So you're an aspiring artist whose creativity has spawned unique and interesting works of art. Now you feel confident to display and sell your artwork, but you're venturing into new and unknown territories. You obviously turn to the Internet to look for answers to your questions on how to find an agent or which gallery best fits up-and-coming artists like you. The process of selling a piece of art is a difficult one for many artists. Many fine pieces of art never make it past this stage. Selling your art online isn't easy, especially for someone who’s only starting in the art world. Before you dive in, there are some things you should consider.

1. Let everyone find out about you and your art.

Before doing anything else, create your online profile as an artist. Develop a social media page on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and start promoting yourself and your work. Bring out the most striking features of your paintings and what inspires your passion & creativity. Make it clear to readers why you love high quality art. These are important ways of connecting and establishing your credibility in the art world.

Take advantage of the power of Twitter and Facebook to increase people's knowledge of you. Tweet updates about your new paintings, your thoughts about art, and news items about art in general.

2. Join online art communities.

Depending on your intentions, selling your art pieces on online art communities or stores may be beneficial. Read the terms and conditions of every site very carefully. Know how much commission site takes, know how the site can help protect you and your works of art, and learn the types of artwork that are sold in the site.

3. Advertise yourself. Make yourself public.

Get yourself out there as best as you can by advertising yourself. Publish some sample pieces on your website or social media accounts to showoff your talent and creativity. Protect yourself! Add a watermark to digital images to protect your artwork from thieves.

Spend a little time reading on ways in which other artists are using advertising themselves. What works and what doesn't work for them. Pinpoint the things you like about their promotional strategies and what you want to avoid. This type of research can give you a lot of ideas and also alert you to potential pitfalls for the ways in which you will promote your own artwork.

4. Take good pictures.

Like they say, "a picture's worth a thousand words." You’ll want to impress potential customers. Upload detailed images that highlight paint strokes and color. Show potential buyers multiple shots of your work under different light or how they pair with other wall color. This may take away uncertainty that many people have when they buy a work of art online.

5. Be sure to properly license your art.

Art licensing is a way of proving that your artwork belongs to you. It is a necessary bookkeeping in the art world and will help you if there is a dispute about originality, ownership, or moral rights.