Art Business Resources
Hello and welcome spring! Happy April, everyone! The sunshine is shining and I am feeling grateful for all of the abundance in my life. That’s why this month’s blogpost is another share-all. I am providing a list of all the resources I have researched and tested these past nine months of starting my art business. Please know that the resources I am sharing with my community today are still new to me, but I will update my website as this list fluctuates and evolves. It is my intention to prop the gate open and let everyone in on all the information and tools I have collected. Know that my list is not perfect. I am not a creative coach, business coach, or advisor of any kind. Please get professional help with financial, legal, tax, and business advice because again - I am not a professional. But please do enjoy my list! And share away. Also keep an eye out for a Resources page on my website where I intend to post updated lists of art supplies and art business resources in the future. Cheers from my paint cup to you!
Business Bank Account:
As soon as you decide you are not a hobbyist, go get yourself a business checking account. Set this up as soon as you can! That way, you can more easily track your income and expenses. I chose BMO (Bank of Montreal) because they are close-ish to my home studio and they have great customer service. You’ll need to do your own research here. A few things to look into:
Monthly fees and minimum balance requirements
Transaction limits and cash deposit rules
Interest rates/APY on checking and savings
Mobile app quality and online banking tools
ATM/branch access and convenience
Overdraft policies and fraud protection
Customer support availability
Permits:
Business license: I secured my California Business Operations Tax Certificate through my city’s website. I live in Sacramento, California and I was able to call and talk to someone on the phone. They told me what I needed: a Business Operations Tax Online Application and a Home Occupation Permit (since my studio is located in my backyard). My BOT was $190 for the first year and I only had to fill out the one form for both of my items. Phew!
Seller’s Permit: I secured my California Seller’s Permit through CDTFA - CA Department of Tax and Fee Administration. It was free. After your first year, you will need to report and pay your owed state sales tax in order to renew your permit.
Business Services:
Squarespace or Shopify: I went with Squarespace to design and host my website and online shop. It is fairly easy to use and integrates well with Google Workspace and Flodesk (my newsletter service). I am still a little jealous of Shopify’s Shop App and direct integration into Meta. I might switch in the future, but I got my Squarespace website up FAST and I am relatively happy with how it looks.
Flodesk: My favorite digital marketing service provider helps me design my monthly newsletters. You can use Flodesk to “design and send on-brand marketing emails, create high converting sales and checkout pages, publish opt-in forms to grow your list, and build powerful email automations.” I tried Mailchimp. It was clunky and I had no control over fonts, colors, and branding. I love Flodesk. It is a little pricey. Look for that 50% your first year coupon!
Google Workspace: Gmail, Google Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and more! All integrate with my Squarespace website.
BMO (Bank of Montreal): the best commercial bank that I have found. I still love a good credit union, but I knew I wanted a larger bank for my business. BMO seems to at least try to use its financial services to support economic activities that are good for communities and the planet.
Get Venmo and Zelle: it’s just a good idea to have all the ways to process people’s money when you are charging people via DMs and at in-person events. I have found that people hardly use Paypal anymore. And Square (below) takes people’s Applepay.
Square: for credit card processing point of sale (in person sales at shows, fairs, markets, and studio visits). You don’t even need the reader device anymore. Everything can tap on your phone!
Faire: I am looking into it, but Faire seems like a great platform where retailers can make bulk orders of maker’s handmade goods. Artists and makers get to set their wholesale and retail prices and minimum order amounts.
Bookkeeping: I use a few different Google Sheets to track each quarter’s income as well as alllll my expenses/deductions. You can write off so much as a registered business. Keep your receipts for 6-7 years! Track every business expense. Sort them into categories. I try to do this on a weekly basis. I am meticulous about calculating each art fair’s expenses to help me decide if I want to do that event again the following year.
Turbotax: Not a big fan of this company, but it is really good for calculating all my deductions.
USPS Business: USPS Business Customers get access to complimentary services that make shipping customer orders easier plus it integrates with my Squarespace online shop.
