Your First Ever Sale Of Your Work

I don't have a photo of my first painting that I sold. It was a desert scene, done in watercolor. It sold through my family's gallery in Lake Tahoe about 30 years ago. Most paintings in the gallery were of Tahoe, mountains, the lake, beaches and so on. My little desert watercolor was out of place but it still attracted attention. The young lady who bought it said it reminded her of where she grew up. She was thrilled, I was thrilled.

I don't own a picture either of my first painting sold....I didn't own a camera then. I was completing my master's work for my graduate degree (1971) and had to present ONE painting that represented the culmination of my year's studies and studio.
My esteemed design professor offered to purchase it on the spot.

I was thinking about this the other day, all the firsts and which one was more special to me. I believe the first online sale of my photography was to the local economic development corporation in my town. The director saw my work on Flickr and contacted me and we worked out a deal. My first article in a paper was apparently the last thing my dad read before he passed away. My first photograph in Trains Magazine was a relief. It took a while. My first publication in a book is right around the corner and I expect it will be really oddand refreshing to hold it in my hands.

My first sale on FAA? I wasn't sure I read the e-mail right. And it was a 20X30! Ihad to pull off the road! LOL

I printed a bunch of 13x19's and took them to an art walk in Long Beach. A nice lady bought one and said she would set me up for a show at a friend's gallery, which she did.



There she is, with the bag on her shoulder, talking to me. She was an art teacher and brought all her students, who bought even more prints.

I thought: "This is easy!"

Then came the economy crash.

My first online sale was here, a few weeks after signing up. It's sold a couple more times since. I quit using the captions since then. The version without the caption hasn't sold.

Such an interesting thread!

My first art sale was a finger-painted landscape. I was 18, and sold many finger-paintings that year. Quite a revelation, as I never knew there was a market for such a thing!

In my 20's I bought my first 'real' camera - a Canon 35mm. I was so excited with my first roll of photos that I had several of them enlarged through an online lab, using the address of my office for delivery. As I was ripping open the box (16x20's, shipped flat), a client stepped in to visit with my manager. He bought one of the prints on sight -- a simple, sunlit photograph of a vintage, acoustic guitar. That was the very first photograph I ever took with a 35mm camera, and my first enlargement. It also became my very first photography sale. $50 -- which I used to buy some Tiffen filters. Even then, I wanted to manipulate my photographs! ;-)

My first online sale was a 20" x 24" lacy manipulation of a tree -- sold to a music reviewer from NYC -- purchased through Yessy.com back in 2005. Yessy was my first online venue.

My first ever work have been purchased on FAA, after 1 and half month being here without any advertising from my side ( I dont count my photosessions with people.). It happened on 1st of January 2012, came as New Year gift :-)

My first "real" sale (I don't count it when it is someone I know) was this image at a show. Since then it has sold quite well for me at other shows (in my top 3).

My avatar is the first that I sold, my sister just had to have it.

My first... was from my then co-worker, now husband in 2009...he got a couple of iceberg pictures..they are still on the wall.

My first here was this one...two months after I began uploading (I was one of those dreaded people that sat on my account for a year before I uploaded).

I got my first sale last year... I opened up my shop on another site and it took two and a half months...My phone beeped the sale at me - I had forgotten that I even set up a shop.

(Not meant for sale - low res version)

I don't even sell this print any more... I was afraid it would be too dark to print well.

No sales on FAA yet.

My first sales were notecards in a coffee shop in Socorro, NM. when we lived there. These 2 were in that first group
.

More significant for me was the first time when someone spent $350 on one of my large framed prints.

My art teacher in high school bought a photo of mine. She recently posted it on Facebook. Talk about embarrassing. Terrible white balance problems.

First sale on FAA:

Neglected to post my first seller here --



In some ways, my first railroad seller here was just as cool. It let me know that someone out there liked trains enough to hang pictures they didn't take themselves on their walls --

This was my very first piece sold. Here on FAA.

First one on FAA

My first piece sold was the first digital painting I ever made. I told my counselor when I first started seeing her that I enjoyed creating artwork in Photoshop, so she asked me to bring in a sample of my work. I just printed it out at home and brought it to my next session, and she liked it so much she offered to buy a 24x36 canvas of it for the spot above her fireplace. She tells me all the time it's still one of her favorite pieces.



