How I make money as an art youtuber (with exact numbers) 🌱

[@KelseyRodriguez]

Btw -- I'm hosting a three day virtual workshop in a few weeks (July 12-14) to help artists write a custom business plan! If you've been feeling overwhelmed at the thought of getting started this event could be for you: www.kelseyrodriguez.com/the-artists-business-blueprint

[@AdamDuffArt]

I can’t stress enough what a role model you are - I can’t thank you enough for your transparency and your expertise

[@ChimeraPencil]

So true Adam, for someone like me who is always questioning my self worth this videos can really be a great motivation boost!

[@BelleMort6]

We can say the same for you, Adam. I know I speak for all of us when I say how grateful I am that there are youtubers like you both making yourselves and your knowledge so available! Thank you.

[@kalilavalezina]

I think you're the only artist I know who publicly shares their earnings - thank you sooo much for that! You're a big inspiration to me and many others. x

[@KPEN72]

I believe that LilStarNerd has also made a video about how much she makes per month. I can’t remember if she uses exact numbers (I watched her video a bit ago) but she still goes into decent detail about what she does :). Kelsey is definitely our queen when it comes to everything art biz though😂

[@renegaderumi25]

It’s absolutely so rare, and so appreciated. The only other Art KZbinr I know who has done this is Chris Piascik, he had this really helpful video on the topic: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKjTpmpnpZdqgLc

[@loreofyupu]

If you're looking for other recommendations, there's Tammy from the channel "Uncomfy" who also shares details about her art business such as income streams, pricing, taxes, etc. But Kelsey is amazing, of course, and is so brave for sharing this information publicly online! 🤍

[@kalilavalezina]

@@loreofyupu oh yeah, thanks! I literally watched an Uncomfy video 2 days ago 😊

[@Graxous]

If you're looking for others - Inkwell does a few videos breaking down selling at conventions cost vs income.

[@dawnthediver]

intimidating?? more like awe-inspiring! can one be extremely proud of someone they never met? you're seriously an inspiration. thank you.

[@BelleMort6]

So... I'm almost 40. I'm an artist who's been working with a number of clients professionally for about 6 years. I have been putting off building more of an online presence - like a shop - for way too long. Out of, I'm not really sure... fear of failure / lack of knowledge, I suppose. So thank you for being so honest and upfront about the potential that's there. It's hard for me knowing how much longer I could've been working to build this already, but thanks to youtubers like you I'm feeling more motivated and inspired than ever.

[@leseancunningham9456]

Nice

[@barbiemathisart]

Thank you for the inspiration! This gives me so much to think about! I'm in my 60's and just getting started with KZbin. The tech part of it intimidates me, and it all seems like a lot to juggle. But, I'm enjoying watching your videos and getting ideas. Keep on making great videos, and making great money! Cheers!

[@eliclaes7533]

I made✨ 0$ ✨on my art this year

[@KelseyRodriguez]

never too late to give it a try!

[@GayCorvidae69]

Luckily the year is not over yet, you still have over 6 months to go!

[@dutchcinephile1362]

99% of artists is 0 income

[@pictlandpickers1171]

I feel like a genius I made a whole $6😂

[@aspebb]

@@KelseyRodriguez Your glasses are really cool.

[@CheyenneWyntarArt]

Super cool to see you making progress in your financial goals as an artist! I’m on disability, so in a bad month you make 4x more than I make-and on a good month you make as much as I get in a year! That is a HUGE accomplishment! You should be so proud of yourself.

[@mercedescreates]

Thanks for being so transparent! It's really all about diversifying for us creatives. Sometimes diversifying also means having a day job. But I'm passionate about my artwork so I'll always prioritise sharing and building that.

[@sthiel126]

I wish every business that offered coaching for business would do this exact thing. Adds not just transparency, but credibility.

[@goblinwisdom]

I love that you remind everyone that you built this up, i would hate for artists to be put off by trying to do it all in one go. Showing your income revenues is so amazing, for creatives knowing what is possible makes the sense of 'what can i do' much clearer.

[@danielmeistre1138]

I really respect that desire to control your brand image, as a creator I think thats paramount!

