15 Sites Like Artists and Clients

Digital art’s popularity is soaring, and the demand for online art commissions has never been higher. Sites like Artists and Clients are at the forefront, creating a vibrant marketplace where artists and art lovers can connect. This platform stands out by making it easy for creators to find commissions and for enthusiasts to discover unique pieces.

As we dive into the world of digital art commissions, let’s explore 15 sites like Artist and Clients that offer similar opportunities for creativity and connection, enriching the art community further.

The Limitations of Artists and Clients

While Artists and Clients offers a fantastic platform for digital art commissions, it’s not without its challenges. Emerging artists might find it tough to get noticed among the sea of established talents, limiting their exposure. Additionally, the platform’s focus may not cater to every art style equally, leaving some artists and clients struggling to find their perfect match.

Another drawback is for artists who wish to expand beyond commissions. Without their own website or online store, they miss out on building a standalone brand and diversifying their income streams. These limitations highlight the importance of exploring additional platforms to maximize opportunities.

Top 15 Sites Like Artists and Clients

Exploring the digital art world? Here’s a curated list of 15 platforms similar to Artists and Clients, each offering unique opportunities for artists and art enthusiasts alike.

1. DeviantArt

DeviantArt is a pioneering online platform in the art community, serving as a creative hub for artists and art lovers since its inception. It offers a vast array of digital art commissions, from fan art and illustrations to complex digital paintings. DeviantArt stands out for its community features, such as groups, forums, and the ability to follow favorite artists, making it a fertile ground for artists to grow their reputation and for clients to discover new talent. Its broad reach and supportive environment cater to a diverse range of styles and preferences, making it a go-to place for digital art commissions.

2. Behance

Behance is Adobe’s portfolio platform, offering a sleek interface for artists to showcase their work and for clients to find high-quality digital art. It’s known for hosting professional-grade portfolios, making it an excellent place for clients to discover top-tier talent in graphic design, illustration, and more. Behance’s project-based presentation allows artists to provide in-depth looks at their creative process, enhancing their ability to attract clients who appreciate the depth and breadth of their work. This platform is especially popular among professionals looking for creative services and collaborations.

3. ArtStation

ArtStation is the premier platform for game, film, media, and entertainment artists. It offers a rich blend of high-quality digital art commissions, including concept art, character designs, and 3D models. ArtStation provides artists with tools to build a professional online presence, such as customizable portfolios and a marketplace for selling prints and tutorials. Its emphasis on professional development and exposure makes it a favored platform for artists looking to break into or advance within the entertainment industry. Clients flock to ArtStation for its high caliber of artists and the wide range of creative services available.

4. Etsy (For broader creative works including digital art)

Etsy is renowned for its focus on handmade, vintage, and unique goods, including a wide range of digital art and creative services. It’s an ideal platform for artists specializing in custom illustrations, graphic design, and digital portraits to connect with clients looking for personalized and unique art pieces. Etsy’s user-friendly interface and supportive community make it easy for artists to set up shop and for clients to navigate through a plethora of creative listings. This platform is especially appealing for those looking to commission art that has a personal touch or a special meaning.

5. Fiverr (Diverse range of freelance artists)

Fiverr offers a vast marketplace where freelance artists of various specialties, including digital art, graphic design, and animation, can offer their services. Sites like Fiverr are characterized by a gig-based system, where services are presented as packages with clear prices, making it straightforward for clients to understand what they are getting. Fiverr facilitates the connection between artists and clients globally, ensuring a seamless commission process with its structured communication and payment system. This platform is ideal for clients seeking a wide range of creative services at competitive prices.

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6. Freelancer

Freelancer is a global crowdsourcing marketplace that connects freelance professionals, including digital artists, with clients needing custom work. It’s unique in offering a bidding system, where clients post projects and artists bid to win the contract. This competitive environment allows clients to choose from a variety of proposals, ensuring they find a service that matches their budget and project requirements. Freelancer’s platform is versatile, catering to a wide range of digital art commissions from logo design to full-fledged illustrations, making it a dynamic space for creative collaborations.

7. Upwork

Upwork serves as a leading platform where businesses can connect with a wide range of creative professionals, including digital artists. It’s designed to facilitate a seamless hiring process, whether for one-off projects or long-term collaborations. Upwork stands out for its comprehensive approach to freelancing, offering a robust system for posting jobs, reviewing applications, and managing work. The platform caters to all kinds of digital art commissions, from graphic design and branding to web design and multimedia projects, providing a flexible and secure environment for both clients and freelancers.

8. 99Designs

99Designs specializes in connecting clients with graphic designers for a variety of projects, including logo design, branding, and web design. What sets 99Designs apart is its unique contest format, where clients can post their projects as a contest and receive multiple design submissions from artists worldwide. This approach allows clients to choose the best design that meets their needs, while artists get the opportunity to compete and showcase their work to potential clients. It’s a dynamic and competitive environment that fosters creativity and innovation in digital art commissions.