My first sale on FAA was a 30x20 print of my Painted Lady butterfly, made to a friend in the area. That piece has become one of my two best sellers.



And my first sale to someone I don't know was my spruce cone here at FAA. My husband was absolutely shocked because he hates that piece and never thought anyone would ever buy it. Just goes to show, there's a market for just about everything!

the first piece of art I ever sold was a pencil drawing on typing paper - I think I was paid about $5 for it - but me thinks you were more referring to "art", I sold my first watercolor about 40 years ago, quarter sheet and I believe that framed I got about $125. It was a desert scene and had won a ribbon in an art show. I've sold several full sheet watercolors ( 30 X 22) - the most I ever got - unframed was $800. (and I know the framing cost around $300 cause I went with the buyer to the frame shop to have it framed.) I know where that painting is in Texas. The first watercolor I sold on the internet - eBay - about 14 years ago or so - actually a pair - are in Ohio - quarter sheet unframed - $75. one was a banana flower with fruit, the second a jack in the pulpit. This one, "the dead bird" went to Colorado also sold on eBay -

I don't remember my first sale, but I remember the first painting that was taken or stolen. It took about about ten more before I saw myself as an artist.

Great stories and art. It sounds like people in our lives are genuinely interested in buying our work if we just show it. I made most of my early sales to acquaintances. I never sold to a stranger until I started doing shows. Even at the shows it was mostly friends or their friends. Just thinking about it makes me want to make some prints again and show them instead of showing on FB. Nothing sells itself better than art you can hold.

I do not have a digital photo of the first painting I ever sold. However, at the time it was early in my painting 'career', I think over 10 years ago, and I had brought some of my paintings into work to show some of my coworkers. One of them inquired whether I would be willing to paint her two cats, and I told her if she brought me a photo, I would be happy to do it. As she was on a limited income, I accepted without question what she was able to pay me, which was $40. I was simply happy she liked my work. :) And I think it meant quite a lot for her to have a painting of her cats, as they were beloved to her, thus it was very meaningful for her.

Since then I have sold some paintings via etsy, and also to some acquaintances via facebook, as well as to another coworker, but that first one was probably the most meaningful for me as well, just due to the sheer joy it caused this woman to receive the painting.

I've sold one photo here on FAA -- which was super exciting for me. :) No paintings yet though.

Great thread!! I honestly can't remember my first sale of an original, I think I am too wiped out right now to remember back that far. This painting is my first online sale, here on FAA, and is still one of my best selling prints!!

My first sale were here. Still with a free account, I sold two greeting cards... at a 50 cent markup. It was a good lesson which I quickly learnt from.
Since then I have had a cancelled print sale, then my first print sale that has stayed. A small print of this image:

Years ago I had dropped off a few pieces at a friends shop and that same day a young girl came in and wanted a piece. It was a large pond scene...all pinks and purples, blues and greens. She asked my friend if she could make payments on the piece and until it was paid for it could remain in the shop. My friend and I agreed. She came in week after week and left 2 or 3 or 4 dollars. She never missed a week. at some point after weeks of this I told my friend to just give it to her...my friend also gave her back her money I never met the girl but I don't think I will ever have a "sale" that means more to me. I do hope she still has that piece and loves it as much as she did then.

Great story Val.

Thanks Bradford...That really was a special sale...didn't end up making a dime but meant the most to me.

Val, I love your story, how wonderful to have someone love your work so much!

I made some sales to friends before I joined FAA but this the first sale I made to a stranger here and I remember how excited I was. In fact I'm excited every time I make a sale!

I'm always amazed by the stories of selling to friends.

Apparently . . . I need some new friends! :-)

My first sale was actually today YAY
Was on another site and was a photo I had taken of the Blood Moon just 2 nights ago.
Someone bought the image on a tshirt.
Don't have a photo on here as I actually don't believe it was a good enough photo for Fine Art

Congratulations Katrina on your first sale! That was a fast turnaround from taking a photo to making a sale of it!

It's fun to read about everybody's first sale. I can't remember my first one because I've been selling online for awhile and selling at fairs even longer but here's my first sale on FAA, for a 20" x 13" print...

