Zero-Cost Ways to Support:
Believe me, I hear you. We don't all have the money to buy from every artist we enjoy. The great thing is that you can support artists without spending a dime! This is hugely appreciated and very much needed.
1. Love Artists' Posts
I mean this in both the literal sense of liking, hearting, and reacting to social media posts, but also in the more abstract sense of enjoying what artists do. This means the world to artists, and for many of us, it's why we keep going. Seeing that our creations are appreciated give us encouragement, and those social media interactions boost us in the algorithms.
2. Leave Comments
Again, leaving comments shows the social media platforms that our posts are worth engaging with, so they will be shown to more people. Not only that, but seeing what you think about our art can brighten an artist's whole day! If it meant something to you, it made you stop your scroll, or it made you smile: those are all things artists love to know.
3. Share Art
Sharing has to be one of the most effective social media interactions. Sharing to your page, sending to your friends, sharing to group pages, and tagging your friends gets more eyes on artist's works, and increases the chances of finding someone who loves it! Bonus: It can make your friends smile to know it made you think of them!
4. Follow on Social Media
As creators, we adore our followers! These are the people who support us, love what we do, and want to see more. Of course, authentic, genuine followers also help our art be seen in the algorithm.
5. Request Artists' Presence
This is often overlooked, but can be done in a number of ways! Tell a local business you would love to see them carry your favorite artist's products. Ask if your favorite podcast would consider having them as a guest. See if that website you love would be willing to do a feature. Ask your local convention if your favorite artist will have a booth.
6. Spread the Word
Word-of-mouth has the biggest impact on small businesses and makers! When you tell your friends, family, and loved ones about us, they trust your good taste.
Support With Your Money:
Undoubtedly, the number one way to support artists is to pay them, and pay them fairly. Making art takes money, time, expertise, creativity, and energy. Your favorite artist has probably spent years practicing to get their skills to where they are now. Picasso is credited with saying something like, "The sketch may have taken me five minutes, but the learning took me 30 years." There are multiple ways you can support creators with your money!
1. Buy art directly
Okay this one seems obvious, but of course the most direct way to support artists is to buy art from them! Buy in-person, see what events, shops, or galleries near you feature artists selling their wares, and check your favorite artist's website to see what they have for sale.
2. Order Commissions
Not seeing exactly what you want, or looking for something a little more personalized? Many artists offer commissions, where you can ask for something custom-made just for you! This could be an illustration of your original Dungeons and Dragons character, a painting of your mom's dog, a custom-knitted sweater, or anything else you and the artist can come up with together! Most artists will list on their website or social media if they take commissions or custom orders, but if you aren't sure, it doesn't hurt to reach out and ask.
3. Donate, Tip, or Subscribe
Does an artist you like have a Patreon, Ko-Fi, Twitch, or other subscription service? Becoming a subscriber is usually a pretty low-cost and low-effort way to support the artist and get some fun benefits out of it! Some creators will mail you items, provide downloads, or let you access bonus artwork.
4. Back Kickstarters and Place Pre-orders
Of course backing a Kickstarter or placing a pre-order is a monetary support, but there are more benefits! Backing a Kickstarter also boosts it in the algorithm, and can help with future projects on the platform. Placing pre-orders alerts publishers and retailers that there is demand for that artist's work.
5. Write Reviews
Leaving a review is another form of word-of-mouth, and a way an artist can build trust with potential buyers. Websites such as Etsy and Google use reviews as part of their search engine optimization to determine what shops get shown first in searches.
6. Share Photos
Along with spreading the word, posting photos of the products you bought also shows people context of what the art might look like in their own homes. Plus artists love to see their art out in the wild!
As an artist, the people who support what I do mean the world to me, and I couldn't do it without you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Now get out there and be a patron of the arts!
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