How Photographer Tony Kantin
went from Hobbyist to Selling His Art

Tony learned what all the pros know -- that your art is not going to sell itself.
You must properly equip your art business if you ever want to do well.

How Seascape Photographer Tony Kantin Turned His Hobby Into a Real Business

From hobby photographer, to full-time art seller, to a trusted mentor to others...all in 12 months? 

Meet Tony Kantin: a Seascape photographer and rising star in the east coast photography scene.

Under the name Vitamin Sea Photography, Tony has grown his hobby of photographing surfers and the waves they ride into an art business with serious potential in just one year's time.

Today, he even teaches and mentors other artists and photographers on the one aspect of selling his photography that has resulted in nearly all of his success.

Marketing. 

Tony understands that taking great photos is one thing, but selling them successfully is an entirely different undertaking.

One year ago, he realized he had to address the same two things every single artist or photographer must confront before they can hope to reach $100,000 a year in sales. 

These two particular things are fundamental to success in the art industry, yet the overwhelming majority of artists and photographers are completely missing one or both

So –

Do you want to sell more art this year?

Build a more valuable art business?

Ensure that you are NOT going down the wrong path, like so many other art sellers?

Make sure you get these 2 things right.

The Formula for Success

Photographer Bill Wensel (Art Storefronts member since 2017) increased his print sales by +807% year over year.

megh knappenberger

Artist Megh Knappenberger (Art Storefronts member since 2017) sold $50,000+ of art her first holiday season

In our time working with thousands of highly successful artists and photographers over the years, we've deconstructed what is making them so successful. It comes down to just 2 things:

FIRST, YOU NEED A PROPER ART GALLERY WEBSITE.

SECOND, YOU NEED AN ART MARKETING PLAN THAT WORKS.

That's it.

Seriously, that's it.

Think about it: if you have a marketing plan that generates new customers, and a properly-designed website that closes every possible sale, what else do you need?

Nothing.

With just these 2 things, there is nothing stopping you from being successful. 

With these 2 things, you can finally solve the problem of earning consistent monthly sales from your art.

#1: It All Starts With A Website*

*A PROPER, ART GALLERY WEBSITE

The art buying process is incredibly visual. To sell art online, you need to take the offline gallery experience and move it online - and not just any old website will do.

A proper, art gallery website feels like walking into a retail art gallery.

There's art on the wall, and it's clearly for sale.

This is in direct contrast to most artist websites, which are set up like image portfolios. These websites feel more like flipping through a coffee table book than entering a shop where the products can actually be purchased. 

If your website isn't designed specifically
to sell your art...it won't.

profile-pic

Your own art gallery

Art Storefronts allows you to be your own art gallery so you aren't dependent on other galleries. You don't have to wait to be discovered, or called, or emailed by any galleries. You don't have to fit any of their aesthetics. You are your own gallery.

Mathieu Laca Artist

Furthermore, a proper art gallery website has a host of powerful features that are designed to handle all the possible questions and objections art buyers face when making a buying decision:


I can't tell what size print would look best on my wall...

❌ No Sale


Canvas gallery wrap, metal, acrylic...I don't know what any of these media types actually look like...
 
❌ No Sale


I love it, but I need my spouse to sign off. I'll have to remember to come back later...

❌ No Sale


I'm not sure how this piece will look with my paint color, furniture, other artwork, etc.

❌ No Sale


This is a lot of money, how do I even know I can trust this artist with my order?

❌ No Sale


An art gallery website like the ones provided by Art Storefronts have features that would have saved each and every one of those lost sales.

Want to learn more about all of the 30+ features an Art Storefronts website offers?

After years of struggle, Bill Stidham (Art Storefronts member since 2016) sold over $17,000 his first holiday season on Art Storefronts

Painter Jim Pescott (Art Storefronts member since 2017) earned his first ever online sale through his Art Storefronts site

#2: A Marketing Plan That Works

MARKETING IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS

Sure, you'll need the right website to turn your site visitors into collectors, but how do you bring those visitors to your site in the first place?

Many photographers and artists waste years of their professional lives trying to figure this part out.

Jim Livingston (Art Storefronts member since 2018) recently sold two 12' murals using Live Preview w/ Augmented Reality

An effective art marketing strategy requires:


  • Consistent, on-going content marketing via email and social media
  • Frequent print giveaways
  • Strategic promotions centered around holidays
  • An advertising strategy designed to maximize your return
  • An analytics system that allows you to track the progress of your campaigns and react accordingly

Not quite as inspiring as creating art, right?

And yet, without it, earning a reliable, consistent living from your art will be nearly impossible.

Here's how we've solved this problem:

The Marketing Resource Vault


EASY-TO-FOLLOW CHECKLISTS

Everything you need to run successful marketing campaigns, summarized into straightforward checklists.