9. Dribbble

Dribbble is a community of designers and creatives sharing their work, getting feedback, and finding jobs. It’s an excellent platform for digital artists to build their portfolios, connect with others in the industry, and discover freelance opportunities. Dribbble is particularly popular among web and graphic designers, illustrators, and UI/UX designers, offering a visually rich and interactive experience. Clients use Dribbble to scout for top talent, making it a valuable resource for artists looking to gain exposure and for businesses in search of cutting-edge design work.

10. Sketchmob

Sketchmob offers a distinctive platform where clients can commission custom artwork directly from artists. It’s known for its wide variety of art styles and services, ranging from portrait drawings to fantasy art. Sketchmob simplifies the process of finding the right artist for your project, providing a seamless interface for browsing portfolios, reading reviews, and placing orders. This platform is a favorite among those looking to commission personalized artwork, thanks to its user-friendly approach and the high quality of work produced by its community of artists.

11. Redbubble

Redbubble is a global online marketplace where artists can sell print-on-demand products featuring their original designs. This platform is ideal for digital artists looking to monetize their artwork through a wide range of products, from t-shirts and stickers to home decor and phone cases. Redbubble stands out for its ease of use, allowing artists to upload their work and set their own prices, while the platform takes care of production, shipping, and customer service. It’s an excellent way for artists to reach a wider audience and for clients to find unique, artist-designed items.

12. Society6

Society6 is similar to Redbubble in that it allows artists to sell their art as high-quality prints and on a variety of products. Society6 is dedicated to providing artists with a platform to showcase their work on a global scale, turning digital art into tangible items like art prints, apparel, and home decor. The site is known for its commitment to quality and its artist-friendly policies, ensuring that creators are fairly compensated for their work. Society6 is a great choice for clients looking for unique, artistically designed products and for artists aiming to expand their reach and income.

13. Zazzle

Zazzle provides a creative marketplace where artists and designers can sell their artwork on a vast array of products. From customizing business cards to creating unique gifts, Zazzle offers an expansive platform for personalization. What makes Zazzle stand out is its robust design tool, enabling both artists and customers to customize products to their exact specifications. This site is particularly appealing for those looking to create or purchase bespoke items, offering endless possibilities for creativity across a broad range of products.

14. TeePublic

TeePublic is a vibrant community of independent artists where users can find unique apparel and accessories featuring original designs. Specializing in high-quality, print-on-demand t-shirts, TeePublic also offers a wide selection of other products, including phone cases, stickers, and home decor. Artists enjoy the platform for its ease of use and the ability to reach a wide audience without the hassle of managing inventory or shipping, making it an excellent option for those looking to share their designs with the world.

15. Threadless

Threadless is an online community of artists and an e-commerce website that focuses on selling user-submitted artwork on tees, hoodies, and a range of other items. Known for its artist-centric approach, Threadless allows creators to submit designs to be voted on by the community, with selected designs being produced and sold. This model offers artists a unique opportunity to gain exposure and earn money from their designs, while customers get access to unique, limited-edition items that stand out from the mainstream market.

Platform	Focus	Ideal For	Unique Features
DeviantArt	Digital art commissions, community features	Artists growing reputation, discovering new talent	Groups, forums, following artists
Behance	Professional portfolios, high-quality digital art	Discovering top-tier talent, professional collaborations	Project-based presentations, Adobe integration
ArtStation	Game, film, media art, professional tools	Breaking into/advancing in entertainment industry	Marketplace for prints and tutorials, portfolio customization
Etsy	Handmade, vintage, unique digital art	Personalized, unique art pieces	User-friendly interface, supportive community
Fiverr	Freelance digital art, diverse services	Competitive prices, wide range of services	Gig-based system, clear pricing
Freelancer	Global freelancing, bidding system	Budget/project-specific artist selection	Bidding system for projects
Upwork	Comprehensive freelancing, diverse digital art commissions	One-off projects, long-term collaborations	Job posting, application review system
99Designs	Graphic design contests, multiple submissions	Choosing best design from contests	Contest format for project submissions
Dribbble	Design community, portfolio building	Exposure, finding freelance opportunities	Feedback from design community
Sketchmob	Custom artwork commissions, variety of styles	Commissioning personalized artwork	Seamless interface for browsing and ordering
Redbubble	Print-on-demand products, original designs	Monetizing artwork, wide audience reach	Ease of use, production and shipping handled by platform
Society6	High-quality prints, artist-designed products	Unique, artistically designed products	Quality commitment, artist-friendly policies
Zazzle	Personalized products, robust design tool	Creating/purchasing bespoke items	Robust customization tool, wide product range
TeePublic	Print-on-demand apparel, independent artists	Sharing designs, hassle-free inventory management	Community of independent artists, wide product selection
Threadless	User-submitted art on various items, community voting	Gaining exposure, earning from designs	Community voting on designs, limited edition items