[@artloveranimation]

Congratulations on your growth in the financial side of your art business 👏🏻 that's so exciting! I'm hoping to start "job hunting/querying" in a couple months, specifically for picture book illustration. I hope I can start off on the right foot, and maybe share my own journey online

[@beanmachine00]

Great video! I do wish more artists were so transparent. I think the only thing I’d like to hear more about is the reality of expenses vs what you’ve managed to gross. As a freelancer for years I’ve struggled to figure out how to monetize myself better. My brain is much more attuned to the creative work and struggles with the business, as do so many! But this sort of video really makes it feel much more realistic which is wonderful. Thank you.

[@SezCreate]

Your honesty is so appealing. The week I started my channel I think I commented on your video and thanked you for the encouragement. I have almost 19k followers now......not monitized yet ( only super thanks) but throughout it all....I have so appreciated your advice!!!!

[@KelseyRodriguez]

omg congratulations!!

[@YogaBlissDance]

how come not monetized have you not got the watch hours, with so many subs? I think you have to turn it on ONCE eligible, check in your analytics.

[@SezCreate]

@@YogaBlissDance I know it seems so insane! My subscribers had all come from shorts. Less than a week ago my shorts views hit the watch time needed and finally monitized but….if you get a few viral shorts videos here and there it can help with subs but not with monitization.( which is what had happened to me )

[@TonyTylerDraws]

As a fellow Bay Area artist, that “I made $100K+ and live with 7 housemates” is such a mood 😂 Thanks for talking about numbers. I might never become a full time artist, but it was good to hear what is possible

[@KelseyRodriguez]

These rent prices are so insane here! Group house living is absolutely the way. Hopefully more affordable housing gets built over time 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@Mancer1980]

That's insane but def a credit to you that you can make that kind of money completely doing your own thing. If you can work from anywhere, I would def move out of that area :)

[@rachelb1119]

7 housemates? Goodness I love the Midwest.

[@Jpaxart]

Yeah the cost of living in that area is crazy that you have to have roommates even if you make over a 100k a year.

[@BarbBarb108]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing your earnings. It is very motivating. I had given up on living from my art after a burnout, but I am trying again. Good luck to you.

[@FigsArtsandCrafts]

Thank you for your guidance. It is overwhelming to start a business. With you I have something to follow so I’m not going about things blindly.

[@IHeArTrOcK20]

This may sound random but I just wanted to say that I really like your voice. I understand everything you say so clearly and you speak so concisely you would be a really good audiobook narrator.

[@celsofx]

thank you so much for this video. I am trying to move from making for others to making for my self and seeing the numbers you shared here allows me estimate how far I have to go to start getting a sustainable income without depending on clients. seriously, thank you!

[@EzoterraTarot]

oh my god thank you so much for this video you have no idea how helpful this is 💵 grateful for you !!!!!

[@dantedressage]

13:39 You said "so, a really Bad month for me" but your heading there above your head says "A Really Great Month". Either way, I subscribed because I love your content and the fact that you share! TY!

[@KelseyRodriguez]

oh oops! my bad lol

[@wildlyartisticliving515]

Plus your bad month would be a good month ! ❤

[@mimisart]

I noticed that too 😊. I wish my 'bad month' would look like that, lol. I have currently 0 income from my art or youtube endeavours. Still loving it though!!

[@kalezcozyspace]

yessss thank you so much for this ❤️ it’s so important for other artists to see what’s possible! you’re disarming limiting beliefs out here darlin ✨

[@mimisart]

So true, it is disheartening at times, feeling like my videos don't reach anyone or accomplish anything.

[@fowlerillus]

Super cool of you to make this Kelsey! (no idea how I missed this when you first posted). This is such a blind spot in the information out there for aspiring pro artists. Thank you!

[@lemaartist]

thank you very much for been so clear about your number, I know it's hard to talk about personal finances so openly I hope you keep growing as you have been and much more!

[@flanzella]

Thank you as always for being so transparent with your entire business. I know it helps me, and probably so many other people! My AdSense has been really low as well! Wonder if people are just getting outside with the good weather 😋

[@maelynnhann6456]

Thank you for being so open and honest! Your videos are immensely helpful and inspiring and I can't express my appreciation enough!

