Tumblr is a highly visual platform making it ideal for artists to share their work and connect with art lovers. With its creative community and customization options, Tumblr provides a unique opportunity for artists to grow an audience for their brands.
Creating a polished Tumblr page, engaging with other creators, and consistently posting quality artwork can help artists gain followers, interactions, commissions, and sales.
This article will provide tips for how artists can successfully get into Tumblr and use it to further their art business.
Your Tumblr page needs to instantly reflect your artistic identity. Here are tips for setting up an appealing artist profile:
Your Tumblr URL should be branded around your name or artistic identity. Make it easy to remember and share.
Use your bio to introduce who you are as an artist. Share your background, mediums, and styles, and include a profile picture.
Your avatar photo or logo should align with your art aesthetics. This helps distinguish your brand visually.
Make your Tumblr page easy for art fans to navigate and explore:
Organize your page into sections for figure drawing, landscapes, character art, etc. Add tags to all posts.
Feature polished finished pieces prominently. This makes a strong first impression on visitors.
Enhance your Tumblr with a visually appealing theme tailored to your artistic style and brand.
Networking with fellow artists and art lovers helps grow your audience:
Follow creators with similar styles and interact meaningfully with their content.
Participate in community discussions providing value to raise your profile.
Run creative contests awarding art prizes to increase engagement.
Share your creations consistently to attract and retain art fans:
Let fans follow along with your process by posting in-progress shots.
Showcase your best-executed artwork frequently. Space it out with works in progress.
Repost your strongest evergreen pieces periodically for new followers.
Actively promote your page to drive more art lovers to your work:
Include hashtags like #artoftheday, #artistsofinstagram, etc. to reach those communities.
Link to your Tumblr page from your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter profiles.
Guest post on artist friends’ Tumblrs to tap into each other’s audiences.
There are multiple ways to monetize your art through Tumblr:
Drive sales by adding store links to your bio and on artwork posts.
Promote custom commission openings to capitalize on inbound demand.
Offer special prints for fans to purchase directly through Tumblr.
1-2 times daily is optimal to stay active without overwhelming followers.
Relevant art hashtags like #sketchbook, #digitalart, and #artistsofinstagram help extend reach. Avoid overused generic ones.
Lightly watermarking unfinished pieces and sharing higher-res unmarked final art is recommended.
Tumblr provides a robust platform for artists to share their craft and build an engaged audience. Leverage its creative community, use promotional tactics, consistently post high-quality art, and interact with fans. This can lead to more followers, commissions, collaborations, and sales. Approach Tumblr strategically as an integral part of your art business growth.
Q: What tips do you have for customizing an artist’s Tumblr page?
A: Showcase your best works prominently. Organize with a clear navigation structure. Choose a branded username and customize with a visually appealing theme.
Q: How can artists engage with the Tumblr community?
A: Follow similar accounts, join Tumblr chats and forums, run creative contests and giveaways, guest post, and meaningfully interact with others’ content.
Q: What are some effective ways for artists to promote their Tumblr page?
A: Cross-promote across your other social channels, use relevant hashtags, collaborate on content with others, and actively build your network on the platform.
Q: How should artists balance posting Tumblr content?
A: Post 1-2 times daily, alternating between finished pieces and works in progress. Recycle your evergreen content periodically for new followers.
Q: What are some options for artists to monetize their Tumblr presence?
A: Link to online shops, promote commission openings, sell limited edition art prints directly through Tumblr, and build your following to drive sales across channels.