A few questions about selling art

[Kymrie]

I'm a pretty good artist IRL and I could use a few $L, so I'd like to try selling some art in SL, but I'm not sure where to start. I scanned and uploaded a couple of my drawings, and got good feedback from the people I showed them to, but after that I ran into a few roadblocks.

First, how should it be displayed? Could I just texture a regular prim with my art, or should I find some sort of sculpt or mesh so that the art only covers one side of the object? And if I need a sculpt or mesh for it, are there any inexpensive ones you would recommend? 

How should I price it? I'm thinking of starting out with several simple pieces of line art and pop art and maybe one or two detailed/shaded pieces, but because the only art I've found is what's on the marketplace, and because what's on there is nothing like what I draw, I have no reference for pricing. Is 50L good for a simple pop art drawing of a sunflower (for example)? Or should I go higher or lower?

Where should I sell it? I'm getting the idea that the marketplace is probably not the greatest venue for selling art, but I can't really afford to pay rent unless it's ridiculously cheap.

Are there any groups for SL artists?

 

Thanks in advance for any help. :)

[Rolig Loon]

You can display a texture (your artwork) on a single face of any object.  You don't need to throw it onto every face.  Either:

1. Select the object with your Edit/Build tool, click the Select Face button, and click a specific face.  Then use the texture picker in the Textures tab of the Edit/Build tool to identify the texture to be applied to that face.  Or...

2. Drag/drop a texture directly onto a face from your inventory.

You can do that with any object: prim, sculpty or 3D mesh.  There are advantages to each, depending on what sort of surface shape/texture you want, whether you include framing as part of the object, and whether it is part of a more complex structure.  Creating an organic 3D object with 3D modeling could be fun, making a humdrum 2D image have depth and texture that you couldn't create with a flat canvas.  As in RL, think about framing and presentation as important elements of your artwork.  If you can create it yourself, as part of your artistic vision, it's probably more effective than if you slapped someone else's pre-made frame on your images.

Pricing is a crap shoot.  Items are worth whatever people are willing to pay for them, and there is something to be said for the Rolls Royce effect. (A Rolls Royce must be good, because it costs a lot.  A Saturn must be lower quality, because it's cheaper. Buyers get cause and effect backwards all the time.)   Frankly, L$50 for anything says "cheap" to me.  That's only 20 cents.  You can't expect to get RL prices for your original artwork inSL, but there's no reason to give the impression that you're creating refrigerator art either.

  As in RL, one-of-a-kind items can often command a higher price than mass-produced ones. Marketplace is probably not the best place to try selling unique or limited-edition artwork -- especially since MP has a hard time dealing with one-of-a-kind items of any type -- but it's hard to get visibility with a boutique gallery in some little corner in world too.  A shop with low rent in some obscure sim is not likely to attract patrons easily.  If you want to go that route, find busy "shopping" sims -- not malls -- where there are other people selling fine and decorative artwork, furnishings, jewelry, ....  You'll get better ROI than you will in that obscure low-rent place.  You'll find in-world galleries that feature many artists in a single venue -- like a RL gallery! -- as well as one-person galleries.  Ask around, visit galleries.

[Kymrie]

Thank you! I didn't know that about the textures - I'm not great at building. I like the idea of galleries. I might have to go explore some.

[Catherine Cotton]

As one artist to another. If you haven't read the terms of service yet please do so before you upload. In particular section 2.3. Cat

[steph Arnott]

There are groups of artists in world that exhibit and talk. If you wish IM me inworld and I will get the info from my sister.