How to Sell Art on Displate: A Guide for Artists

Sell art on Displate. This is a great side hustle, and that’s exactly what this article will talk about.

What is Displate?

Displate is a fast-growing online marketplace for metal prints, posters, and wall art, offering entrepreneurs and artists an original way to sell their own artworks through their own online store.

They have partnerships with large brands such as Arsenal, Star Wars, DC comics, and Marvel, also making it one of the most popular places to turn art into Displate metal posters.

Benefits of Selling Metal Posters on Displate

If you are not sure whether creating art and selling it on Displate is worth your time, then look at these benefits:

• Displate is the largest online marketplace for metal posters, and that’s also reflected within their audience – They have more than 50 million visitors every month and 2.2 million likes on social media, making it the best way for talented artists to sell their artworks.
• You are allowed to print and buy your own art on metal posters for 50% less than the original price.
• Commissions can be as high as 50% per sale, which might not sound like a lot. However, you don’t have to deal with factors like customer service, metal poster production, shipping, etc., which outweigh the low commission.

How much can you earn from selling metal posters?

There’s no limit to how much you can earn from your metal posters since a Displate artist is only restricted by demand.

But the average monthly paycheck for Displate’s top-selling artists is around $5,000, meaning if you’re going to be one of the bad sellers, you might still earn between $500 to $2,000 a month.

So if you think this a good idea, and a great platform to start off, then let me show you how you get the snowball rolling.

Create an Account

Opening your own Displate shop is quite simple. You don’t need any power tools or experience, only an online portfolio, which I’ll show you how to create later.

The registration process is 100% free, but not everybody will become a seller.

To ensure that you’ll be accepted as a Displate seller, you need to have an online portfolio that contains multiple high resolution images.

If your artwork images are of low quality you can wave goodbye to Displate, and say hello to frustration.

If you already have an online portfolio, you can skip the next step. If not, then let me teach you how to create one.

Create a Portfolio

You can create a portfolio in many ways; through your own website, a physical exhibition, online documents, etc. 

And since you might not have a portfolio yet, I want to show you how to create one fast and pretty easily as well.

Start by searching “Google Sites” in your internet browser. On Google you’ll see the following site in the search results:

Click the site, and you’ll end up with a screen that looks like the one below. Next, you choose Portfolio.

Now you can start uploading various images and art you might have created in the past.

When you’ve uploaded all the images you need, click “publish” in the upper right corner followed by a click on “Manage”.

Now the following window should pop up, and you then choose “start setup”.

Now one of two things will happen. 

You might see the window below, and if that’s the case, then choose “Buy a domain”.

If it’s not available due to your location, then search for “Google domains” in a new tab, and you should be able to get access to Google domains.

Both ways will lead you to Google Domains, where you need to find a cheap domain, purchase it, and then attach your portfolio to that link. 

Reach Out to Displate

Write a professional mail to Displate via the following link. You can either write it yourself or use a premade template I created:

Subject: Application for Artist on Displate

Dear [Displate team],

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to express my interest in becoming an artist on Displate. As an artist, I am passionate about creating visually stunning designs that can be displayed on metal prints.

I have attached my portfolio to this email, which showcases some of my best work. As you will see, my style is versatile and ranges from abstract to photorealistic. I am confident that my unique vision and creative abilities will make me a valuable addition to the Displate community.

I would be honored to have the opportunity to contribute my designs to the platform and share my work with a wider audience. If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of working with you.

Best regards,

[Your name]

Selling Metal Posters – How to Get Approved?

Displate wants the best quality artwork for their customers, and therefore they have some guidelines you should use if you want to increase your chances of getting approved.

Beneath I take you through a lot of things and strict rules to follow.

File Check

The potential Displate posters you include in your portfolio should fulfill the guidelines below:

• The best pixel dimensions are 4000×5600

• The shortest side of the image should be at least 2900 px

• Ratio 1.4:1 for the best product fit (ex. 4060px x 2900px)

• Go for a minimum of 300 dpi

• The maximum size of the file is 30MB

• Go for the sRGB color profile

A Photoshop Pro Tip 💡

As a seasoned Photoshop user, you know the importance of color accuracy in your images.

But did you know that you can embed a color profile directly in Photoshop to ensure the most accurate representation of your colors?

To do this, simply navigate to the “Image” tab and select “Convert To Profile.”

From there, you’ll need to choose the appropriate color profile for your image. The two most commonly used profiles are sRGB and AdobeRGB (1998).

It’s crucial to ensure that the “Source Space” and “Destination Space” are the same when converting your images.

This will guarantee that your colors remain consistent throughout the editing process.

So next time you’re working on your images in Photoshop, take the extra step to embed a color profile and experience the difference in color accuracy.

• Save your image in the JPG file only

• Generate it from a PSD or TIFF file and then save it as the highest quality image with an embedded color profile

• If your artworks are traditional – scan your originals in professional companies so that you don’t lose any of their quality

The Most Common Reasons for Rejection

As already stated, Displate is very strict when it comes to approving your designs.

