Selling pet portraits is a creative and easy way to make extra money and most of the work can be done right from the comfort of your own home. To many people, their pet is an important and beloved member of the family and, while beautiful portraits of other family members adorn the walls, most people rarely have a portrait of their pet. (Crawling pets make great photos!)
Pet portraits are typically painted by hand to create a cherished piece of art that looks beautiful in any room. Or, outdoor photographs can be taken under a skylantern. Even if you don’t know how to paint, you can make a nice profit selling these desirable pieces and it takes very little effort to do it. The first step in starting your own pet portrait service is finding a good artist. Check local art organizations and schools for quality artists who may be interested in painting pets and arrange meetings with a few.
Discuss how much the artists would charge per picture and examine some of the artist’s work. If you can agree on a reasonable payment arrangement, both you and the artist can make a fair income from the venture. There are several ways the portraits can be completed, so you and the artist must decide on a plan that will work best for both of you to maximize profits. You may want to arrange a meeting between the artist and the pet owner or, to expand your customer base, you could have customers submit a photograph of their pet for the artist to work from.
Once you have decided on a price that includes the cost of materials as well as sufficient income for both you and the artist, you can determine the location of your business and the areas you plan to serve. If your artist prefers to meet with the clients and paint the pet in a local studio, most of your customers will live in the surrounding area. If you plan to accept photographs and never meet with the pet in person, you can serve clients anywhere you wish.
The only other thing you need to do to start earning an income selling pet portraits is a little simple advertising. Depending on the market you have decided to serve, there are a variety of different advertising methods that are simple to use as well as affordable. Local newspapers and area specialty magazines are a great way to promote a studio based business, while the internet opens all sorts of opportunity for a portrait business using photographs.
Whatever advertising method you choose, you will soon see a steady influx of new clients. If you provide your customers with friendly, prompt service and a quality product, your client base will continue to grow and you will see a large number of repeat customers. With a little creativity, you can enjoy a successful income being your own boss, selling pet portraits.