If you’re going to sell your art, you have to know why people buy art in the first place, right?
To be a successful artist, you have to understand that people don’t just buy art; they buy emotions, stories, and identity. When you know the “why” behind the purchase, you can focus on your customers needs and desires.
This post explores the motivating factors that turns a browser into a buyer.
Read on.
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People Buy Art for Status and Identity
Ever wonder why someone would spend big bucks on a painting when they could just buy a cheap print? Let’s be honest, humans are pretty self-centered creatures, even if we don’t like to admit it.
We often buy things like art to signal our status, taste, and identity to other people. It’s ego driven.
When someone walks into your home, they aren’t just looking at your walls. They’re looking at you. Dare I say judging you.
We use art to showcase our values to the world. It’s a reflection of ourselves.
It’s all about how we see ourselves. Studies show that people buy products based on their “self-concept”. Basically, you buy art that fits the person you want to be. If you own an original piece by a real human artist, it might even make you feel a little bit special.
Bottom line, in a world full of AI slop, nobody really wants to signal that they’re a fan of disposable crap. People want to show they value real human effort. They want something that says they have great taste.
People Buy the Story Behind the Art
Believe it or not, most people don’t buy a painting just because it looks nice. If they just wanted something pretty, they could grab a cheap print from a big-box store.
The real reason they’re opening their wallets is for the meaning and story behind the work. This hasn’t got to go deep or be profound. In fact, going to high-brow can be intimidating.
Think about it this way: a painting is actually incomplete without its background story.
When you buy art, you’re buying a piece of the artist’s life. You’re buying their struggle, their mission, and the specific moment that inspired them to pick up a brush.
Read this: How to Talk About Your Art
It’s all about selling the romance. People want to feel a connection to the person who made the art. They want to hear about your “journey” your studio mess-ups, and why that specific subject matters to you.
This is where human artists have a huge leg up on technology. An AI can generate a perfect image in seconds, but it can’t live a life. It doesn’t have a voice or a life experience that inspired the image.
In the end, your art is only as valuable as you are as the artist. When a buyer knows your story, they aren’t just taking home a print, they’re taking home an encounter they can share with their friends.
People Buy Emotional Connections
Sometimes art hits an emotional trigger that makes people want to take it home immediately.
This is especially so when they see a link to their own loved ones or memories in the work. It’s not just about what looks good; it’s about what feels right for the heart.
Pet portraits are a perfect example of this emotional pull. Since pets are cherished members of the family, a painting becomes a lasting memory of a best friend. It’s a unique way to celebrate a life that means the world to the owner.
Paintings of local views perform in a similar way. They are memories of a time and place. These connections have meaning for the buyer. They may not be ‘high art’ but neither are they superficial.
I discovered early on that a good title will also assist in creating an emotional response.
Dig deeper here:
I like to use this example. I have a drawing of a proud lion called “Head of the Family,” and wouldn’t you know, people buy it as a fun gift for Dad. It’s the added ‘trigger’ that results in a sale.
I make wildlife art and people love seeing their own family dynamics reflected in the art. I would never have guessed that would be a driver of sales without selling my prints face-to-face.
In the end, if someone can find a personal story in your work that reminds them of their own life, they’re much more likely to buy it.
Why We Value Handmade Art
We tend to to instinctively appreciate skillful hard work. When you can see that a piece of art took hours of actual human labor, you subconsciously assign it a higher value. Counter-intuitively, that includes admiring the human imperfections
In a world where everything is made to be “perfect,” people are actually starting to crave things that are a little bit messy. We love seeing a brushstroke that isn’t quite straight, or visible sketch marks.
I realised this some years back when I was selling an original drawing that had some damage from over working. I was amazed to discover that my buyers loved that ‘error’.
These small imperfections are like “human proof.” They show that a real person was actually there, working hard.
That’s why the public likes to see behind the scenes. They want to know that you dedicated time and effort to create something special.
Time-lapse videos are popular because we get a glimpse of the creation process. It makes the final piece feel like it’s higher quality.
I used to use this knowledge to my advantage at my art stall. I had one unfinished ‘work in progress’ on an easel and every now and then I’d start drawing in front of people.
It has a hypnotic effect.
Basically, we don’t just buy the end result. We’re buying the time and energy the artist spent on it. Seeing those layers of paint or pencil marks make your art way more “real” and valuable than something that’s perfectly sterile and machine-made.
People Buy Art for Scarcity and Exclusivity
It’s a basic rule of life: when there’s less of something, we desire it more. This scarcity factor is a huge reason why people are willing to pay more for a piece of art.
