How to find your art niche: The ultimate guide

How to find your art niche: The ultimate guide

You're standing in front of your canvas, paintbrush in hand, and you feel stuck. You've been told that you need to find your niche to be a successful artist, but you have no idea where to start. You love so many different art styles, and you don't want to feel limited by just one. And what if you choose a niche and then get bored of it? You've been putting off finding your niche for months (maybe even years!), but you know it's time to take the plunge.

Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA

I feel you. I've been there too. Finding your art niche can feel daunting, but it doesn't have to be. And trust me, it's worth it. Once you find your niche, you'll be able to focus your creative energy and produce your best work. Not to mention, it will make marketing and selling your artwork much easier. So how do you find your art niche? Keep reading, and I'll walk you through my step-by-step process.

WHAT IS AN ART NICHE

The definition of art niche is a specific category or style of art that you focus on, but I like to think about it as a shared interest or passion between you and your target audience. It can be as general as landscape painting or, more specific like portraits of cats dressed in royal garb in the baroque style.

But hey, this could mean your art niche can be anything, right? Yes. 

This is where the problems begin for many people because with freedom comes paralysis by analysis. Too much choice can be overwhelming, so I want to break down what a niche is even further so we can get clear on what yours might be.

The 5 elements of a fun, fulfilling and profitable art niche.

THE 5 ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL ART NICHE

What helped me find my niche was realising that you can break art niches into 5 elements: Theme, Subject Matter, Style, Medium and Use. So, Let's look at each of these elements in depth together.

THEME:

A theme is the main idea or message behind your artwork. This could be something that is dear to you, like empowering women and helping them to feel confident and beautiful, for example. But it doesn't have to be a global issue unless you want it to be, it could be as simple as celebrating nature or making people laugh, and your theme can be as loud or subtle as you want it to be.

SUBJECT MATTER:

The subject matter is the "subjects" or "things" you paint, draw, or photograph. The subjects could be landscapes, seascapes, animals, portraits, food, elves, ballerina frogs, goth dolls, or anything your heart desires. For example, my subject matter is often elves, women, animals, and botanicals. Again, the sky's the limit here, so try not to get too caught up in this one. Think about what you would love to draw over and over.

STYLE:

Usually, when we think of style, we think about how you execute your artwork. This is the technical stuff like shape language, colour palette, and composition. Although when we talk about finding your art niche style, we can think of style as a "label" or name that your audience will recognise the style as.

Some labels or "styles" examples are realism, abstract, anime, contemporary, boho, goth, farmhouse, fantasy etc. These are just some examples, and your style can be a combination of many different ones or something entirely new that you create yourself. A broad label is important because it will help you find your people and help them find you.

MEDIUM:

Medium is the actual tools or materials you use to create your artwork. For example, my medium is usually digital, but I also use watercolor, and ink. Yours could be anything you love making art with, from oil paint to digital or even 3D printing. The medium element of your niche is the most flexible one, so don't feel like you have to stick to just one, but it can be helpful to focus on one or two to start.

USE:

The Use Element is how customers will use your artwork once it's complete. For example, my art is sold on home décor, apparel, and wall art among other things. Other examples of how people can use art are murals, tattoos, illustrations in books and magazines, or even gallery pieces. 

The Perfect Art Niche’s Ikigai.

FINDING YOUR ART NICHE

Now that we know the different elements of an art niche, let's talk about how to find yours.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to finding your art niche, but I'm going to share my process with you so that you can have a framework to start with. These steps are inspired by the Japanese concept of Ikigai, which is often translated to "life's purpose". The goal here is to find something you love doing, you can stick to and that people will actually pay you for.

So, grab your journal and brainstorm with me!

WHAT DO YOU LOVE? (THEME AND SUBJECT MATTER, STYLE)

This question is where you get to think about what themes, styles and subject matter you are most drawn to. Your answers to this question will be the foundation of your niche. Look at your current work and see if there is a common thread. If not, that's okay! You can try out different things until you find what feels right for you.

For example, I love painting and drawing portraits, animals, and botanicals. I am also drawn to themes of freedom, dark fantasy, mythology, mental health awareness, concept art, animation, heritage patterns and nature. 

These are a lot and all over the place, which is normal. Don't worry if you are listing a lot of different things here. We will narrow it down in the next step.

WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT? (MEDIUM AND SUBJECT MATTER)

Now it's time to take the list of things you love and narrow it down. The goal here is to find something you are passionate about and good at OR something you are passionate about and willing to put in the work to get good at.