[@molamolalaaa2968]

Thank you for your honesty and transparency. It's rare in this world. You're a gem!

[@Stuffedcats]

Sounds like you make great money! I'm in a really rough spot right now and honestly your videos on this topic have been giving me not only important insights but also hope. Thank you for these.

[@BethanyMuhl]

Thank you for you transparency! It is encouraging to know you can actually make a decent living as an artist!

[@Kasacrafts]

Thanks for this! I’m definitely new to all of this content stuff, so having someone walk through their methods really helps! Appreciate it and wish you the best!

[@luckyadrian100]

One thing you should mention is sponsorship making a money like from this video. Because KZbin doesn't make money Without that (Without sponsorship we still getting money from views but really not that much for living). And also a membership. I wish you will always having sponsorship for the future

[@Izikmakesart]

Lovely video! very insightful and so helpful! You mentioned you don't want to spend time not doing art @3:39 and I dunno if you already know this but a good idea would be to limit the number of clients you take per [week/month] based on how much income you need. This way you have a steady income stream, time for your art, and clients feel like they're getting something special (limited slots!). Hope this is helpful, keep up the good work.

[@sarahgreenstreet7137]

I am very grateful for your videos and the information you provide. Is it possible to estimate how many hours a day you work in total (and how many days a week you work)? And also, what proportion of your time you get to spend making art? Sorry for heaps of questions! Many thanks.

[@mimisart]

I wonder a lot of that too. Great questions, and in turn video ideas for Kelsey. Eager to see her answer these, so thanks for asking!!

[@jb7670]

This is so helpful. ❤ I am so stuck in my career, making nearly 30% less than I'm worth. I struggle internally with prioritizing finance over my autonomy. Yet I'm intimidated about being the business and running the business at the same time.

[@tohnnyclaydon6641]

Thank you for your transparency. This video deserves so many likes.

[@KAPtainCrunch8587]

This is actually really valuable information. Thank you for this and I have subbed. I always thought the quality of my work is what stopped me from living as an artist but I think it's my lack of business sense.

[@Yokaidigital]

I finally started making videos here on KZbin a couple months ago. The past couple days I've been feeling a little unmotivated, but watching your videos have been pretty inspiring

[@NahNoWayy]

Very enlightening breakdown and I greatly appreciate the insight! I want to make a career out of art somehow, and I know its possible, I just need to find the right avenues to do so. Even if I don't, art will still always be apart of my life. My aim is to bring the story in my head to life, and share it with the world. But first, I need a lot more practice so I can do my vision justice!

[@mrroberttrujillo]

Congrats on all your hard work and oh wow, didn't know you were in the Bay! Hi from Oakland:)

[@mrroberttrujillo]

Sharing w/ teachers and librarians -if you're open to it im sure they would hire you to speak to young students about what you do which is quite amazing. Good luck sis!

[@MarceneiroFDS]

👏👏👏 Thank you very much for breaking it down into the details. Of course, none of that is easy or over a night. I came across your video because I am searching for my little girl who loves drawings, handcrafts, etc. I wish you the best of luck and greater success.

[@Ellary_Rosewood]

Hey Kelsey, just want to say how inspiring you've been to me for a long time. As a fellow artist and KZbinr who's trying to make this my full time work, it always gives me hope that one day I'll be able to live out my dreams. Thank you as always for your transparency. You're such a cool human. ❤ P.S. As someone who spent a good chunk of my life living in San Francisco, that money really does NOT get you very far. It's tough living in the Bay Area. 😂

[@thebookist1651]

Sorry for the real stupid question but where is the art again in the arrangement

[@rubyshoes9195]

This is not a stupid question, and in fact the first thing that came to my mind. The physical art sales themselves are not making money here, it's the KZbin content creation. Store sales are anywhere from $500-$1500 a month revenue (still need to take off tax and business expenses) which she would not be able to live on. The coaching she does won't tell you how to make your art directly profitable, it would have to be you as a content creator selling your personality on top of the art. It is good that she is providing a look under the hood, but I think a lot of people have misinterpreted what she is achieving based off the comments.