To give you are better perspective, here are the top 6 reasons why people are rejected according to Displate:

1. Bad-quality images
2. Manually increased pixel dimensions
3. Filters to increase the quality
4. Text and important content are too close to the edge
5. Frames
6. Multiple uploads of the same image with a changed color palette or tiny detail

If that wasn’t enough, then here are other reasons why artwork gets rejected:

• A very dark composition

• Blurred or low-quality backgrounds

• Grainy texture

• Wrong dimensions of uploaded images

• Bad-quality scans of the original painting

You Got Approved – What now?

So your original designs were enough to join the Displate website as one of the hundreds of independent artists – congratulations!

But you’ve guessed it, you cannot just lean back and play video games, you need to take action, but how?

Well, it’s pretty simple when you know how to do it, obviously. Thus, let me guide you through the whole process.

1 Set Up Your Shop

To get started, sign up for a free plan and upload your own images to create limited edition Displates in various sizes.

You can also offer discount codes and coupon codes to potential buyers, and use order-tracking services to keep track of your sales.

Make the most of your Displate shop by utilizing its marketing tools, such as Facebook Ads and an affiliate program, to reach potential customers and earn a commission on referrals.

Take advantage of the CSS customization of your shop to make your shop stand out, and feature your best examples or limited edition Displates in the top right corner of the page.

2 Pick a Shop Name

To establish yourself and your brand on Displate, you also need a name that people remember and come back to.

I want to give you some tips on how to create the perfect name for your shop:

1. Simple and memorable: Your store name should be easy to remember and spell so that customers can find you easily.
2. Make it meaningful: Consider choosing a name that reflects your personal style, brand, or niche.
3. Target audience: Think about who your target audience is and choose a name that appeals to them.
4. Avoid copycat names: Make sure your store name is unique and not too similar to other popular stores or brands.
5. Check availability: Check if the store name you have chosen is available on Displate and other social media platforms.

3 Prepare Your Uploads

We’ve already gone through a lot of ways your artwork can get rejected, so preparation is key.

To ensure you only upload top-quality artwork check out the video below made by Displate.

4 Upload Your Artwork

Before you can start selling metal posters and show off your unique designs, you must upload them to the online platform.

The best part is that Displate has a Multiuploader feature that allows you to create collections in seconds. Note that this feature is only available on desktops.

5 Create Collections (8 artworks at least)

Studies have shown that the average customer on Displate tends to purchase a series of three works to simplify their home decor needs.

This presents a fantastic opportunity for you as a seller to increase your chances of success on the platform.

By adding five vertical artworks to your collection, you will also benefit from an additional banner display at the top of your page.

This dynamic feature showcases a variety of your designs, improving the overall viewing experience for customers and ultimately leading to better sales results

6 Describe Your Artwork

Not only will a product description help the customer understand and navigate the various products on the platform, but it’s also your opportunity to drive traffic to your shop.

In fact, the description is a part of your own marketing, and just a little bit of SEO-optimized content in the product description will get you a long way.

Although it can help drive traffic, the most crucial part is the customer experience, therefore it should include elements such as:

• Do you offer free shipping
• The different sizes
• Thin of thick metal plate
• Do you offer layout customization
• It this one of your limited editions
• Do you only ship to the United States or the entire world

“Why should I write these things, since I’m not the one shipping or choosing the thickness of the metal plates?”

While it’s out of your control you should act like you are Displate, and therefore provide the customer with all the necessary information – this will also increase the likelihood of you getting a sale.

7 Wait for Verification

It can not be stressed enough how essential it is to upload high-quality images only.

Displate uses a system that verifies whether your image is good enough to get posted on the platform. In this stage, you should have patience.

A pro tip would be to use the wait time to construct more artwork and submit it regularly, so you always have some artwork in the pipeline.

8 Add Your PayPal Details

If you want to receive the artist’s commission and earn money from your hard work, you need to add your PayPal details, which it the method for payment on Displate.

Wrapping it all up – Selling Metal Posters on Displate

To wrap it up, Displate is a great platform for artists and graphic designers to showcase and sell their works. With its easy-to-use interface and wide reach, Displate offers a unique opportunity to reach a global audience and build a successful business.

Whether you’re a professional or just starting out, by following the tips outlined in this article, you can set yourself up for success on Displate.

From optimizing your shop’s visibility to offering unique, high-quality works, Displate provides a wealth of opportunities for artists to reach their full potential. So what are you waiting for? Start your Displate journey today and bring your artwork to the world!

Good luck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you sell paper posters on Displate?

No, you cannot sell paper posters on Displate. However, you can submit your paper poster designs to Displate, and they might be approved as a design for metal posters.

Do you need to be a graphic designer for selling metal posters on Displate?

Nope. That’s not a requirement, but being a graphic designer certainly won’t decrease your chances of becoming a Displate artist.

Is Displate worth it for designers?

If you like designing, metal posters, and you are satisfied with the low commissions paid by Displate – then yes.

On the other side, if you want to make a living from your artwork, then Displate might not be worth the hassle.

However, it would still be a nice side hustle to pursue parallel to your main job.

Can use my own image I took with my camera?

Of course. As long as the image follows the guidelines, there’s no problem with using your own images. In fact, it only makes it more original and unique.