Post Office Box: Get yourself a PO Box to use as your return address and mailing address for all things client-based. Stay safe and protect your home address when possible.
Small business insurance/liability insurance: I can recommend ACT insurance if you are doing 2 or less events a month. Otherwise reach out to a broker for a good coverage for your needs. I have insurance through HISCOX that covers my art in my studio, in my van, at my shows, events, and art fairs as well as liability coverage for all of those spaces/venues and my workshops.
Printing
Archival prints: I use a local professional print shop, Sacramento Giclee, to scan my original artwork and print archival reproductions of my artwork. They are very profesh.
Bus cards and postcards: VistaPrint
Vinyl Stickers: I am in the process of ordering stickers via Vinyl Disorder. I like that their stickers are surf-baord proof! I tried StickerApp, but didn’t like the quality.
Washi tape: I ordered custom Jennifer Peart Art Washi tape through Alchemy Merch. So far, they have provided top-quality customer service. I like all the email updates throughout the production process.
Packaging/Branding/Shipping Supplies:
Postage scale: I found this Weighmax W-2809 Stainless Steel Digital Postal Scale on eBay. It was new. I payed $14 for it. It measures packages up to 90 lbs.
USPS priority mail Tyvek mailers: I have streamlined my archival print sizes so that I print 8x10” artwords onto 11x14” paper and I mail them flat in an 11x14” Tyvek USPS Priority mailer found here. All my other prints are larger and I mail them rolled in heavyduty cardboard tube mailers.
Cardboard tube mailers: I use 4x36 inch or 3x30 inch heavy duty cardboard shipping tubes from Staples. Both tubes come in huge packs of 24 with caps.
Non-USPS shipping envelopes: Eco enclose is great for recycled and plastic free mailing supplies. They are pricey. Wait for their shipping discount coupons.
Cello bags: I use 11x14” cello sleeves and 16x20” cello sleeves from ClearBags.com. Sign up for their coupon emails and wait for their free shipping campaigns.
Backing Board: I use 4 ply 11x14” backing board to support my archival prints in their cello bags. They are also from ClearBags.com.
Logo sticker roll: You can purchase custom logo sticker rolls through VistaPrint here. I use 2 inch and 1 inch logo stickers for packaging purposes.
Thank you postcards: VistaPrint again. Here is the link for custom postcards.
Print your own mailing labels at home with these Avery TrueBlock Inkjet Shipping Labels, 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" from Staples. No label maker required! Print them using a regular inkjet printer at home.
Glassine paper roll: to protect original artwork and archival prints.
Fragile sticker roll: I found these on Etsy.
Do-Not-Bend stickers: Same shop as above. Etsy for the win.
Custom Stamp of Authenticity: Design and order a cute custom little stamp through Zazzle here. I use this stamp on my Certificate of Authenticity Certificates.
Chipboard to secure and support flat artwork: I get mine at Blick, but it is REALLY difficult to cut. Pre-cut chipboard is extremely expensive so I am currently looking for local community access to a large guillotine paper cutter. Maybe my former school district or a print shop?
Shipping Prints, Smaller Original Artwork, and Rolled Artworks:
USPS: It is my intention to support the USPS as much as possible. I have streamlined my art sizes and print size offerings to fit into USPS Priority mail packaging. I am looking into the benefits of offering free shipping as a marketing strategy. You can read more about that here and here.
USPS Priority mail: I use these 11x14” tyvek envelopes to ship my 8x10” prints and smaller original artworks flat. All other prints and rolled artwork go into the heavy duty shipping tubes from Staples. I use 4x36” and 3x30” size heavy duty tubes. That heavy duty factor is key!
For shipping larger works: Pirateship! More details to come!
Tools and Supplies
iPhone: Love the camera
MacBook Pro: I am a sucker for Apple products. I blame art school and my teenage iPod.
Home Printer: Mine stinks. I need a different one. I do not recommend mine. It's an EPSON ET-2850. Don’t buy it. I use it to print my Certificates of Authenticity, my Artwork Care Instructions, and my shipping labels.
