How to make money as an artist in Canada: 10 Ways to try

Time to put the “starving artist” myth to bed for good. You’ve spent years honing your craft – and there’s never been a better time to let it actually pay off. This guide’s built for Canadian artists like you. We’ll walk through how to earn a living from your passion, from selling prints coast to coast to building a global brand with zero upfront investment.​

Let’s dive in.​

10 Ways of making money as an artist in Canada​

1. Sell your original art and high-quality prints​

The most direct way to start making money with art is to sell your original pieces and prints online. Traditional routes like galleries and local art fairs are great, but setting up your own online shop on Etsy or Shopify gives you full control.​

Want a simple way to offer more affordable options? Turn your best work into art prints. A painting that sells once as an original can keep earning through prints – opening your work up to buyers who love it but aren’t ready to invest in an original.

With a print-on-demand partner like Printful, it’s incredibly easy. Upload your design to products once, and when a customer in Vancouver or Halifax orders a print, we produce and ship it for them directly from our Canadian fulfilment centre. No customs, no duties, just happy customers.​

How to start?​

• Digitise your work. Get high-resolution scans or photos of your artwork – at least 150 DPI for most products, and 300 DPI for paper prints, posters, phone cases, and stickers.

• Choose your print formats. Fine art giclée prints, framed posters, canvas – think about what suits your style and what your buyers would actually hang.

• Set up your online store on Etsy, Shopify, or wherever your buyers are (we’ve got a great guide on how to sell art on Etsy), connect it to Printful, and your prints are ready to sell. We handle printing and delivery from our Mississauga facility every time an order comes in.

• Promote your shop on social media to pull in your first sales.
  
  

2. Put your art on custom products​​

Picture your illustrations on a tote bag someone carries to the farmers’ market, or your watercolour on a mug that’s part of someone’s morning routine. That’s the power of Print on Demand (POD) in Canada – your art living in the world, without you ever touching inventory.​

It’s the perfect business model for artists who’d rather be creating than fussing with logistics.

Here’s how it works:​

• Create a free Printful account and browse the catalogue – we’ve got everything from custom clothing to home décor.

• Test your designs on products using the Design Maker. Try the same piece on a t-shirt, a tote, and a mug – you’ll quickly see what works where.

• Set your prices and publish. Connect your eCommerce store (Shopify, Etsy, Wix, and more) and your products go live.

• We take it from there. Every order is printed, packed, and delivered from our Mississauga facility – no minimums, no stock to manage, no risk.

The best part for Canadian sellers: our facility in Mississauga, Ontario, means your orders reach customers faster and without any surprise cross-border fees. You build your brand; we handle the rest.

3. Teach your artistic skills​

Sharing what you know is a great way to bring in consistent income – and artists are often better teachers than they think. Teach what you love: in-person workshops at a local community centre, or online courses that reach people wherever they are.

Think about what you do best. Is it watercolours? Digital illustration in Procreate? Character design? Plan a course or a one-off workshop around that skill.​

• For online courses, platforms like Skillshare and Teachable make it easy to upload video lessons and build a curriculum

• For in-person workshops, promote your sessions on local Facebook groups, community bulletin boards, or through your own social media channels​

Beyond the income, teaching builds your reputation as an expert – and that tends to open doors to more commissions and opportunities.

4. License your art for passive income​​

Art licensing is a bit like renting out your artwork. You grant a company the rights to use your design on their products – stationery, textiles, home goods, you name it – and in return, you collect a royalty on every sale.​ Your art style becomes an asset.

You keep the copyright to your work, and your art reaches a massive new audience. It’s one of the best ways to make money as an artist because once the design work’s done, it just keeps earning.​

How to get started:​

• Build a strong portfolio that showcases your unique style

• Research Canadian and international brands whose aesthetic matches yours

• Pitch your portfolio directly or work with a licensing agency

• Negotiate your contract, which typically includes a royalty percentage
  
  

5. Build a powerful online presence​

In a crowded market, a strong online presence is how collectors, clients, and fans find you. Think of it as your digital studio and gallery, all in one – the place where your work lives between exhibitions and commissions.​

• Start a blog to share your creative process

• Launch a YouTube channel with tutorials or “paint with me” videos

• Master one or two social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest, where your target audience hangs out
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How to make it work:​

• Post consistently – a mix of finished art, behind-the-scenes content, and personal stories goes a long way

• Engage with your followers in the comments and DMs to build a real community

• Collaborate with other Canadian artists on challenges or giveaways

• Always keep a link to your shop in your bio so followers know where to find your work

A solid online presence turns passive followers into passionate customers eager to support your work.​

6. Sell digital art products​​

 Digital products are an artist’s dream – create once, sell forever. Already working in Procreate or Photoshop? The brushes, textures, and templates you’ve built for your own practice could be exactly what another artist is looking for.

