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How to Generate a Steady Income Monthly by Creating and Selling Online Art Courses

Last Updated on October 5, 2024 by Arif Chowdhury

Do you want to make $7,000 a month while sharing your passion for art? If you have artistic skills and an interest in teaching, creating and selling online art courses can be a profitable venture.

It’s not just about making money; it’s about turning your talent into something people are willing to pay for, month after month.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to make it happen step by step.

Why Online Art Courses?

Before diving into the strategy, let’s look at why online art courses are a lucrative option. In 2021, the online learning market reached $315 billion, and it’s only growing.

Art courses have a unique appeal because people are always looking to develop creative skills, whether as a hobby or a professional pursuit. By 2026, the global e-learning market is projected to grow by 11.5%, which is great news if you’re looking to get into this space!

Step 1: Find Your Art Niche

You can’t please everyone, and you shouldn’t try. This is where you get specific. Instead of saying, “I’ll teach art,” decide what kind of art you are best at and who would want to learn it.

Choosing the right niche is critical to making $7,000 a month because it allows you to target a specific audience, making your marketing much easier.

How to Find Your Art Niche:

  1. Assess Your Strengths – What specific style of art are you most comfortable teaching? Watercolors, digital painting, or perhaps portrait drawing?
  2. Look at Market Demand – Use platforms like Skillshare, Udemy, or even YouTube to see what art courses are popular. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but you should find a unique angle.
  3. Define Your Audience – Are your students beginners? Intermediate artists? Adults or kids? Knowing your audience helps you tailor your course effectively.

Example:

If you’re amazing at digital art and you notice a rising interest in character design, you could create a course specifically for aspiring digital illustrators focusing on fantasy characters. This way, you’re not competing with every other art course; you’re zeroing in on a niche that will love what you offer.

Step 2: Create Your First Course Outline

Now that you have your niche, it’s time to outline your course. The goal here is not just to teach a few random lessons but to create a structured path that takes students from Point A (beginner) to Point B (proficient in your niche).

Here’s How to Create a Solid Course Outline:

  1. Brainstorm Your Lessons – Break down your niche into digestible lessons. For example, if your course is on character design, Lesson 1 could be on the basics of anatomy, Lesson 2 on facial expressions, and so on.
  2. Add Clear Goals for Each Lesson – Make sure each lesson has a clear, tangible outcome. This gives students a sense of progress and keeps them motivated.
  3. Decide on Course Length – Ideally, your course should be long enough to provide value but not overwhelming. Most successful online courses are 5-10 hours long, divided into manageable lessons.

Pro Tip:

The sweet spot is between 6 to 8 modules, with each module containing 3-5 lessons. This structure keeps students engaged without feeling overloaded.

Step 3: Record High-Quality Videos

Now comes the fun part: recording your lessons! High-quality videos set your course apart from the competition and can justify a higher price.

The average price for online art courses ranges from $50 to $200, and having professional-looking content can allow you to charge on the higher end of that spectrum.

Steps to Record Great Videos:

  1. Invest in Good Equipment – While you don’t need Hollywood-level gear, make sure your video is clear, and your audio is crisp. A good microphone is a must.
  2. Choose a Well-Lit Space – Natural light works wonders, but if you’re shooting indoors, make sure the room is well-lit.
  3. Keep It Engaging – No one wants to watch a boring lecture. Include close-up shots of your art, time-lapses, and even some personality. Show your passion for the art you’re teaching.
  4. Edit Smartly – Use editing software to cut out pauses or mistakes. Programs like Adobe Premiere Pro or iMovie are great for beginners.

Step 4: Choose a Platform to Sell Your Course

Once your course is ready, you need to choose a platform to sell it on. Picking the right platform is essential to making $7,000 a month because it affects your reach, pricing flexibility, and how you market your course.

Top Platforms for Selling Art Courses:

  1. Udemy – A well-known platform with a built-in audience. While you don’t have control over pricing, Udemy’s massive user base can help you gain visibility quickly.
  2. Teachable – If you want more control over pricing and branding, Teachable allows you to set your own prices and keep a higher percentage of your revenue.
  3. Skillshare – Skillshare works on a subscription model, so you get paid based on how many minutes people watch your content. It’s great for building a steady income stream over time.
  4. Your Own Website – Platforms like Kajabi or Thinkific allow you to sell courses directly on your website, giving you total control over the process. This option takes more work but can result in higher profits.

Pro Tip:

To maximize profits, consider offering your course on multiple platforms. For example, you could offer a lower-cost version on Udemy to capture a broad audience and a premium version with bonuses on your website for those willing to pay more.

Step 5: Price Your Course Strategically

Pricing is where most people get stuck. Charge too little, and you’ll struggle to make $7,000 a month. Charge too much, and no one will buy. The key is to balance value and accessibility.

Pricing Strategies:

  1. Research Competitor Prices – Look at similar courses in your niche to get a ballpark figure.
  2. Create Tiered Pricing – Offer different levels of access. For example, a basic course could cost $50, while a premium version with additional resources or one-on-one coaching could go for $150.
  3. Bundle Offers – If you plan on creating multiple courses, bundle them together for a higher ticket price. People love deals, and this is an easy way to increase your monthly earnings.

Example:

If your goal is to make $7,000 a month, and you price your course at $200, you’ll only need to sell 35 courses per month. With the right marketing strategy, this is totally doable!

Step 6: Promote Like a Pro

Creating the course is half the battle. The other half is getting people to buy it. To consistently hit $7,000 a month, you need to invest time in promoting your course.

Promotion Strategies That Work:

  1. Leverage Social Media – Instagram and TikTok are perfect for artists. Share behind-the-scenes videos, time-lapses, and snippets of your lessons to build interest.
  2. Use Email Marketing – Build an email list from day one. You can offer a free mini-lesson in exchange for people’s email addresses. Then, when your course is ready, you can promote it directly to your audience.
  3. Partner with Influencers – Collaborate with influencers or YouTubers in the art community. They can help promote your course to their followers.
  4. Run Ads – Once you have some sales, reinvest part of your profits into Facebook or Google ads to scale your course even further.

Step 7: Scale to $7,000 and Beyond

The great thing about online courses is that they are scalable. After you make your first $1,000, scaling up is a matter of refining your marketing, improving your content, and maybe even expanding your course offerings.

Ways to Scale:

  1. Upsell Advanced Courses – Once students complete your first course, offer them an advanced version for a higher price.
  2. Create a Membership Model – Offer exclusive content through a membership platform, where students pay a monthly fee for ongoing lessons and community access.
  3. Run Limited-Time Promotions – Scarcity sells. Offer a limited-time discount or a bonus to encourage more sales during slower months.

Fun Fact:

Online art instructors who consistently launch new content and build strong student communities can easily make over $100,000 a year. The income potential is massive!

Wrapping It Up

Making $7,000 a month by creating and selling online art courses isn’t a pipe dream—it’s a realistic goal. It takes planning, good content, and effective promotion, but if you follow these steps, you’re well on your way to turning your passion into profit.