[@stargazer6328]

​@@rubyshoes9195 💯

[@saraforsmanelmberg]

Thank you so much for sharing this so openly, Kelsey! :)

[@nebulonicc]

damn you're making more being a content creator than i do working full time at a "real" job (not that i dont consider content creating a real job, i just mean like a 9-5 go to work everyday and work for a boss kinda job)-- even your bad months are like 3x my monthly earnings. I've been wanting to do content creation as a side hustle or transition to doing it part time with another job for a while but i can't even afford video equipment/ a pc for editing/ website subscription/ etc. yet.

[@KelseyRodriguez]

i filmed my videos on my phone for over a year (but tbh i would not recommend, you can get a cheap used dslr/mirror less camera on ebay for $200-450) and you can edit them all on your phone too! Just film and edit in 1080p and not 4k, I’m only now upgrading everything to 4k and it would have been such a pain to start out this way. There’s SO much opportunity in this space, if you’re interested I’d give it a go ASAP with the tools you already have! Limitations breed creativity

[@brendanschamu8114]

Just stumbled upon this video and subscribed to you! I am an artist, but I feel almost embarrassed to say it - I haven't made art in a decade. I want it to be my career, but I was always told that "art doesn't pay the bills." I know we live in a time where this isn't true, it sure can, but I can't figure out how to get started. I'm overwhelmed by the sheer amount of ways art CAN pay the bills, plus the necessity of marketing. Either way, I'm going to start watching all of your videos!! On the topic of ads, does it help you (and other creators) for us viewers to view ads fully WITHOUT SKIPPING? Or do you get the same amount of adsense when we click "skip?" If you get less, I definitely want to avoid clicking "skip." I've always wondered that. Thank you so much for your down to earth energy and knowledge. I'm excited to learn more.

[@rickadawn92]

Income Transparency is SOOOO IMPORTANT!! Thank you for going on a limb abs making this video!!!❤

[@PoisonJackalArt]

Id be interested in how you feel youd do without youtube to provide connection/marketing for you. Seems like most of the revenue comes from being a content creator as the stem to branch from moreso than just art and shop

[@KelseyRodriguez]

for sure! I've done galleries and stuff before and didn't find them as fulfilling as this, so I haven't given it much energy since KZbin took off for me in 2022. Sharing stuff on social media, be it my art or business advice, is definitely a biggg reason I am where I am!

[@JamesOfToya]

Since you do business content here on KZbin, are your ads related to finance? I heard those pay way more than the average ones.

[@Aetherius88]

Very cool of you to share this, so thanks for that. And congrats on achieving this much. But I just gotta say...basically only like 10% of your revenue as a full time artist comes from selling your art. So I think this is important for artists to realize that trying to make a decent living selling art alone is next to impossible.

[@atkrisaasmr]

Kelsey, thank you so much for such an honest and detailed explanation! I wish you all the luck with your online products and can't be more grateful for you content! 💕

[@leseancunningham9456]

Wow thank you for the detailed breakdown, as I'm just about starting my art (drawing/paint) YT and this has given me a new understanding. 😊

[@jackie.s.o3633]

Thanks for always sharing such great information and for being so transparent. I’ve been dragging my feet on building my own business, and you are an inspiration.

[@magnoliannaart]

Congratulations on your successes! You’re an inspiration.

[@rachelc9963]

Congratulations!! You are such an inspiration for aspiring artists like me! Thank you for everything you do.

[@AcidNerfGun]

Your glasses are so cute, they flatter you so much !!

[@YanyanLun]

hi Kelsey.. i want to ask you the process of products selling? do you purchase from factories(ofcoz from your own designing) then sell to ppl, or ppl buy directly from factories, hows that work?

[@jesusislord9023]

Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for sharing your income. I’m from the Bay Area too, San Jose, specifically, and I’m sooo inspired by you. May GOD richly bless you more

[@leme2554]

Sabía que lo lograrias!!!! Realmente me inspiras a mejorar y me alegra que seas tan decidida y organizada con tus metas. Te lo ganaste amiga!! Muchísimas felicidades ❤

[@kimtaitano2409]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It really helps us artists to know that we can do this, too!!!

