Selling Tattoo Designs: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide provides insights into selling tattoo designs, covering marketplaces, POD services, licensing options, direct sales strategies, and ethical considerations regarding trauma-informed design.

Exploring Sales Avenues

Selling your tattoo designs can be a rewarding way to share your art and earn income. However, it requires understanding different avenues and ethical considerations, especially when dealing with sensitive themes like trauma recovery.

Online Marketplaces

Platforms like Etsy, Creative Market, and Design Cuts offer exposure but involve commission fees. Ensure your designs align with each platform's policies.

Print-on-Demand (POD)

Sites like Redbubble or Society6 allow you to upload designs for merchandise – mugs, apparel, prints. Minimal upfront investment but lower profit margins.

Licensing Your Designs

License your artwork to tattoo studios or artists. This requires a detailed contract outlining usage rights and compensation.

Direct Sales

Reach out directly to tattoo artists or studios showcasing your portfolio and offering custom design work. Networking is key.

Ethical Considerations

If your designs depict trauma recovery themes, be mindful of sensitivity. Offer clear disclaimers and avoid profiting from someone else’s pain without proper consent or collaboration.

Protecting Your Work

Copyright your artwork to protect it from unauthorized use. Consider a watermark for online previews.