Ideas for extra income

[Renee Cook]

My question falls along these lines. My husband and I need my extra income right now. My job is not art related. I feel like I am wasting so much time sitting in the office doing non art related things (painting etc...). What are some things that I can do to generate income and stay in the art arena without having to work in a gallery doing sales etc... Is the print industry worth pursuing? etc... Or are there other suggestions. I am in the beginning of my art career and I need to generate more samples for my portfolio. But with the little time (working etc.,) I'm finding this hard to do. Are there any suggestions for doing something art related to not only compensate for my income and also free up more time to paint?

(This is probably a question that most artists face, but it doesn't hurt to ask.)

Thanks for the advice.

[Virginia Branch]

Renee,

I see that no one has replied to this thread! Don't know if I can help you but I can tell you what I am doing. Though it is not in the art field, I sub at my children's school which does help out a little. I can do it as much or as little as I like. I enjoy it as I taught there for several years but decided to stay home and paint this year. Some days, I still can't believe I get to stay home and paint!!! Of course, it helps to have my husband's income.

Though it isn't in the art field it does allow for flexibility and schools always need subs. Hope this helped some.

[Tom Martinez]

Find a place to hold figure study sessions. Find models for nude modeling. Charge enough for all expenses and your time. These can be held in the evening as well on the weekends. I have two groups participating, one on Thursday nights and one on Saturday morning. Although I'm not in it for the money, the money that I collect is building quite a sum. I charge a meager $7 to $10 depending on the number in attendence. The rental space is $90/mo. and the models at $14/hr cost me $112/mo. So, I need approximately 7 people in attendance each session to break even. On the average, the attendance varies from 4 to 15 people. From my efforts, I get to draw from life and there is some pin money left over to build up for lean times and my use as needed.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Renee,

Here is an idea that I am thinking of pursuing. I just did a fairly simple line drawing of a friend's weekend house. I had some little notecards made with the house on the front. Then I added envelopes and tied a big bow around them. My friend was close to tears, she loved the gift so much. And the lady sitting next to me at the birthday luncheon leaned over and asked if she could hire me to do the same for a friend's house for a gift for her.

I showed a sample to a friend of mine who has an annual Christmas show/open house at her house. She sells gifts. She invited me to sell my services at her show.

Oh, I didn't even print the cards, just xeroxed them at the local Kinko's and they turned out great. Looked like printing.

This might work with your time schedule because you could photograph the home you are going to draw, then draw the home on your own time. Or even use an existing photo. I was at my friend's weekend house 3 months before her birthday so I took half a dozen photos with my gift in mind.

Home portraits are also popular, there used to be a woman locally who charged about $250 for a pen and ink of a home. Then for an extra fee she would make some cards with matching envelopes.

You could retain the original drawing and then always provide the service of filling a 'reorder' for anyone that might want more of the cards at a later date.

Hope this helps,

Joan

[Tom Martinez]

Joan, a friend of mine did something similar. Only, the drawings were on Christmas tree bulbs. He had so many orders that he got sick of doing them.