[@paulpeartsmith]

Thank you Kelsie. Keep going, you're helping a lot of people.

[@jeewillis328]

My goodness thank you SO MUCH for your candour! As a starving artist it helps to see how your income relies on multiple revenue streams! So interesting 🖤

[@kirtisomerville4332]

Thank you for this info and for being so humble about it. Love watching your journey, it's so inspiring x

[@Micah-j3h]

Thank you ! It’s so scary to try and make a career out of a “starving job” but this helps quite a bit! I feel like i started too late but I’ll try ! I love art!

[@zacharyryan_art]

This is great, I really appreciate the transparency. Means a lot. I guess the biggest thing for me right now is even getting seen.... It's not like I'm trying to make a viral video or anything, but it seems so difficult to even make a video to get a few subs from... Most likely I guess its consistency and not hoping for anything soon. I was part of the art business summit, but honestly the first few people talking didn't want to admit they just had a lucky connection to hit it big. Yes they had the work ethic and abilities, but again, they clearly got a lucky connection. Or one of them was just like "well I'd answer that question but it's all in our masterclass you can pay us for." So it really wasn't helpful. Sadly that turned me off from the rest of the summit and I wasn't able to watch your video on there either. Thanks again for the inspiration with what you do.

[@leftjuice]

Thank you for sharing! It's scary to take a step towards your dream without knowing how it will pay off

[@sped17373]

Wow--so much great info to absorb, my mind is exploding! I would love to do a mentorship but it's out of the question right now for a number of reasons...$$ being one as I exist presently on SS alone--it's a loooong story. But the biggest reason is that I'm recovering from surgery on my left eye, I had a detached retina--so now am basically blind in my left eye until it heals completely over the next month or two (!), no depth perception at all. I'm totally frustrated as I can't paint at all right now! So...for now I'll have to binge-watch all your past videos and have subscribed to catch all new ones, learn everything I can! Thank you very much!

[@KelseyRodriguez]

Wishing you a speedy recovery, that sounds terrible!

[@NomadsMuse]

Thank you for your authenticity and transparency

[@adrianlucashernandez9324]

I'm here thanks to corridor crew! Amazing, kaiju size work man!

[@rubusberry]

Super grateful for all that you share, you are so genuinely caring and it shines through 🌟

[@sabinemcclintock3340]

Thank you for this amazing video and for sharing numbers. Im so glad I found your channel.

[@Star_Quackk]

Congrats! 🎉❤ You deserve it your videos are so valuable, I wanted to start my own yt channel and socials but I feel like i need a strong personal brand to stand out or to even compete with others.

[@janedoee4830]

Thank you for this!

[@luffypunketa]

Hey kelsey i was wondering if you have any thoughts on the new instagram A.I. update that's coming up? i feel very discouraged about posting my art on there now 😞 been considering deleting my page! Idk if its worth it anymore. should we just accept it and keep going?

[@KelseyRodriguez]

just posted a video today that shares some of my thoughts on that!

[@PixelChomp]

Thank you for sharing all of this information. You are definitely an inspiration! Also I hope your kitty is ok! :)

[@Quietlyyart]

Recently i've been trying to earn money online but it get so overwelming becuse I domt know what digital products to make or if its even posible to get a really good amount of money , and the fact that I know almost nothing its so paralising, but your videos really help me amd thank you for that , thanks for giving me hope I can still trive as an artist

[@ashleytoltonart]

How do you know when you're ready to or "valuable" enough to reach out to sponsors?

[@ArtByEmilyHare]

I really need to do some study as I would LOVE to have a bad month like yours 😂 ~ what art are you selling though?

[@KelseyRodriguez]

I’ve got lots of prints and different products available on my online store! I showed some in the video 💗

[@ArtByEmilyHare]

⁠@@KelseyRodriguezbut most of your income is not made from your art. It’s a fraction. It would be more accurate to title this ‘what I make as a content creator’ - and this is absolutely NO shade to you, you are clearly incredibly good at this! I have enjoyed your videos for a really long time. But as an artist myself, most of the stuff you’re doing here to make money isn’t making or selling art. It might be adjacent but for me anyway, if I did all this I would have no time to paint (and this is one of the issues as an artist of course!). Like, how many hours a day/week do you make art? I would love this kind of income but I also don’t want to spend most of my time making videos (I know how much time you put into these, they are beautifully made).

