As an illustrator, you may have realized that the demand for unique, high-quality artwork is constantly growing. Whether you specialize in digital illustrations, hand-drawn sketches, or custom designs, you can monetize illustration art online by selling it through various platforms. With the rise of online marketplaces dedicated to art sales, it’s now easier than ever to reach a global audience and start generating a steady income stream. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of selling your illustrations online. We’ll explore the different types of artwork you can sell, the best platforms to use, and expert tips to help you monetize illustration art online successfully and kickstart your journey into the world of digital art sales.
What types of art can I sell?
Illustration is a dynamic and versatile art form that can capture emotions, tell compelling stories, and bring ideas to life in unique ways. As an illustrator, there are countless types of artwork you can create and sell, but it’s important to understand what resonates with your target audience. Start by exploring the different types of art that are currently in demand — whether it’s digital illustrations for books and magazines, custom portraits, branding illustrations, or even patterns and designs for apparel. By staying on top of market trends and identifying gaps, you can discover niches where your work will stand out. Keep an eye on platforms like Etsy, Redbubble, and Creative Market for inspiration and opportunities to start monetizing your art. With the right approach, your illustrations can become a lucrative source of passive income.
‍Where can I Monetize Art by selling online?
If you’re an illustrator looking to monetize your artwork, the first step is finding a platform that’s dedicated to digital art and creative assets. By focusing on marketplaces where customers are actively seeking unique illustrations, you can increase your chances of making sales. In other words, you want to display your art where potential buyers are already browsing.
There are plenty of online platforms that allow you to sell your illustrations, whether it’s as individual pieces or in curated sets. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best-known marketplaces for illustrators today. Many of these platforms offer non-exclusive terms, so it’s worth experimenting with multiple sites to see where your artwork gains the most traction.
1. VectorStock
VectorStock is a popular online marketplace specializing in high-quality royalty-free vector images. It offers millions of vector graphics, including icons, illustrations, backgrounds, and logos, available for purchase and download. Artists and designers can upload their work to VectorStock and earn royalties each time their vectors are downloaded. The platform is user-friendly, caters to a global audience, and allows contributors to sell their designs either individually or as part of larger collections. It’s a great place for designers looking to reach customers specifically seeking vector-based artwork.
2. Vecteezy
Vecteezy is a popular online platform that offers a vast collection of free and premium visual content, including vector graphics, stock photos, and videos. It is widely used by designers, marketers, bloggers, and content creators who need high-quality assets for various creative projects.
Key Features of Vecteezy:
- Extensive Library: Millions of assets are available, including illustrations, icons, backgrounds, patterns, and templates.
- Free and Pro Content: Users can access a wide range of free resources with attribution, or subscribe to a Pro plan for premium content and a license that allows use without attribution.
- Online Editor: A built-in graphic editor enables users to customize vector files directly in the browser without needing external software like Adobe Illustrator.
- Commercial Use Licensing: Pro users receive a legal license for commercial use, which makes the platform appealing for business or professional design projects.
- User-Friendly Interface: The platform is clean, searchable, and easy to navigate, with filters for file type, license, orientation, and more.
3. UI8
UI8 is a digital marketplace that provides high-quality design resources like UI kits, web and mobile templates, design systems, icons, illustrations, mockups, and 3D assets. Tailored for UI/UX designers, developers, and creative teams, UI8 helps speed up the design process with ready-to-use assets that are professionally crafted and often come with commercial licenses. It supports popular tools like Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD, and also offers bundles, freebies, and lifetime access on many products. Ideal for freelancers, startups, and agencies aiming to create modern, consistent digital experiences efficiently.
4. The Hungry JPEG
The Hungry JPEG is a digital marketplace and design resource platform primarily catering to graphic designers, crafters, and creative professionals. It offers a wide range of digital assets including:
- Fonts – thousands of high-quality fonts in various styles, from script to sans-serif.
- Graphics – illustrations, vectors, icons, and clipart for use in design projects.
- Craft files – SVGs and other cut files popular among crafters using machines like Cricut and Silhouette.
- Templates – mockups, social media templates, resumes, and more.
- Add-ons – brushes, actions, and effects for Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate.
Key Features:
User-Friendly Interface: Easy browsing with category filters and previews makes finding the right design asset quick and intuitive.
Affordable Bundles: The Hungry JPEG is best known for its deeply discounted bundles, offering a collection of fonts or graphics at significantly lower prices than buying individually.
Commercial Use Licenses: Most purchases include a commercial license, allowing buyers to use the assets in both personal and commercial projects.