Scanner: My EPSON V600 Photo Scanner scans at a really high quality. Perfect for scanning (editing in Photoshop in between) and uploading to my portfolio
Camera: I need a new one. Mine older Canon crapped out. More to come later!
Postage scale: I use Weighmax W-2809 Stainless Steel Digital Postal Scale from eBay to weigh my packages and estimate shipping fees.
Framing:
Coming soon
Photographing artwork
Mockups: Create mockups of your artwork framed, printed, printed on totes, cards, etc. Some sites are free!
Canon DSLR: I need a new one. Coming soon.
Tripod: I have a heavy duty tripod my partner gave me.
Camera head: You know, the thing that helps you adjust the angle of your camera on the tripod to match the angle of your painting on the easel.
Lighting: I am looking into how to light my artworks on folks' walls. Luckily, the natural lighting in my studio is great, but I’d like to take some installation shots of my artwork some day.
Editing artwork
Macbook Pro
Adobe Photoshop: Photoshop comes with the Adobe Creative Suite. Or you can just pay for the one program like I do.
Wacom One Tablet: I like it okay. It’s big and needs to be plugged into both the wall and your computer. I think I need some accessories to make my pencil move across the tablet screen more smoothly. I prefer the Apple pencil and the wireless option of the iPad, but the Wacom mirrors my computer’s Photoshop editing which is key for my digital painting.
Promotion:
Flodesk for email newsletters and marketing. See my notes above.
Bus cards and business postcards: Printed via VistaPrint. I love my business postcards! They are exactly what I wanted! They are printed on textured paper to look like watercolor paper and the corners are rounded. Love it!
Signage for my in-person events are printed at home with cardstock paper. I frame things like my artist bio, my Instragram QR code. QR codes can be generated for free with Canva (and its the free version!). The wall labels for my art are affixed with small velcro dots for my carpet walls. Otherwise good ol’ blue tape does the trick for sheetrock.
Content Creation:
iPhone
Canva: Useful even though I have Photoshop! Easy to use templates. Lots of new features and designs everyday.
iPad + Procreate app + Apple pencil: Great for digital painting and content creation
Canvas lamp: a great small business to support + a superior product! I love this lamp for videoing my tabletop processes hands-free.
Tripod: Just a simple one for my DSLR. It was gifted to me. Perfect for videoing my painting process and studio activity hands-free. I need a heavier duty one for the outdoors or maybe just some weights for the bottom.
I like the Capcut app or Edits by Meta for creating reel videos to download and share across platforms (Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc).
Other:
Art storage: I rent a small climate-controlled unit on the ground floor of a storage facilty near my home studio. It’s expensive, but this is where my unsold paintings and packaged prints live when they are not at a show.
I got an art van! It is a used Ford Transit Connect. I found it on CarGurus at a local small dealership that works directly with my credit union. I use Progressive for my commerical auto insurance and I secured a great interest rate via my credit union, Schools First.
Certificate of Authenticity: I made a template for you here. Customize or copy-and-paste to your heart’s desire. Add your logo and don’t forget to leave room for a certified authentic artwork stamp or sticker. Print on quality cardstock paper.
Artwork Care Instructions: I recommend including care instructions with all original artwork and archival prints. There are a lot of great websites out there outlining key ways to make your medium endure wear, tear, and time.
Commission Contract: Using Adobe Acrobat online (part of the Creative Suite), I made an e-contract complete with e-signature email requests. It’s pretty great. It even stores the signed contracts in your Adobe cloud.
Archival flat file storage: I am currently shopping around for one and it seems like there is only one brand out there - Safco. There are a lot of secondhand oversized gray ones selling online, but I need a smaller one for my studio. The Safco website says they honor lower prices found elsewhere, so I intend to give them a ring here soon. Wish me luck!
Things I am currently looking Into (so stay tuned for more resources)
Mileage tracker! Becasue you can write-off your miles on your taxes!
Watercolor supply list
My outdoor art fair packing/supply list
My live-painting/plein air pack list
List of art business books and podcasts
The best business credit cards
Applying to art residencies
Applying to grants
Printing greeting cards and postcards
