Artist Alley on Budget: Products

Artist Alley can be a dream come true for any artist looking to showcase their work, network with fellow creators, and build a loyal following. But for those who have a limited income or no stable income. I was no exception. 

Starting out as a full-time student/artist means that maximizing the budget is a must. Creating low-budget (in-house) products for Artist Alley using a single artwork is a smart approach to maximize your resources and profits.

If your artwork lends itself to different colour palettes, offer variations like a night version, alternate colours, or grayscale. This gives the illusion of more variety without needing new designs. Additionally, extract different parts of the design to create different products. For instance, a close-up of a character’s face could be a sticker, while the full artwork can be a print.

By diversifying your products from a single piece of art, you can offer a wide range of items at different price points, appealing to a larger audience at Artist Alley. Here’s a step-by-step guide that helped me to navigate and expand my products and not limit myself to just canvas while keeping costs low to a minimum - offering variety:

✦ Prints (Postcards, Mini Prints, and Posters)

Printing a high-quality copy prints of an original artwork, whether it was traditional or digital - selling in different sizes such as posters, mini prints, postcards or even photocards (works for fan-art artworks).

Photocards of Jinx x Ekko from Riot Games

• Postcards/Mini Prints: Start with small-sized prints, like 4x6 postcards or 5x7 mini prints. If you outsource the printing process - you can print these in bulk at a lower cost, and they are easy to transport and display.
• Posters: Offer larger prints (11x17 or 18x24) for fans who want a bigger version of the artwork. These can be rolled up and sold in tubes.

Investing in a good eco-tank printer is a huge saver, as you can control the printing quantity and quality. Additionally, outsourcing to a local print shop - is also a good start, as they handle all the printing and cutting into sizes, and they print in bulk.

📝Production Tip: Using Glossy Photo Paper 135g/m2 - 200g/m2, Semi-glossy or Super-glossy papers can be used for Posters/photocards to your preferences. Or a Brief Card Paper or Cardstock Multi-use paper for Prints/Postcards.

✦ Stickers

Stickers are inexpensive to produce and highly popular at Artist Alley. You can offer die-cut stickers or simple shapes based on the artwork.

Heart-Shaped Stickers

As I recently got to start turning my art into stickers, printing stickers in-house might be a hassle as printing and then handcutting each sticker may be time-consuming; however, it gives you the freedom to cut into any shape you like/want.

Many places will allow you to print stickers in a limited range of sizes and shapes - and for me, that limits the creativity and originality of my products.

📝Production Tip: Use platforms like StickerApp or Printful for affordable sticker printing, especially in bulk. (Note the shipping fees)

✦ Buttons or Badges (or Pins!)

Buttons or pins featuring your artwork (or parts of it) are low-cost, and fans love them as collectable items. There are a few options for creating your own buttons;

The first option is that button-making machines can be purchased relatively cheaply and start making in-house.

Button-Making Machine

The second option is to outsource to a button printing company, such as Just Buttons' affordable sticker printing, again - especially in bulk.

Lastly, Shrink Plastic Paper pins coated with UV resin - I personally haven't tried it myself, but found this "DIY Shrink Plastic Cat Pins | Shrinky Dinks and Resin" video very helpful and easy to get started on your own!

📝Production Tip: You can repurpose parts of your artwork or zoom in on specific elements to create a variety of button designs from one illustration.

✦ Bookmarks

If your artwork is vertical, bookmarks are a perfect low-cost option. You can make bookmarks by slicing a part of the design that works well in a tall, slim format. Note that bookmark sizes vary, thus printing them with the idea of matching the size of the books.

Bookmark

📝Production Tip: Using a Brief Card Paper or Cardstock Multi-use paper for high-quality Bookmarks.

Most bookmarks are around 2 x 7 inches. A slightly smaller size, 2 x 6, might be used for children's books or small paperbacks. A longer size, 2 x 7, is for holding more information and photos for a bigger visual impact.

After printing, you can laminate them yourself to waterproof and protect the bookmark to last longer.

📝Production Tip: These can be outsourced, printed in black and white or colour, cut and laminated professionally, depending on your budget.

✦ Product Bundles

Creating bundles to encourage sales and offer more value. For example, you could bundle a print, sticker, and bookmark at a slightly discounted rate, making it an attractive deal for customers.

Mystery Baggies by krisswanart on IG

Alternatively, offering mystery baggies which can include one random product of each category you sell - one sticker, one print, and one bookmark. By diversifying your products from a single piece of art, you can offer a wide range of items at different price points, appealing to a larger audience.

💜

Starting out in Artist Alley on a limited budget can feel overwhelming, but with a little creativity and resourcefulness, it’s absolutely possible to build a beautiful, diverse product line from just one piece of artwork. Whether you're printing at home, outsourcing selectively, or experimenting with new formats, every small step you take is an investment in your growth as an artist and entrepreneur.

 Remember: it's not about having everything—it’s about making the most of what you have. Keep creating, adapting, and most importantly, don’t be afraid to start small. Your art has value, and there’s a place for it at the table.

-Hessa