Let’s get something straight: if opening another online store, printing more greeting cards, or tweaking your Etsy tags one more time could make you money… it would’ve happened by now.
But here you are, exhausted, uninspired, and still broke.
So I’m gonna lovingly scream this from the rooftops:
You don’t need another damn print shop.
You need a plan.
Selling Isn’t the Only Way to Make Money from Art
There’s this myth in the art world that if you’re not constantly pushing products, you’re not “really trying.” So you:
- Sell prints nobody buys
- Take commissions that drain your soul
- Drag your folding table to a market and hope for a miracle
Meanwhile, your actual talent — your creativity, your ability to guide and inspire — is sitting on the sidelines.
What if you didn’t have to sell anything to make money as an artist?
That’s right. There are alternatives to selling art that don’t require you to be a marketing expert or a social media wizard. One of the smartest?
Hosting your own pop-up paint class.
Teach Art. Get Paid. No Studio Required.
I’m not talking about quitting your life and becoming a full-time art teacher. I’m talking about a 2-hour, beginner-friendly art workshop for adults at a coffee shop, wine bar, boutique, or community hall.
You show up with supplies, guide people through a project like “Paint Your Pet” or “Floral Abstracts,” and walk out with real income and new fans.
This kind of art experience business is one of the fastest ways to make money from your creativity without actually selling your art.
It’s a creative side hustle that’s:
- Easy to start
- Flexible AF
- And way more fun than shipping tubes of prints across the country
“But I Don’t Know How to Teach…”
Cool. Neither did I when I started.
The secret? You don’t need to be a professional educator to teach art for income — you just need a simple, repeatable plan that helps people feel successful while creating something they love.
And spoiler: that confidence you’re waiting for?
It comes from doing, not overthinking.
So stop Googling “how to make money as an artist” and start asking:
What would happen if I just taught one fun, low-stakes class?
$400 in a Couple Hours. No Website. No Storefront. No Algorithm Required.
Let’s run some quick math:
- You host a class with 10 people
- You charge $40 per seat
- You keep your supply costs low (and reuse what you can)
That’s $400 in a single night doing what you love, without needing a big audience or a fancy studio.
This is what happens when you step off the content hamster wheel and start running a beginner artist business that’s built on connection, not clicks.
So What’s the Plan?
It’s simple:
- Offer a creative experience, not just a product
- Teach a project that’s fun and accessible
- Partner with a local business to keep costs down
- Get paid to do what you love, in real life, with real people
If that sounds better than printing 50 copies of your watercolour mushroom for a $14.99 profit… then we’re on the same page.
Ready to Get Out of the Print Shop Spiral?
You don’t need more product listings.
You don’t need more rejection from the algorithm.
You need a plan that fits your personality, your time, and your creative energy.
And that’s exactly what we’re building inside the Minted Makers Co-op — a cozy, no-BS space for artists who are done guessing and ready to grow.
It’s where creative women learn to build real businesses around their art — with support, strategy, and none of the gatekeeping crap.
👉 Join us here
(Tissue paper and algorithm tears not included.)
