Thinking of Selling Coloring Pages...Advice?

[Former_Member]

I have been having a hard time selling many prints of my artwork, especially since my shop sort of just fits a small niche of products.

While I was browsing products, I saw that many people were selling coloring pages of their artwork. Does anyone have experience on this, or an opinion on whether this might be a good thing to offer? If I do, I plan on creating digital downloadable files and selling them pretty cheap.

I know it'd be good for children, which I would love to create them for, but I'm also wondering if it might be something some adults would enjoy too. I know a few people who have gotten those mandala coloring pages and color them as a form of meditation. I would love to create some for this purpose as well.

Just looking for input and suggestions, thanks!

[Former_Member]

Oh and I meant to ask if it would be better to release individual sheets, or as a "digital coloring book"? Thanks!

[AvonnieStudio]

I think releasing individual sheets will help you get found since you will be having more listings. At the same time, you can also offer bundles of individual sheets(digital coloring book). So I would say do both :) Good luck!

[Former_Member]

Yes that makes a lot of sense! Thanks :)

[DesertDabbler]

I make cards to send to friends and family and have sold a few in the past. I'd like to have art pages to color with my copic markers to use on cards. I'd use them instead of a rubber stamp.
Some rubber stamp designers allow "angel company" use of their designs; some don't. You might find a market for your art with card makers.
I love your kitten having tea. :)

[Former_Member]

Hm that's very interesting. It would definitely be very neat to sell a design to a stamp company! And I'm sure there are a lot of people like you who like to color and create their own cards to send! Thanks for the suggestions!

And thank you, I had a very fun time drawing her :)

[Former_Member]

I love your style!! Have you ever thought of selling your prints as cards, t-shirts, and/or tote bags?

[FabricTwist]

Molly, your artwork is lovely! You never know if it will work till you try it. I think offering both individual and bundles would work well. I have two young girls and I have to buy two of every coloring book or they will fight. Maybe simpler drawings for kids and an advanced intricate designs for adults.
I wish you the best of luck in your new venture.

[Former_Member]

Jessica- Yes I have some, but I haven't really gotten enough sales to afford a venture like that! It would require a bit of an initial investment. However if I do get more sales then I would love to expand to more products!

Angi- Thank you so much! It's good to hear that you do buy coloring books for your girls, it seems like a less popular products for kids now then when I was little. But thank you for the advice, I really think I am going to try it out and see how it goes!

[Former_Member]

Thought about screen printing your designs on to t shirts?

[Former_Member]

I agree about tshirts, your designs definitely would look awesome on shirts!

Looove the turquoise feather!!

[Former_Member]

I've definitely though about it, and I think it would be really cool to do! But I just don't have the money do to an initial investment like that :/ If I can get more sales, I'd definitely branch out though!

[heathercashart]

Hi Molly,

Your art is awesome!! I do think coloring pages would be cool. BUT, I feel like you could easily get more sales if you do a couple things to your shop.

I know you didn't come here asking for a critique, but I really just think your art is so amazing that I think you could sell so much!!

One thing would be to add a LOT more items. I didn't start getting regular sales until I got up to over 200 items and had that amount for quite awhile.

Also, diversifying. You definitely have a nice variety of themes, like fruit, birdie, feather, cat, etc (which means you'll reach way more people because basically all the people that search for "fruit print", and "bird print", and "feather print", etc) - so if you basically just do this MORE (increasing your number of available items to over 200) then I believe it would help a lot.

Another great way to diversify is to offer different types of products. I KNOW you said you can't afford to build up your product line, but there are certain things you can buy that would be a very small investment to build up your products.

BUTTONS: You can get 25 buttons made from your artwork for only $5.00. And with the going rate of $1/button if you resell it on Etsy, you can basically pay for it by selling 5 buttons.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/161821697/25-1-inch
Only $5!!!

LUGGAGE TAGS: Only $18 for a 100 pack. Just print the picture from your own printer & slip it in. Sell it for about $4 per luggage tag.
http://www.clearbags.com/spec/vinyl/luggage-tags

GREETING CARDS: Buy 20 for $16 (80 cents each), resell for $2-4 or more.
http://www.overnightprints.com/greetingcards

I think those are very small investments, and they would expand your product line, resulting in more views from search and consequently more sales.

I think it's really important to offer products at ALL different price ranges, so that people who LOVE your art don't have to spend $17 on a print. Similarly, someone may WANT to spend a BUNCH, so try also doing sets of prints, and larger prints (you can print an 11x17 or 11x14 at Staples for $2 - sell for $25 or so).

I DO think it would be great to offer coloring pages, because that would be diversifying more. So I think you should go for it. But I think you should make other stuff too :)

Heather

[Former_Member]

Heather-

Thank you so much! I love any kind of critique I can get, it always helps me immensely, and the last time I made a topic asking for critique, I increased my views by 5 times! And I was just about to create a topic asking for critique!

I've been trying to create a lot more listings, but creating new designs all the time is a bit difficult. But I know doing coloring pages and what not would be pretty easy! Do you think adding more color variations of the designs I already have would also help diversifying? I've considered doing that, I just wasn't sure if that would look good in my shop...I don't know haha.

Those product suggestions are great though, and I definitely will try out some of them with it! I'm always just afraid people won't really want my art on anything but a print :/

And yes I actually can print larger sizes at home because I have a large printer, but I just haven't gotten around to offering up the larger sizes! I'm afraid to buy the larger, more expensive paper because I haven't really been making a lot of sales.

Anyway, thanks sooo so much for the input, it's helped and inspired me so much!!

[heathercashart]

Hi Molly,

Yes, I think color variations are a great idea! I think you did really good with the variations you have so far. It's nice because people can pick the colors that go with their decor!

The peacock feather would be really nice in other colors too.

Re: cards, some of the sayings may not work as well for cards, but for example, a set of peacock feather cards would be awesome, also the elephant, the cat, and OMG the tweet tweet bird which I love so very much!!

Tweet tweet would be PERFECT as a set of cards, because saying tweet tweet is like saying hello!!

Oh another cool thing could be bookmarks - my bookmarks sell really well. Your peacock feather would be cool as a bookmark. Overnightprints sells them really cheap. 25 double-sided bookmarks for $6. Can't go wrong with that!

If you do make Tweet Tweet cards, let me know, because I totally want them. :) Then you don't have to worry that no one will buy them, because you already have a confirmed customer!

Heather

[PaperScissorsPop]

This is a great threat. Awesome advice Heather. I agree all of what has been said here. Your work lends itself to many mediums. I would love to see the nautical anchor piece on a tee-shirt. Great work!!

[Former_Member]

Heather- Thanks so much, these really are some great suggestions! Another thing I'm thinking of doing is digital downloads for cards too..but I'm definitely going to order some to sell soon! I can let you know once they come in ;) The bookmarks would be great also! Thanks again!

Emily-Thanks so much! I would love to make t-shirts eventually, but it's a bit of a pricey initial investment. There are other website where you can make t-shirt designs for free and get paid on commission so I might do that too! Anyway, thanks!

[Former_Member]

People love my art, but I have had NO luck in selling designs for coloring pages digitally. I have much more luck printing out whole books and selling them at festivals and fairs. Never once have I had a coloring page sale online. Go figure! Also, I am doing a hemp apparel line featuring my artwork, so I am too busy to really care at the moment. I thought it was such a lovely idea, too, and I would certainly buy one of my coloring pages! I don't get it!

[Former_Member]

Well that's a shame, your artwork is beautiful!

But printing them out and selling them manually is a good idea, especially because I feel like people are more apt to buy something when it's right there. I might do something like that in the future! Thanks!