Hand lettering is a great hobby and creative outlet, but in today’s fast-paced world, you likely want to see some sort of ROI on your investment of time and resources into it.
Whether you want to make your lettering into a side business, a full blown career, or just something that brings you personal satisfaction, read on to learn 6 ways you can reap rewards from this beautiful and therapeutic art form.
Hand Lettering for Profit
Lettering has gained popularity in recent years, not only as a Pinterest-esque hobby, but as a way for companies and individuals to portray messaging and identity in unique, original ways.
There is a sea of buyers out there who are interested in hiring lettering artists to help them create these one-of-a-kind pieces to display their words or favorite quotes. Here are a few of the most common forms for-profit lettering jobs take:
1. Wedding Invitations & Decor
The wedding industry is HUGE, and the perfect place for letterers who specialize in script styles. Although more formal calligraphy is pretty common for wedding invitations, envelope addressing, thank you notes, and wedding decor, the industry is seeing more and more brides who want to buck the traditions and have a wedding with a more modern vibe – so more playful and modern forms of script and other lettering styles aren’t necessarily out of the question here!
The ROI:
You should price your lettering work for branding based on the value it is worth to the company. Are you creating a logo that will be seen by millions of potential customers? That’s worth a lot more than a fleeting image that will be used on social media once for a specific event and will only be seen by a few hundred.
This is one where you’ll have to do a little research, look at industry averages (theGraphic Artists Guild Handbookcan be a good resource for this), and get any information you can from the client about their budget or planned use of your art. But here are a few general examples:
You should be charging at least $500 for lettering that will be used as a logo for a small company
You can make $1000+ for lettering in an editorial project (i.e. a title page for a feature or article) in a widely read magazine
3. Art Licensing
Art Licensing involves giving someone else permission to use your artwork for a set amount of time, in predetermined ways. Licensing can get a little complicated with its options and legalities, but the gist of it is you selling your designs so that someone else can print them on physical products like cards, gift wrap, clothing, and more. Since this avenue is aimed at creating products for the general public, you’ll need to be able to letter and/or illustrate in styles and colors that appeal to the mass market.
The ROI:
There is so much variety in the ways you can license your artwork, that it’s nearly impossible to give exact measurements of the ROI for this… but suffice to say you can earn a solid income from this avenue if you put in the effort.
Want to learn more about art licensing?Check out this amazing online coursedeveloped by lettering artists Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo, where they break down exactly how to attract clients for art licensing, and dive into the specifics of pricing your work based on the market and type of license.
4. Commissions & Custom Pieces
This is probably where most lettering artists start out – creating custom lettered quotes for their family and friends. This is a great place to practice your lettering skills within the constraints provided by the client looking for the custom piece. When you have someone else telling you the basic style and colors that they want, it’s a lot easier to practice your lettering purposefully and develop your skills!
The ROI:
Your pricing should reflect the time it takes you to create the piece and your experience level.
Just starting out lettering? Your prices may stay low at the beginning: $25-40 for an 8”x10” digitally lettered quote that you have professionally printed.
Have more advanced skills that are higher in demand these days? Charge $75-100 for an 8”x10” lettering art print to reflect the higher value of your time.
As your skill and business grows, raise your prices accordingly to account for the fact that you’re taking time to create these custom pieces – time that could be spent doing other things in your business that would be making you that same amount of money.
Lettering for Fun & Self-Care
Yes, lettering can be a lucrative source of income, but you can also “profit” from lettering as a hobby or side project in the form of personal benefits too! 🤗
5. Home Decor
With your lettering skills, you have the ability to deck out your house or living area exactly the way you want it! If you letter digitally, you just need to find a local print shop that can print your designs professionally, grab a frame, and hang it up! You may not actively be making money here, but you’re definitely saving money by not having to buy mass produced decor!