Advantages of Using an Online Marketplace for Custom Art

Online marketplaces for custom art, such as Artists and Clients, revolutionize the way digital artists connect with art enthusiasts, providing a myriad of benefits for both parties. These platforms democratize the art world, making it more accessible and interconnected. Below are some key advantages of using online marketplace sites for artists:

• Global Reach: Artists can exhibit their work to a worldwide audience, breaking free from the constraints of local markets and physical galleries. This global exposure increases their potential customer base and opportunities for recognition.
• Diverse Opportunities: Clients gain access to an extensive range of artistic styles and genres, making it easier to find an artist whose vision aligns with their own. Whether looking for traditional portraits, contemporary digital art, or niche genres, there’s something for everyone.
• Ease of Use: The platform’s user-friendly interface simplifies the commission process, from initial contact to final delivery. This streamlines transactions and communication, making custom art more accessible to a broader audience.
• Community and Collaboration: These sites often foster a sense of community among users. Artists can collaborate, share insights, and offer support, while clients can provide feedback and suggestions, creating a vibrant and supportive ecosystem.
• Professional Growth: Exposure to a wide range of projects and client requests helps artists expand their skill set and portfolio. This diversity can lead to professional growth and the development of a unique artistic style.
• Secure Transactions: With built-in payment systems, these platforms offer secure financial transactions, protecting both artists and clients from potential fraud and ensuring that artists are fairly compensated for their work.
• Feedback and Reviews: Artists can receive feedback and reviews from clients, which not only helps in building a reputable profile but also aids in continuous improvement and client satisfaction.
• Visibility and Marketing: By leveraging the platform’s marketing and visibility tools, artists can effectively promote their work without the need for significant personal marketing efforts, saving time and resources.
• Creative Freedom: Artists have the liberty to set their own prices, choose the projects they are interested in, and work at their own pace, offering a flexible work environment that nurtures creativity.
• Inspiration and Trends: Being part of a dynamic online art marketplace allows artists and clients to stay abreast of the latest trends and innovations in the art world, inspiring new creative projects and collaborations.

By providing a platform that bridges the gap between digital artists and art enthusiasts, online marketplaces like Artists and Clients not only enhance the commissioning experience but also contribute to a flourishing and inclusive digital art community.

Artists and Clients vs. Other Digital Art Platforms

Artists and Clients stands out in the digital art world by offering a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of commissioning art. Compared to other platforms, it provides a direct line for artist-client interaction, making the commissioning experience personal and straightforward. While sites like DeviantArt or ArtStation focus more on portfolio display and networking, Artists and Clients zeroes in on transactions, making it easier for artists to get commissions and for clients to purchase custom art. This focus on simplifying transactions sets it apart, offering a more tailored experience for those specifically looking to commission digital art.

Niche Platforms for Specialized Digital Art Commissions

Beyond the broad marketplace of Artists and Clients, there are niche platforms that cater to specific digital art needs. For instance, Sketchmob and CustomMade focus on custom portraits and personalized artwork, providing a space for clients seeking something truly unique. Redbubble and Society6, on the other hand, excel in turning digital art into tangible items like prints, apparel, and home decor. These specialized sites offer artists the chance to dive deep into their preferred genres and clients to find creators who excel in the exact style or product they’re after, enriching the art commissioning landscape with diversity and depth.

FAQs: Sites Like Artists and Clients

Is Artist and Clients the best site for custom art commissions?

While Artists and Clients is highly regarded for its focused approach to art commissions, whether it’s the best site depends on your specific needs. It excels in connecting artists with clients but make sure to explore other options too, as the best platform varies by individual preferences and project requirements.

What is the biggest art-sharing website?

DeviantArt is often considered the largest art-sharing website, boasting a vast community of artists and art enthusiasts. It’s a hub for creativity, offering a wide range of digital and traditional art, and serves as a platform for artists to showcase their work globally.

What is the best site for custom portraits?

Sketchmob is widely praised for custom portraits, specializing in connecting clients with artists who excel in creating personalized artwork. Its user-friendly interface and diverse artist base make it a top choice for those looking to commission custom portraits.

How does being part of an online community benefit digital artists?

Being part of an online community offers digital artists valuable exposure, networking opportunities, and feedback from peers. It can lead to collaborations, improve skills through shared knowledge, and even open up avenues for commissions and sales. Essentially, it fosters growth and visibility in the digital art space.

Image: Envato Elements

This article, "15 Sites Like Artists and Clients" was first published on Small Business Trends