How ArtDialog got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

Hello, my name is Maria, and I am the author of the ArtDialog store, where I sell digital black-and-white drawings. In 2017, I already had a working shop on Etsy and sold original oil paintings and drawings (portraits to order), but I was always attracted by the possibility of selling digital downloads, as this did not require packaging and mailing of goods (from Ukraine, 2-4 weeks). And then one day I drew (with a ballpoint pen on paper) sketches of wildflowers in our country house and decided to scan them and try to sell the files. I specially created the second store to distinguish between original and digital goods. Thus began my journey into a digital business, which continues to this day. Lately, I've been drawing flowers with pen mostly to order and then adding them to my shop.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

My favorite items:

Set 4, spikelet sketch: This is a set of 4 spikelet sketches. It is a bit unusual to see flowering grass as a work of art. Each spikelet is so beautiful and unusual in shape and color that I decided to draw them. I love these drawings for their natural beauty—the beauty of the wild.

Set 4, spikelet sketch, Botanical Art Print, Hygge, digital stamp, clipart, one line drawing, grass artwork, wild herb, black white, plant

Set of 8, 8x8 prints, garden flowers. I drew these flowers in our garden directly from nature. The flowers were grown by my mother; we both love flowers and before the war I often received bouquets from her for drawing.

Set of 8, 8x8 print, garden flowers, black and white, flower, Peony, square, hygge, Botanical Art, rose line drawing, floral coloring page

Set of 8, 8x8 print, wildflowers. Wild wildflowers and plants are not as large as garden ones, but if you look closely they are interesting, varied, and beautiful. All of them are drawn by me from life, and sometimes it is not possible to pick a flower - it will fade, and you have to sit in the grass and draw :) Some flowers open very early in the morning and fade by noon.

Set of 8, 8x8 print, wildflowers, square, botany, floral art clipart, hygge, Botanical Art, line drawing, black white, medical plants, herbs

Drawings are not sold evenly in time, sometimes every day, sometimes for months, other drawings are bought. These products were sold very successfully for some time, but now independent drawings of flowers are sold more. I think people like drawings because of their realistic detail and, of course, versatility. The style is determined by the frame, and you can choose any color of paper; such decor will suit any room and house. My sketches even ended up in an American TV series.

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

I sold my first item very quickly, in my opinion, in just a few days. I was very pleased that the buyer immediately wrote a review and attached a photo of flower prints already framed and hanging on the wall! It was amazing! My drawings in America decorate the house! And that means everything is working correctly. Now I attract buyers with the help of Pinterest and Instagram. Unfortunately, this is not enough, but now I am focused on orders and nothing more. Customers often come back to me to complete the collection or order a new flower, for example, for a tattoo or as a birthday gift.

Managing ArtDialog

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

I am both a manager and an artist. I do everything myself. And drawing new drawings, correspondence with clients, and the design of the ArtDialog store were created by me. I use Etsy Rank. Delivery is carried out automatically. After the purchase, the buyer receives a link to download files and my instructions. This is very convenient because my customers sometimes live in a different time zone and shop when it's night in Europe.

The future of ArtDialog

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

For more sales, and a new assortment I think I will need to work with an advertising specialist so that sales growth and I can focus on drawing.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

Do what you like and what you love to do. And don't be upset if sales are down; sometimes it's due to seasonality. Don't quit what you started. Whoever does not give up wins!

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.