Is Substack Worth It for Artists?
Shiny new object or something substantial? Let's find out.
Substack is getting attention from writers, creators, and now artists. Visual artists may wonder if it’s worth their time or just a passing trend.
Substack is only worth your time if it helps you solve a real problem you’re facing right now. It’s not meant to replace a dedicated platform for selling your art.
Before choosing any new tool, clarify the problem you want to solve. The right solution often becomes obvious.
It’s easy to get caught up in the latest trends, but chasing every new thing usually leads to frustration and wasted energy.
Ask yourself what you want to accomplish and what’s standing in your way.
Practical Minimalism Applies to Marketing, Too
I advocate practical minimalism:
Do less. Choose well. Enjoy more.
These ideas guide my approach to marketing and technology. Choosing well means picking tools that fit your needs, not chasing every new platform.
No single platform works for every artist. The best choice is the one that solves your real problem.
What Does Substack Actually Do Well?
Substack is primarily a publishing platform that combines blogging, newsletters, subscriptions, and reader conversations.
If you enjoy writing and want to connect with your audience without technical hassles, Substack is a good option.
Substack isn’t designed for selling artwork. Its strengths differ from those you’d find in an ecommerce platform.
Are You an Older Artist?
I write weekly essays about creativity and growing older for you.
Can Artists Sell Art Through Substack?
Yes, but almost never with Substack alone.
Think of Substack as a place to share your writing and connect—not as your main sales channel. Most artists still need another platform for selling their art.
That’s how some artists are making it work for them.
The real question is whether Substack should be the foundation of your business. For most artists, it isn’t, because its purpose is different.
If your goal is to sell art, use an ecommerce platform like FASO, Shopify, Squarespace, or WordPress with WooCommerce. These tools showcase art, manage inventory, and handle transactions.
Physical venues like galleries and shows still matter, but they have limitations: geography, travel, expense, and time. A website works for you around the clock.
Your ecommerce platform should be the foundation of your online business. Substack can support those efforts by helping you publish and build relationships with your audience.
Two Artists, Two Different Solutions
Here are two standout examples of artists using Substack in different ways.
Illustrator Kim Koehler uses Substack for her newsletter, while her WordPress website is the center of her business and Shopify powers her store. She employs an ambitious tech stack of specialized tools for different jobs.
Substack lets her tell stories and build deeper relationships with readers. For artists who enjoy writing, it can be a natural business companion.
Monica Hebert, on the other hand, uses Substack to explore aging, creativity, and living well. Her art is part of a larger conversation, and Substack anchors her publishing-centered business. She’s a fierce, funny warrior advocate for women over 60. She recently mentioned she’s sold more art from her Substack engagement than before when actively marketing. These sales are a byproduct of her overall publishing efforts.
Both artists use Substack to build community. Neither example uses Substack as an ecommerce platform. When you’re clear about the problem you want to solve, it’s easier to choose the right tool.
Why I Chose Substack
I understand why some assume I moved to Substack because I think it’s the future of online publishing.
The real reason: I wanted to practice practical minimalism.
My business accumulated so many websites, plugins, email systems, and other moving parts that maintenance took more time than the actual work. I also wanted to cut overhead and reduce extra work.
I realized I wanted a simpler business—less time on technology, more time writing, helping artists, and building relationships. And I had reduced my need for a complex ecommerce solution, which further simplified my tech needs.
Substack fit because it matched the problem I wanted to solve.
That doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. It just made sense for me.
Before You Add Another Platform…
Before you start a Substack or any new platform, take a moment to find a quiet place where you can think without interruption.
Then imagine your life six months from now and then go out twelve months. Can you still see yourself publishing, enjoying it, and finding it meaningful a year from now? Or does it already feel like just another obligation? That’s what I mean by choosing well.
Be honest with yourself about what you’re committing to because when you do, you’ll know if you’re inclined to stick with it. Every platform asks for your time, attention, ideas, and consistency. Any project is only worth launching if you have enough genuine interest to keep going after the initial excitement wears off.
Choosing well means picking the platform your future self will thank you for, because it keeps solving the problem that matters most to you.
So, Is Substack Worth It?
It certainly can be.
Do you love writing, want to use it to build deeper relationships, and enjoy publishing regularly? If so, Substack is one of the best tools available. However, if your main goal is to build a strong online business selling your artwork, I strongly recommend using an ecommerce platform. You can still use Substack if writing genuinely appeals to you. But it will play a supporting role rather than the lead role, since it serves a different purpose.
Practical minimalism is as much about conserving energy and attitude as it is doing less by choosing well. If there is no joy in the doing, it won’t last, and that’s a drag on your psyche and resources.
Whether or not Substack exists in twenty years, the real questions are:
What problem are you trying to solve?
Does this choice help you do less, choose well, and enjoy more?
Whenever you have choices, especially those that involve ongoing commitments of time and resources, ask yourself those questions. That’s how you’ll make better marketing decisions and avoid falling into the trap of chasing the latest trend.
See you next week.
— Barney
Thank you Barney for the mention! How delightful.
I think the discernible difference is this: marketing art to collectors through e-commerce sites is entirely different from marketing art to people who do not necessarily think of themselves as collectors.
I no longer try to sell my work through e-commerce sites. What I have learned through Substack is that the number one reason a subscriber buys one of my paintings is because she has come to know me, trust me, and value what she has received from my writing.
I pair the art with the written word, so the art becomes a visual supporter of the message. In doing that, the work acquires greater meaning and, therefore, greater value in the eyes of the buyer.