Our tactics are based on data from thousands of actual artists and photographers. We find what's working out there and bring it to you.

#SmallWins


UNLIMITED MARKETING CONSULTATION

A private Facebook community for Art Storefronts members and our professional art marketing consultants.

Share your ideas and get realtime feedback from fellow artists and marketing professionals alike. 

We'll also keep you on pace to succeed with The Weekly Agenda.

Ready to learn how to spend your limited marketing time exactly where it counts?

Building a Profitable Art Business

To recap, achieving consistent monthly sales as an independent artist comes down to 2 things:

FIRST, YOU NEED A PROPER ART GALLERY WEBSITE.

SECOND, YOU NEED AN ART MARKETING PLAN THAT WORKS.

These two needs are why Tony Kantin chose Art Storefronts.

First, we provide best-in-class art gallery websites. We have all the key art-selling features (and then some) that will provide your buyers with the finest art buying experience available.

Second, we provide step-by-step marketing instruction and unlimited access to our consultants. We'll tell you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it - every day of the year. It's all based on what is actually working for other successful artists and photographers, so you can stop guessing and immediately get on the right path to growing your sales.

Once Tony decided to take his photography seriously, he didn't want to spend any time messing around.

He needed a comprehensive solution to sell his art that was state-of-the-art. One that was robust enough, would always have the latest features and functionality, and would work for him for many years to come.  

Now in his 2nd year with Art Storefronts, Tony's art business is rocking.

He didn't sit around uploading his images to a bunch of online gallery sites, waiting for sales to come to him. He puts in the work, and follows a strategy to actively market his art as far and wide as possible.

Because without the right system, the work was never going to simply sell itself. And yours won't either.

This year, fully focused on effective marketing strategies, he's on track to break all of his previous records.

And he's not alone:

It's time to create your own success story.

profile-pic

Absolute best decision I have made in my Entrepreneur Art Career

Joining this Art supported platform has been the absolute best decision I have made in my Entrepreneur Art Career. I have sold more paintings this year than ever before. I am super excited about being part of Art Storefronts and cannot stress enough how this is a complete game changer for me and my career at this point.

Kim Vergil Fine Artist
profile-pic

Ahead of the Curve

The reason I love Art Storefronts so much is because they are always ahead of the curve with marketing and technology specifically for artists. You have saved me tons of money and time trying to keep up in our fast-moving world on my own.

Shirley Williams Artist

From hobby photographer, to full-time art seller, to a trusted mentor to others...all in 12 months?

Meet Tony Kantin: a Seascape photographer and rising star in the east coast photography scene. 

Under the name Vitamin Sea Photography, Tony has grown his hobby of photographing surfers and the waves they ride into an art business with serious potential in just one year's time.

Today, he even teaches and mentors other artists and photographers on the one aspect of selling his photography that has resulted in nearly all of his success.

Marketing.

Tony understands that taking great photos is one thing, but selling them successfully is an entirely different undertaking.

One year ago, he realized he had to address the same two things every single artist or photographer must confront before they can hope to reach $100,000 a year in sales.

These two particular things are fundamental to success in the art industry, yet the overwhelming majority of artists and photographers are completely missing one or both. So –

Do you want to sell more art this year?  
Build a more valuable art business?  
Ensure that you are NOT going down the wrong path, like so many other art sellers?

Make sure you get these 2 things right.


The Formula for Success

Photographer Bill Wensel (Art Storefronts member since 2017) increased his print sales by +807% year over year.

megh knappenberger

Artist Megh Knappenberger (Art Storefronts member since 2017) sold $50,000+ of art her first holiday season

In our time working with thousands of highly successful artists and photographers like Tony Kantin over the years, we've deconstructed what is making them so successful. It comes down to just 2 things:

FIRST, YOU NEED A PROPER ART GALLERY WEBSITE.

SECOND, YOU NEED AN ART MARKETING PLAN THAT WORKS.

That's it.

Seriously, that's it.  Yet so many are still missing it.

Think about it: if you have a marketing plan that generates new customers, and a properly-designed website with all the features need to close every possible sale, what else do you need?

Nothing.

With just these 2 things, there is nothing stopping you from being successful. 

With these 2 things, you can finally solve the problem of earning consistent monthly sales from your art.

Now, let's get into each of these in more detail.


#1: It All Starts With A Website*

*A PROPER, ART GALLERY WEBSITE

The art buying process is incredibly visual. To build a thriving art business, you need to take the offline gallery experience and move it online - and not just any old website will do.

A proper, art gallery website feels like walking into a retail art gallery.

There's art on the wall, and it's clearly for sale.

This is in direct contrast to most artist websites, which are set up like image portfolios. These websites feel more like flipping through a coffee table book than entering a shop where the products can actually be purchased. 

