Ask Lemmy

I think the answer depends on how you define art.

Like, the artist in me wants to have a discussion about the appeal of abstraction versus impressionism, and whether you should compromise your artistic vision for the sake of commercial success.

The pessimist in me says that the most popular physical art is probably Pokemon trading cards and other merch.

"Physical Art" is a pretty broad category because there's still a million mediums you can choose from. Would making prints of digital art count as physical art? That might be a question for the philosophers.

Anyway, if you're looking to break into the scene then you should probably visit some craft fairs / galleries / tourist traps and see what they're selling. Talk to the artists in the medium you want to explore.

It's entirely subjective. There is no singular answer.

Commissioned pieces that include the chosen people or subject-matter in the work.

I am not much into art, but something I read in a Stephen King novel about a painter always resonated with me: You are not selling the picture but the story behind the picture. Whoever is interested in your picture, if you can tell them an inspiring tale about the circumstances it was created in your chance of a sale will increase manifold. Of course this is from a storytellers point out view so you can assume an emphasis on stories, but it kind of makes sense: If you show someone a picture you bought they might appreciate for the arts sake alone, but a good story is a bonus that will make this exact picture stand out. So if you wanna sell pictures, have a good story to tell about each.

Physical art. (Not digital.) What sells? What is truly appreciated?

The question lacks context, imho.

The only answer I can propose is: whatever you can make that will appeal to people enough for them to be willing to buy it, if you're creating a unique piece of art. Painting, sketch, sculpture, collage, and so on. I very recently read somoene sold a banana taped onto a sheet of paper for a very large sum of money. A little over a century ago, Marcel Duchamp exposed a urinal, how much is it worth today? So, really, anything can sell and can be appreciated as art.

Also, if you're creating 'reproductible' physical art pieces (say a recording or some printed stuff, or whatever), I would say anything that can make some buzz and gather enough people around it.

From what I've learned on the internet, I'd say furry porn sculptures.

That's the thing of it, really. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," and whatnot. I guess if you're really interested in commercial art, take a look at Andy Warhol's "pop art," (and have lots of rich friends to prop you up). Otherwise, I'd suggest to just pursue a career in graphic design/art directing.

What’s your target audience?

Some people are making a couple hundred to a couple thousand per abstract paint marbling artwork. I saw some on Tiktok, and they had several customers in one video, so low effort, high payout.

CDs, Vinyls and Blurays?

I like textiles personally

I love watercolors. When I have the extra funds, I tend to spend it on watercolor paintings.

Most recently I bought a small cityscape painting from a man set up in Austria.