If you are passionate about drawing and want to turn your hobby into a profitable career, you might be wondering how to get started in Sweden. Sweden is a country that values creativity, innovation and design, and offers many opportunities for aspiring artists to showcase their work and earn money from it. In this blog post, we will share some tips and resources on how to start a drawing career to make money in Sweden.
- Decide what kind of drawing you want to do and how to sell it. There are many different types of drawing, such as illustration, graphic design, animation, comics, fine art, etc. Each one has its own style, audience and market. You need to decide what kind of drawing suits your skills, interests and goals, and how you want to sell it. For example, you can sell original artworks, prints, digital files, merchandise, commissions, etc. You can also sell your work online or offline, through your own website, social media, online platforms, galleries, exhibitions, etc. You need to research the demand, competition and pricing for your chosen niche and format, and develop a portfolio that showcases your best work.
- Register your business and pay taxes. If you want to make money from your drawing, you need to register your business and pay taxes in Sweden. You can register as a sole trader (enskild näringsidkare), a limited company (aktiebolag) or a cooperative (ekonomisk förening), depending on your preferences and needs. You can find more information on how to register your business and pay taxes on the Swedish Tax Agency’s website¹. You also need to keep track of your income and expenses, and report them to the tax authorities.
- Choose your sales channels and market your work. Once you have decided what to sell and how to sell it, you need to choose your sales channels and market your work. There are many ways to sell your drawing online and offline, such as:
- Your own website: This is the most direct and flexible way to sell your work, as you have full control over the design, content, pricing and promotion of your website. You can use a website builder like WordPress, Wix or Squarespace to create your own website, or hire a professional web designer to do it for you. You also need to set up a payment system, such as PayPal, Stripe or Klarna, to accept payments from your customers. You can also use a print-on-demand service, like Printful or Printify, to create and ship products with your artwork printed on them, such as T-shirts, mugs, posters, etc.
- Social media: This is a great way to showcase your work, build your brand, connect with your audience and drive traffic to your website or other sales channels. You can use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, etc. to share your work, behind-the-scenes, tips, tutorials, etc. You can also use hashtags, tags, stories, reels, live videos, etc. to increase your visibility and engagement. You can also collaborate with other artists, influencers, brands, etc. to cross-promote your work and reach new audiences.
- Online platforms: This is a convenient and low-cost way to sell your work, as you can use existing platforms that have a large customer base, exposure and reputation. You can use platforms like Etsy, Zazzle, Creative Market, Society6, etc. to sell your original artworks, prints, digital files, merchandise, etc. You can also use platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, 99designs, etc. to sell your services, such as commissions, logo design, book cover design, etc. However, you need to be aware of the fees, rules and competition of each platform, and make sure to stand out from the crowd.
- Galleries and exhibitions: This is a traditional and prestigious way to sell your work, as you can display your work in a physical space, attract potential buyers and collectors, and network with other artists and professionals. You can apply to galleries and exhibitions that suit your style, theme and target market, or create your own events. You can find galleries and exhibitions in Sweden on websites like ArtRabbit², Artland³ or Konstkalendern⁴. You can also use platforms like Artfinder⁵ or Saatchi Art⁶ to sell your work online to international buyers and collectors.
- Keep learning and improving your skills. The last tip on how to start a drawing career to make money in Sweden is to keep learning and improving your skills. Drawing is a craft that requires constant practice, experimentation and feedback. You can learn new techniques, tools and trends by taking online courses, watching tutorials, reading books, magazines and blogs, joining online communities, etc. You can also get feedback and advice from other artists, mentors, clients, etc. You can also participate in challenges, competitions, residencies, grants, etc. to challenge yourself, showcase your work, win prizes and opportunities, etc.
We hope this blog post has given you some useful tips and resources on how to start a drawing career to make money in Sweden. Remember, drawing is a rewarding and fulfilling career, but it also requires hard work, dedication and passion. If you love what you do and do what you love, you will succeed in your drawing career. Good luck and happy drawing!