If your website isn't designed specifically
to sell your art...it won't.

profile-pic

Your own art gallery

Art Storefronts allows you to be your own art gallery so you aren't dependent on other galleries. You don't have to wait to be discovered, or called, or emailed by any galleries. You don't have to fit any of their aesthetics. You are your own gallery.

Mathieu Laca Artist

Furthermore, a proper art gallery website has a host of powerful features that are designed to handle all the possible questions and objections art buyers face when making a buying decision:


I can't tell what size print would look best on my wall...


❌ No Sale

Canvas gallery wrap, metal, acrylic...I don't know what any of these media types actually look like...


❌ No Sale

I love it, but I need my spouse to sign off. I'll have to remember to come back later....


❌ No Sale

I'm not sure how this piece will look with my paint color, furniture, other artwork, etc.


❌ No Sale

This is a lot of money, how do I even know I can trust this artist with my order?


❌ No Sale


An art gallery website like the ones provided by Art Storefronts have features that would have saved each and every one of those lost sales.

Want to learn more about all of the 30+ features an Art Storefronts website offers?

After years of struggle, Bill Stidham (Art Storefronts member since 2016) sold over $17,000 his first holiday season on Art Storefronts

Painter Jim Pescott (Art Storefronts member since 2017) earned his first ever online sale through his Art Storefronts site

Click to add text or drag and drop element from right hand panel

#2: A Marketing Plan That Works

MARKETING IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS

Sure, you'll need the right website to turn your site visitors into collectors, but how do you bring those visitors to your site in the first place?

Many photographers and artists waste years of their professional lives trying to figure this part out.

Jim Livingston (Art Storefronts member since 2018) recently sold two 12' murals using Live Preview w/ Augmented Reality

An effective art marketing strategy requires:


  • Consistent, on-going content marketing via email and social media
  • Frequent print giveaways
  • Strategic promotions centered around holidays
  • An advertising strategy designed to maximize your return
  • An analytics system that allows you to track the progress of your campaigns and react accordingly

Not quite as inspiring as creating art, right?

And yet, without it, earning a reliable, consistent living from your art will be nearly impossible.

Here's how we've solved this problem:

The Marketing Resource Vault

EASY-TO-FOLLOW CHECKLISTS

Everything you need to run successful marketing campaigns, summarized into straightforward checklists.

Our tactics are based on data from thousands of actual artists and photographers. We find what's working out there and bring it to you.

#SmallWins

UNLIMITED MARKETING CONSULTATION

A private Facebook community for Art Storefronts members and our professional art marketing consultants.

Share your ideas and get realtime feedback from fellow artists and marketing professionals alike. 

We'll also keep you on pace to succeed with The Weekly Agenda.

Ready to learn how to spend your limited marketing time exactly where it counts?

Click to add text or drag and drop element from right hand panel

Building a Profitable Art Business

To recap, achieving consistent monthly sales as an independent artist comes down to 2 things:

FIRST, YOU NEED A PROPER ART GALLERY WEBSITE.

SECOND, YOU NEED AN ART MARKETING PLAN THAT WORKS.

These two needs are why Tony Kantin chose Art Storefronts.

First, we provide best-in-class art gallery websites. We have all the key art-selling features (and then some) that will provide your buyers with the finest art buying experience available.

Second, we provide step-by-step marketing instruction and unlimited access to our consultants. We'll tell you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it - every day of the year. It's all based on what is actually working for other successful artists and photographers, so you can stop guessing and immediately get on the right path to growing your sales.

Once Tony decided to take his photography seriously, he didn't want to spend any time messing around.

He needed a comprehensive solution to sell his art that was state-of-the-art. One that was robust enough, would always have the latest features and functionality, and would work for him for many years to come.  

Now in his 2nd year with Art Storefronts, Tony's art business is rocking.

He didn't sit around uploading his images to a bunch of online gallery sites, waiting for sales to come to him. He puts in the work, and follows a strategy to actively market his art as far and wide as possible.

Because without the right system, the work was never going to simply sell itself. And yours won't either.

This year, fully focused on effective marketing strategies, he's on track to break all of his previous records.

And he's not alone:

It's time to create your own success story.

profile-pic

Absolute best decision I have made in my Entrepreneur Art Career

Joining this Art supported platform has been the absolute best decision I have made in my Entrepreneur Art Career. I have sold more paintings this year than ever before. I am super excited about being part of Art Storefronts and cannot stress enough how this is a complete game changer for me and my career at this point.

Kim Vergil Fine Artist
profile-pic

Ahead of the Curve

The reason I love Art Storefronts so much is because they are always ahead of the curve with marketing and technology specifically for artists. You have saved me tons of money and time trying to keep up in our fast-moving world on my own.

Shirley Williams Artist
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