Freebies Section: The platform regularly features free downloads, updated weekly.
Start selling on The Hungry JPEG
5. Iconscout
IconScout is a comprehensive design asset platform that offers over 10.9 million resources, including vector icons, illustrations, 3D graphics, and Lottie animations. It serves designers, developers, and creative professionals who need high-quality, customizable assets for various creative projects.
Key Features
Unicons Icon Font Library: Offers access to over 7,000 icon fonts across multiple styles including monochrome, line, solid, and thin line.
Extensive Asset Library: Offers a vast collection of over 10.9 million design assets, with more than 10,000 new items added daily.
Customization Tools: Includes powerful tools such as the SVG Editor, Lottie Editor, and glTF 3D Editor to personalize assets and adjust colors or formats.
Seamless Integration: Provides plugins for popular design and productivity tools like Figma, Adobe XD, Canva, and Microsoft Office for smooth workflow integration.
AI-Powered Tools: Features AI tools such as the AI Vectorizer and AI 3D Generator to streamline asset creation and customization.
6. IStock
iStock is a popular online platform that offers royalty-free stock photos, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, and audio clips for use in creative and commercial projects. It was founded in 2000 and is now a subsidiary of Getty Images, one of the world’s largest and most established visual media companies.
Key Features of iStock:
Global Contributor Base: Content is sourced from photographers, videographers, and artists worldwide.
Content Library: Millions of high-quality stock assets, including exclusive content not available elsewhere.
Two Collections:
Essentials – Affordable, high-quality media suitable for most projects.
Signature – Premium, artist-curated, and exclusive content.
Flexible Pricing: Offers both credit-based purchases and subscription plans to cater to occasional users and high-volume buyers.
Royalty-Free License: All content is licensed for legal reuse across multiple platforms without needing to pay royalties per use.
Search & Filters: Advanced search tools and AI-driven features to help users find the exact visual content they need quickly.
7. Getty Images
Getty Images is one of the largest and most prestigious stock platforms. Selling art here is competitive but rewarding; contributors can license high-end illustrations, vectors, and photos to businesses, media outlets, and brands worldwide.
Founded in 1995, Getty Images is a stock photography agency based in Seattle, Washington. It is widely recognized for offering a vast and diverse collection of licensed media content that serves news outlets, advertisers, designers, and other digital content creators.
🔑 Key Features
- Massive Media Library: Over 200 million assets, including editorial, creative, archival, and conceptual photos.
- Editorial Content: Getty covers global events such as sports, politics, entertainment, and fashion, often in real time.
- Creative Imagery: High-quality photos and videos used for marketing, branding, and advertising.
- Licensing Options: Royalty-free and rights-managed licensing to suit different usage needs.
- Partnerships: Collaborations with major brands, sports leagues, and entertainment outlets (e.g., FIFA, NBC, BBC).
- AI-Powered Tools: Image search tools, visual recognition, and custom content solutions.
8. Freepik
Freepik is an online platform offering a vast collection of graphic resources like vectors, photos, PSD files, icons, and mockups for designers and content creators. It provides both free and premium content, with free users required to give attribution. Premium users gain access to millions of resources without attribution and additional features. Freepik is widely used for website design, social media, marketing, and branding, and integrates with popular design tools like Adobe and Canva.
9. Envato
Envato Elements is a subscription-based platform offering unlimited access to over 21 million high-quality digital assets for a fixed monthly or annual fee. Designed for creatives, it provides resources such as stock videos, photos, music, sound effects, graphic templates, fonts, 3D models, and presentation templates. Subscribers can download and use these assets for various projects, making it a valuable tool for designers, marketers, and content creators
Start selling your artwork online
Selling your artwork online as an illustrator is a fantastic way to generate passive income, but success doesn’t happen overnight. Start by focusing on the specific styles or themes you want to specialize in — whether it’s digital illustrations, character designs, or custom artwork. Build a portfolio that showcases your best work and demonstrates your skills. Once you’ve got a solid collection, pick a few platforms that allow non-exclusive licensing and begin uploading your creations. While it may take time to see consistent sales, with dedication and experience, you’ll learn which platforms work best for your style and audience. By consistently delivering high-quality designs and being patient, you’ll soon be on your way to earning passive income from your illustration work.
Sell more than Art work
As an illustrator, you’re not limited to just selling your artwork online. If you’re a versatile creator, consider branching out into related areas like digital patterns, printable art, eBook illustrations, vector graphics, or even merchandise designs to increase your earning potential. Explore our categories page to find other popular digital products you can start creating and selling today for a steady stream of passive income.