When a collector buys an original painting, they’re buying the fact that it’s one-of-one. There isn’t another one like it on the planet. That feeling of owning something exclusive makes the art feel like a prize rather than just another product.
Even with prints, scarcity makes a big difference. If an artist only makes 50 copies of a drawing, those 50 pieces become collectibles. People love knowing they have something that most other people can’t get.
It turns the purchase into a “now or never” decision because they don’t want to miss out.
Even open editions can have ‘built-in’ exclusivity. If an open edition print is only available from you alone it becomes more desirable.
These posts will help:
- Pros and Cons of Open Edition Prints
- What Are Limited Edition Prints? 12 Things You’ve Got to Know
- How to Make Prints of Your Art: A Complete Printing Guide
- How to Make Art Prints at Home
Adding a personal touch, like a hand-signed signature, also boosts that feeling of exclusivity. It’s proof that the artist actually handled that specific piece of paper.
Going granular for a second, a shortage is one item left in stock. This is a classic retail trick that applies to art prints as it does with anything else. Fear of missing out is a powerful emotion.
These connections makes the artwork feel rare and special, which is exactly what buyers are looking for when they’re building a collection.
Why People Buy Art as Home Decor
When people, especially young couples or growing families, get a new place and want to make it feel like a real home with some art on the wall. They aren’t always looking for a museum masterpiece; sometimes they just have a big, empty wall space that needs a bit of life.
Most folks have pretty simple conservative tastes when it comes to their own houses. They want art that fits their vibe and doesn’t clash with their color scheme, is the right size, and price.
They’re looking for things that work in specific spots, like the kitchen, the hallway, or even a child’s nursery.
Women are the best buyers because they’re usually the ones thinking about color schemes, themes, and sets. They’ll spend time making sure the art “fits” the room perfectly so the whole house feels coordinated.
It might sound a bit un-artsy to some, but art is a classic home decor item. Whether it’s to brighten up a bathroom or finish off a living room, people buy it because it makes their personal space feel complete and comfortable.
People Buy Art Prints as Gifts
Art is a classic gift item for things like birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas. It’s a great way to solve the “what should I buy?” problem because a beautiful piece of art feels like a much more thoughtful present than something generic from a big store.
When someone buys your print for their friends or family, they’re using your work to show how much they care about them.
They see your art print that gives them an immediate reaction, and they just have to have it right then and there. Your art prints provide that ‘Ah Ha’ moment. Problem solved.
It’s an impulse buy.
These quick sales also happen because the buyer feels like they’ve found a total bargain. If the art looks like it should cost a lot more than the price on the tag, people will jump on it before they lose the chance.
We all love the feeling of getting something high-quality for a great deal.
In the end, it’s all about catching the moment, and a good seller knows how to exploit that situation. One impulse purchase can be turned into a set of 2 or 3 with tiered pricing to make a bargain look like a steal.
Read this post for more guidance: How to Upsell Art for a Bigger Profit
How to Turn Your Passion into a Profitable Art Business
Knowing why people buy art is a great start, but it’s only half the battle. If you’re tired of just “bumbling along” and want to turn your “charming hobby” into a real career, you need a blueprint that actually works.
That’s why I wrote the Selling Art Made Simple guidebook. It’s the exact framework I’ve used for over 20 years to fund my travels and live a simple, creative life.
This isn’t some boring textbook; it’s a step-by-step guide to starting a small business from scratch.
In the guide, I focus on selling art from a market stall. You’ll learn how to build rapport with strangers and how to close a sale without feeling like a pushy insincere salesperson.
I dive deep into the stuff that feels overwhelming, like pricing your work, making quality prints, and setting up a display that grabs attention. I even share my methods for dealing with critics, and staying motivated when you’re having a “dud” day.
Don’t spend another day “stumbling in the dark” trying to figure this out on your own. Grab your copy of Selling Art Made Simple today and start building the lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of.
These are related posts that will help you:
- Why I Stopped Sell Original Art and Started Selling Art Prints
- You Must Find an Art Niche: How and Why
- Selling Art Prints For Beginners: The Plain Truth
- How to Sign Art Prints
- Art Business Checklist: Are You Prepared?
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Hi, I’m Kevin Hayler
I’ve been selling my wildlife art and traveling the world for over 20 years, and if that sounds too good to be true, I’ve done it all without social media, art school, or galleries!
I can show you how to do it. You’ll find a wealth of info on my site, about selling art, drawing tips, lifestyle, reviews, travel, my portfolio, and more. Enjoy