ArtStation

The speaker details their comprehensive strategy for selling on ArtStation without investing in advertising. This includes analyzing best sellers, compiling high-quality image collections, creating standout cover designs, and uploading products with detailed descriptions and tags. They also discuss the importance of setting the right price and licenses for the products. Furthermore, the speaker talks about leveraging the Portfolio section to showcase work and drive sales, as well as using external platforms like Pinterest for additional promotion and traffic.

10:02

📊 Results and Insights from Selling on ArtStation

The speaker shares their personal results from selling on ArtStation, noting that while the earnings were modest, they were achieved in a short period during a promotional sale. They highlight the importance of patience and consistency, as sales can be slow initially. The speaker expresses satisfaction with the growth of their portfolio and the potential for future earnings. They also mention the setup of the YouTube Partner program and a Buy Me a Coffee account for viewers to support the channel, and they provide links to their ArtStation account and social media platforms for further engagement.

Mindmap

Keywords

Artstation

Artstation is an online platform and community where artists can showcase their work, build their portfolios, and sell digital art. It is not a stock image site but rather a marketplace for original creations. In the video, the speaker discusses their personal experience selling AI art on Artstation, highlighting its features and the process of setting up a seller profile.

Digital AI Art

Digital AI Art refers to artwork that is created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The video's focus is on selling this type of art on Artstation. The speaker shares their strategy for generating and selling AI art collections, emphasizing the importance of understanding the platform's market and creating high-quality, themed image compilations.

Portfolio

A portfolio on Artstation is a section where artists can upload their work publicly, similar to an Instagram feed within the platform. It serves as a showcase for an artist's talent and style. The video mentions the importance of a well-maintained portfolio for increasing publicity and attracting potential buyers to the artist's digital products.

Marketplace

The Marketplace on Artstation is where artists can sell their artwork, which ranges from paintings to 3D renderings. It is divided into two sections: the general marketplace and prints. The speaker discusses how they analyzed the best sellers in the marketplace to understand what products are popular and how to price their own digital products for sale.

Sales Strategy

The speaker outlines their sales strategy for selling AI art on Artstation, which includes analyzing the market, creating high-quality image collections, designing cover art, setting product descriptions and tags, and utilizing the platform's features for maximum exposure. The strategy also involves external promotion on social networks like Pinterest to drive traffic to their Artstation profile.

Content Generation

Content generation refers to the process of creating the digital art that will be sold on Artstation. The video mentions the use of AI and the speaker's journey to compile 100 high-quality images on the same topic, which is a key part of their sales strategy. This process is essential for building a compelling product offering.

Cover Design

A cover design is crucial for an image collection as it serves as the first impression for potential buyers. The speaker emphasizes the importance of creating an original and clear cover design that stands out and effectively communicates the content and theme of the collection. Examples from best sellers are used for inspiration in the video.

Product Description

A product description on Artstation is a text that accompanies the sale of digital art, detailing the characteristics and rules of use for the product. The speaker suggests taking inspiration from best sellers and formatting the description to be clear and informative, which is essential for converting views into sales.

Licenses

Licenses in the context of selling digital art on Artstation refer to the terms and conditions under which the art can be used once purchased. The video discusses offering different types of licenses, such as free, standard, and commercial licenses, each with different use conditions and prices, to accommodate various customer needs.

Promotion and PR

Promotion and PR are essential components of the speaker's strategy for selling AI art. This involves using the portfolio section on Artstation to showcase work and link to products, as well as leveraging external social networks to increase visibility and drive traffic to the Artstation profile. The video highlights the effectiveness of this approach in attracting new subscribers and customers.

Results

The speaker shares their personal results from selling AI art on Artstation, which includes the total earnings and the growth of their sales over time. They note that while the initial earnings were modest, the sales increased significantly during a platform-wide promotion. The results serve as a testament to the effectiveness of their strategy and the potential of Artstation as a marketplace for digital artists.

Highlights

Artstation is a community platform for artists to sell digital art, communicate, and build portfolios.

Artstation is not a stock image site like Adobe Stock or a print-on-demand platform like Etsy or Redbubble.

Successful sales on Artstation require a long-term strategy and understanding of the platform.

The platform features sections like Gallery, Shop, Portfolio, and Jobs for artists to showcase and sell their work.

Artstation's Shop section is divided into Marketplace and Prints, offering different sales formats.

Portfolio on Artstation serves as a public space similar to Instagram for artists to post and gain visibility.

The presenter, still17, shares personal experience selling AI art on Artstation and provides a step-by-step guide.

still17 emphasizes the importance of a clear cover design for image collections to stand out to customers.

A comprehensive strategy from analysis to marketing, PR, and sales is crucial for success on Artstation.

still17 used a combination of internal platform features and external PR through Pinterest to drive traffic and sales.

The presenter generated content for sales by compiling high-quality images on specific topics.

still17's sales strategy involved creating a logistics system within the Artstation account for cross-promotion.

The presenter made $18.62 in one month from Artstation sales, highlighting the need for patience and consistent content posting.

Sales on Artstation increased significantly during a multi-promotion sales event, demonstrating the impact of platform promotions.

still17 plans to continue posting weekly content on Artstation to grow the portfolio and track trends.

The presenter encourages viewers to engage with the content and share their experiences with Artstation.

still17 has set up the YouTube Partner program and a Buy Me A Coffee account for viewers to support the channel.