You don't need to be the best at something to make a living from it, but you do need to be good enough that people are willing to pay you for your work.

Think about what mediums and subject matter you are good at (or better at). This step is when we have to start to be more selective and give ourselves honest feedback.

For example, you might love to paint both human and animal portraits, but your animal paintings always get more attention. Perhaps your linework is stronger than your painting skills, or you enjoy digital art, but your traditional work gets more compliments and requests.

This step will require a lot of honest self-reflection, and it's okay if you need some time to sit with this question. It's also okay if your list here is shorter than your first one. The goal is not to have a long list but a focused one.

You might think, "I'm not good at anything", but that's not true! You have skills and talents, even if you don't realize it yet. 

And If you are just starting out, it's likely that you haven't found your artistic voice or medium yet. And that's okay! Keep exploring and trying new things until you find a combination that works for you. Finding your niche is quite an advanced step in your artistic journey, so be kind to yourself and take all the time you need.

WHAT DOES THE WORLD NEED? (USE, STYLE)

In this step, you think about how your artwork can be of service to others. How can it make someone's life better? This is a great question to ask if you are struggling to come up with ideas for your niche. Now is also the time to think about the final product you want to create.

• What kind of product do you want to make, and who would buy it?

• Can you imagine them using it in their everyday life?

• What words would they use to search for it?

• Put yourself into your client's shoes; what do they need/want?

WHAT CAN YOU GET PAID FOR? (THEME, SUBJECT MATTER, MEDIUM)

This step is all about thinking practically. What are people willing to pay you for? This step will help you focus on your niche even more and ensure it is profitable. By now, you should have a big list of things you love and are good at, but not all of them will be things people are willing to invest in.

For example, I love painting portraits but not as many people are willing to buy them. On the other hand, I get a lot of requests for animal art and custom patterns which people are happy to pay for. This result is my personal experience tho, and yours may be different! You will need to do some research to figure out what people in your target market are looking for and what they are willing to invest in.

Some things to consider once you narrow down your choices: 

• What type of product will this artwork apply to?

• Can you find any examples of people selling similar work?

• Are there enough people interested in this type of product?

• What is the best way to sell this work? (Licensing, limited editions, stickers etc.)

• What is the going rate for this kind of artwork?

Now it's time to put it all together and come up with your final niche! Your niche should be a combination of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what people are willing to pay for.

For example, a niche description could be:

• painting cute animals and plants in a modern style to license for children's home décor and apparel brands.

• drawing black and white cityscapes with a focus on architecture to sell as prints and postcards to tourists.

• Inspiring calligraphy and hand-lettering artwork to sell on posters to college students who are into self-care and are looking for wall decor for their dorm rooms.

Get specific and make sure your niche is focused but also broad enough that you have room to grow. Remember, this can always be tweaked and changed as you go along. And if you get really stuck, don't hesitate to reach out for help.

CREATING A WINNING PORTFOLIO BY SETTING BOUNDARIES

Photo by cottonbro

One of the best pieces of advice I was given when I first started to find my niche was that just because you can draw something doesn't mean you should/have to put it in your portfolio.

And it's true! Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean it has a place in your body of work. The key is to be selective and only showcase the type of artwork you want to be known for. Setting boundaries can be SO hard when you are just starting out and want to show off all the things, especially when they are new, shiny, and possibly profitable, but trust me, it's worth setting boundaries with your art.

Having a tight focus on your portfolio makes it so much easier for people to understand what you do and what they can expect from working with you. It also helps you to attract your ideal client and weed out the ones that aren't a good fit.

Trying to do everything can dilute your message, confuse your audience, and ultimately make it harder to sell your work. Not to mention, it's just plain exhausting! So when you're putting together your portfolio, be ruthless and only include the very best examples of the type of artwork you want to be known for.

WHAT IF I GET BORED OF MY ART NICHE?

One of the best things about having a niche is that it gives you a clear focus and helps to move your career forward. But what happens if you get bored of your niche or find that it's no longer profitable?

First of all, don't panic! It's perfectly normal (and expected) for artists to change their focus as they grow and evolve. And secondly, it's not the end of the world if your niche doesn't work out. You can always try something new!

The most important thing is to stay true to yourself, stick to your core values, and remember why you got into this in the first place. If you find that your artwork is no longer bringing you joy, it might be time to try something new. Transitioning away from an established profitable niche is complicated and has to be done gradually not to lose all your income or the trust of your audience, but it is possible.