There’s no delivery cost, no inventory, and instant access for the buyer. For Canadian artists looking to reach a global market, it’s a perfect fit.​​

Popular digital products for artists include:​

• Printable wall art​

• Digital planners and journal pages​

• Custom brushes for Procreate or Photoshop​

• Stock illustrations or graphics​

• Mobile phone wallpapers​

Sell these on your own website or through marketplaces like Creative Market, Gumroad, or Etsy. It’s a low-effort way to bring in extra income, freeing you up to work on larger projects.​

7. Apply for Canadian art grants and enter contests​

Honestly, this one flies under the radar for many artists. Canada has a solid system for supporting the arts through grants, which can cover the cost of a new body of work, studio expenses, or a project trip.​

• Canada Council for the Arts: Canada’s national arts funder, with a wide range of grants for individual artists. Check out their open funding opportunities.

• Provincial Arts Councils: Every province has its own – like the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), the BC Arts Council, or the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) – with grants specifically for residents.

Contests can also bring prize money, exposure, and validation. Look for opportunities on sites that list calls for artists – start with those that have a Canadian or North American focus.

8. Write and publish art-related content​

If writing’s your thing, monetise your expertise by creating art-related content. This could be a blog, an eBook on a specific technique, or even freelance articles for art publications.​

Where to publish:​

• Start your own blog with a simple website builder

• Self-publish an eBook or a physical art book with Amazon KDP or Blurb​

• Pitch article ideas to Canadian art publications like C Magazine (contemporary art and criticism, open pitches year-round) or Visual Arts News (the only magazine dedicated to visual art in Atlantic Canada)

It’s a great way to build authority, grow an email list, and funnel readers toward your other income streams – your online courses, your shop, all of it.

9. Collaborate with other artists and brands​

Partnering with other creatives or brands is a powerful way to reach new audiences and make something fresh. Launch a limited-edition product, co-host a workshop, or put on a joint exhibition.​​

Think about Canadian brands or artists whose work complements your own. A local coffee shop might be after custom-designed mugs, or a fashion blogger might love to feature your art on a t-shirt. Reach out with a clear idea of what a collab would do for both of you.​

10. Work as a freelance illustrator or designer​

​Your skills as an illustrator or designer are genuinely in demand. While you’re building your own practice, freelance work is a natural fit – you’re already doing the work, just for someone else’s brief.

Many companies hire freelance artists for projects like:​

• Brand logo and graphic design​

• Illustrations for websites, books, or magazines​

• Custom pattern design for products​

• Animations for marketing campaigns​

Build a professional portfolio and start hunting for work on creative job boards like Behance or by networking on LinkedIn. Freelancing is a reliable way to keep the lights on while you build your own art business on the side.

Tips for turning your art into a Canadian business​

Set up your business properly​

Going from making art to making a living from it means laying the right groundwork. In Canada, this means deciding on a business structure. Many artists start as a sole proprietorship – the simplest option to get going.​​

You’ll also need to get your head around your tax obligations. In Canada, once your revenue tops C$30,000 in a calendar year, you’re required to register for a GST/HST account and remit the applicable tax to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). PST is a separate provincial tax and may apply depending on where you’re based.

It’s a good idea to chat with an accountant to make sure you’re set up correctly.

Know your worth and price your work fairly​

Pricing your art is one of the trickiest parts of being a working artist – most of us were never taught it. Research what artists with a similar style and experience level are charging in the Canadian market, and start there.

And don’t shortchange yourself when your work is shown or reproduced. CARFAC (Canadian Artists’ Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens) publishes a minimum recommended fee schedule for exhibition royalties and reproduction rights. So you have a national standard to point to when negotiating.

Build multiple streams of income​

The most successful artists don’t put all their eggs in one basket – and their income usually reflects the different ways they work. Diversifying creates stability and gives you a cushion when one area has a slow month.

A great combination could be:​

• Selling original paintings through your website

• Offering affordable prints and merchandise through Print on Demand

• Teaching a monthly online workshop

By combining these streams, you can design your own products for passive income while also engaging with your audience directly and selling high-value original work.​

How do artists sell their work online? Partner with Printful!​

Your art deserves to be out in the world – and Print on Demand is one of the most practical ways to make that happen. With Printful, it’s effortless. No upfront costs. No inventory risks. No delivery headaches.

​With Printful, you get a reliable partner in your corner dedicated to quality. We handle everything from printing to dispatch, so you can focus on what you do best: creating incredible art.​

1. Create your free account – there are no monthly fees or hidden costs.

2. Digitise your artwork. Prepare high-resolution files: 150 DPI minimum for most products, 300 DPI for paper prints, posters, phone cases, and stickers.

3. Choose your products. Browse the catalogue and test how your designs look on different items using the Design Maker – prints, apparel, home décor, and more.

4. Set up your online store on Shopify, Etsy, Wix, or any major eCommerce platform. Printful integrates with all of them.

5. Connect Printful to your store. From here, every order is automatically sent to our Mississauga fulfilment centre – we print, pack, and deliver directly to your customer, anywhere in Canada and worldwide.

6. Promote your shop and keep creating. That’s your job. Ours is everything else.

When an order comes in, our team gets to work. Start with a side income – or build it into a full-time business. Either way, you set the terms.

Final thoughts​

The Canadian art scene is full of opportunity – and your work is already the starting point. With so many ways to sell, from local markets to a global eCommerce store, building a career you actually love is closer than you think.​

Ready to take the first step? Sign up with Printful for free, upload your designs, and start selling your art to customers across Canada and around the world.​