[@lilyluu]

Thank you so much for sharing this! It provides so much evidence against the starving artist stereotype that I’m trying so hard to get out of my head 💕

[@thenot-so-smartfox4145]

All I can say is thank you for this amazing video!

[@nancydavidson4899]

Very interesting and enjoyable. I enjoyed your honesty and transparency ❤

[@eddyLama]

have you studied what makes a good month a good one? to make sure they become your lowest measure and upgrade from that once it's stable?

[@dianeblomgren4608]

Thank you for this. I love your video❤. Any brand is lucky to sponsor you🎉. You're great in front of the camera !! Many are not.

[@EBraz]

I graduated from SAIC with a bachelor’s in Fine Arts 1 year ago. I’m completely lost. I don’t know what to do or where to start. I make Pulp Horror art but I don’t know how to earn money as an artist.

[@ChantelleArts]

this is so inspiring to hear! I'm hoping to become monetised soon but it's been a long, hard journey so far with nothing popping off ❤

[@mimisart]

I assume the watch hours are the issue. I struggle with that too, even though I haven't reached my 1K subs yet, those watch hours are far, FAR behind. Frustrating isn't it?!

[@lisaramscar]

You are so great to listen too. Good sound advice you give too.

[@babybloo3493]

Omg your lower income is all I need to survive though 😭😵‍💫 thank you for your videos I watch them all the time I think the information you give is actually helpful 💖

[@artgnostic9554]

Hi Kelsey, Artist here as well, which client portal or site, you would suggest best for me to get a stable client market. Thanks, All the Love!

[@tonysfluidart]

Thanks for sharing Kelsey! It's nice to see that it is possible to grow and be successful in the art space although somedays it doesn't always feel that way. I feel I need to investigate brand deals more than I have as well... thank you so much for sharing. :)

[@gonmukidraws3088]

Hi Kelsey, I follow you and admire your work. You look so gorgeous just like your work in front of the camera. You appear very comfortable, and I am mesmerized by the way you speak. Thank you for the sharing you provide.

[@AnggiSahamCantik]

Thank you so much for sharing your number. Your journey inspire me to build my writing biz. It's been 2 years now and it's been amazing 🎉

[@wildlyartisticliving515]

You are such an inspiration Kelsey. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

[@dimitrilikissas]

This is such a motivating video! It shows what is possible with art!

[@mykindofgraphics]

Hi Ms. Kelly I am inspired by how you tell your journey as an artist and because of that Im subscribing to your channel to learn more from you🙂

[@funnytime1111]

Food for thought on the coaching, maybe make it so that sign ups are limited to certain times. Like once a month you have the intensive coaching open and you only have so many slots available. Then make the mentorship quarterly or limit sign ups to a certain time of the month where a new group starts on the first of the month. I think it helps create a bit of scarcity which might drive sign ups

[@_Cloun]

Also it allows her not to get OVERLOADED with people and actually able to help coach them ernestly

[@flynntaylor5459]

So if I love a specific brand of pencils for my childrens illustrations for this childrens book I'm publishing in Nov. I could put a link on my website to their brand and I would get a little cash for their purchase?

[@tamarasimkova7645]

If you dont mind me asking how much did you make when you first started ?

[@KelseyRodriguez]

nothing! for a while! first year i was profitable I made $60k

[@rcguy2175]

I had a question.Im a hobbyists artist but I use womp3d to do my art creations,but it seems difficult to market them,and my feat is ai will steal my 3d art.What suggestions do you have

[@amandaeveart]

no idea you were in the bay! hi from san jose!! 🤗 it’s really interesting and helpful hearing you share all the numbers. I haven’t really heard anyone else talk about this! i’ve been thinking about making youtube videos to add another stream of income. i’m trying to find a new apartment currently and rent is just insane everywhere. it’s rough out here in the Bay 😅

[@brandyp4136]

I want to follow your footsteps and actually be able to sell art, I just get so overwhelmed with tech