The best way to do it is by slowly introducing new artwork into your portfolio and seeing how it goes. If you're selling originals, start with one or two pieces and see how they do. If you're licensing your work, try pitching some new designs to your clients or look for opportunities to branch out into new products.

And as always, keep your audience in mind and make sure you're still giving them what they want. If you make a sudden 180 and start selling completely different art, they might not be too happy! But if you take the time to build a good relationship with your audience, many will support you through your changes and be excited to see where you are going next.

TIPS FOR STAYING CREATIVE IN YOUR NICHE

The best way to stay creative in your niche is to keep your mind open and never stop learning. Continue to look for inspiration everywhere you go, and don't be afraid to experiment with new techniques and mediums. Take classes, read books, and most importantly, never stop taking care of your creative self.

It's also essential to give yourself permission to create art for the sake of art without worrying about whether or not it will sell. Make time for personal projects, and don't be afraid to explore new ideas even if they don't fit your current niche. These side projects can be a great source of inspiration and help keep your creative juices flowing.

And finally, don't forget to take breaks! When you're feeling creatively stuck, it's often because you've been working too hard and need some time to recharge. Step away from your work, take a few deep breaths, and allow yourself some time to relax. Once you've had a chance to rest, you'll be surprised at how much more creative you feel.

MARKETING YOUR NICHE

Now that you have your niche all figured out, it's time to start marketing your work! And thankfully, this part is a lot easier when you have a tight focus.

I used to spend so much time and energy trying to be present on all platforms to market my surface pattern designs. Nowadays, I have a select few that bring in more traffic than when I was trying to market everywhere.

Because when you know exactly what you do and who you do it for, you can be much more strategic with your marketing efforts and target the platforms and channels that will reach your ideal client.

You can also create marketing materials like website copy, social media posts, and email newsletters tailored to your niche, which will help you attract the right people to your work.

MAKING A LIVING FROM YOUR ART

Finally, let's talk about making a living from your art. Earning enough from your art to sustain yourself can seem difficult, but making a good living from your artwork is possible if you play your cards right. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

GET INVOLVED IN THE ART LICENSING WORLD

Licensing is a great way to get your work in front of a larger audience and make some passive income from your art.

There are a few different ways to get involved in licensing, but the two most common are working with an agency or going the self-represented route.

If you decide to work with an agency, they will handle all of the marketing and sales for you and take a cut of the profits. Agancies can be a great option if you don't have the time or energy to market your work, but it's important to do your research and partner with a reputable agency.

If you go the self-represented route, you will be responsible for marketing and selling your own work. Handling everything yourself takes a lot more time and effort, but you will get to keep 100% of the profits.

Either way, licensing is a great way to make a good income from your art.

SELL YOUR WORK ONLINE

Selling your work online is a great option. You can use several different platforms depending on how you want to present your work and what type of art you make.

If you sell prints, Society6, Redbubble and Inprnt are popular options. If you sell original paintings, limited edition prints or other physical artwork, creating your own store on your website will give you the most control over prices, customer experience, fees and aesthetics. If you are interested in selling fabric and wallpaper, Spoonflower is a fantastic place to check out.

And if you want to sell digital products like tutorials or courses, Gumroad and Skillshare are great platforms to use.

The great thing about selling online is that you can reach a global audience and sell your work 24/7. I have an entire blog post dedicated to selling art online, which you can check out if you want to know more.

START TEACHING ART CLASSES

If you're passionate about your niche, chances are other people out there would love to learn more about it. Why not share your knowledge and start teaching classes?

Teaching is a great way to connect with potential clients, build your brand, and make some extra income. You can teach classes in person or online, depending on what works better for you and your audience.

CONCLUSION

Finding your art niche is a crucial first step in any artist's journey. It can help you focus your efforts, connect with the right people, and make a living from your artwork.

I hope this article has inspired you to find your own artistic niche. If you need some help getting started, be sure to check out my free step-by-step guide.

And if you're ready to start making a living from your artwork, check out my course, 3-Days To Your Perfect Art Niche. The course will help you find a profitable and enjoyable art niche in just 3 days without feeling overwhelmed or stuck.

It's the perfect way to start your journey to a successful and sustainable art career.

Now it's your turn: what tips do you have for finding your art niche? Please share them in the comments below!