Hmmmmm... Don't remember exactly but this might be my first sale on a stock photo agency (2005 or 2006):



And this was the first sale on FAA (2012):

I don't have a photo of my first sale of an original painting - it was 2006 or 2007 and I'd only been painting for a little less than a year. It was an acrylic abstract - we had a party in our home, a neighbor saw it hanging and bought it on the spot. I was over the moon :)

My first sale on FAA was March 16th, 2009 and I was even more excited that a stranger liked it enough to buy it.
It was: Shiny Black - 1/8" Clear Acrylic Glazing - Foam Core Mounting:



--Donna Proctor

My first sale here was 3 months after I joined in 2010. I sold a couple of images on a stock site, but I don't count those, because I got 99 cents for each of them and never got paid since I quit the site (I'm not cut out for stock) and my balance was only $1.98 there when I closed my account. So I count this as my first sale:

My first sale here in FAA was quiet a nice surprise, a collector purchased 5 of my artworks at once!!:))

:)

12.16.2009 first sweet 25cents at microstock site

:)

My first sale was here as well! I still had the free account when I was surprised to see a comment saying, "Congrats!" However, I had not gotten the email (wrong tab and got deleted). So I went to check my sales tab and found it had been there for a night! Thanks to Jeffery who put it in his house :) It was a larger, metal print of this!

That's a favorite of mine Shelby.

Thank you so much Bradford!

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/an-angry-bird-dick-hudson.html

I put one of my photos on the wall in my office at a VA Hospital. The Eagle was one of my favorites, and the only one that I had ever printed and put in a frame at work. Last Summer a veteran came in to talk with me about his disabilities, and his wife was with him. She commented on my picture and told me that she loved eagles. Last November the veteran called me and told me that his wife had never stopped talking about my photo of an eagle. He wanted to buy it from me so he could give it to his wife for Christmas. He asked me how much I wanted, and I said: "Just give me what you think it is worth." (I am not a marketing major.) The next day he came in and we talked a bit. I gave him the photo and even signed the border of it and dated it. He shook my hand and I noticed that he had a paper in his hand. I said thanks, then he left. I looked down and saw a folded $50.00 bill. My investment was just a home printer page and a frame that I bought at the dollar store for $2.00. Two weeks later I got a nice letter from his wife telling me that the photo was her favorite Christmas gift. That was my first sale, and may be my favorite for a very long time.

On FAA, this was my first sale within two weeks of uploading my first images. A second print of it sold about a week later:



Long before FAA, this was my first sale:



This tornado image has sold many times through both stock and FAA.

This is the first larger artwork I did and the first piece I sold on FAA - it's been sold as a print, a box of cards, and as a iPhone case. And it is still one of my very favorites. It sold 3 days after joining FAA.
Rebecca

My first sale came soon after joining FAA. I find myself at that exact location during various seasons, over 100 times every year.

Wow...there are some great stories here. So glad so many have shared them with us and so glad this thread got started! It's a great read. For me, the photography thing had always been a hobby and although I would get the occasional comment, "you should sell those", I didn't really think it could happen. For a variety of reasons, I started uploading here but never really expected to sell. My first sale came in Dec. of 2012 about 6 weeks after joining! A collage of drum close ups.



Two other exciting "firsts".
First sale at a live art festival to a real live person ( as opposed to a cyber buyer I won't meet). It sold as 3 individual prints (not a single triptych) to a buyer while I was still setting up and it covered the entrance cost of the fair.


The last is one I posted to my personal Facebook page after vacation. Within a few minutes a colleague messages me and asked how they could buy it! That was cool because it was a sale to a friend and it wasn't me trying to sell...just a post on face book that caused a sale!



Matt

My first sale was a soccer photograph to the local newspaper. I did take privat photos of my team every week behind the goal. This day was very special. I waited for a free kick, pushed the button and ... felt a breeze in my hair. What happened? There was a gap just where the ball passed the net. On my photo You could see the ball exactely in the gap. The referee refused to look after the net and said that the ball passed beside the post. Some weeks later the photo also was published in the biggest German soccer magazine kicker.

My first online sale was on FAA: this panther chameleon from Madagascar

I sold an on location family portrait for $800.00 in 1980. It was printed onto paper them pressed to canvas, and framed the old way. I will never forget it. It goes to show how photography prices have gone way down over the years.

A license of this photo on Istockphoto.com

Looking back to see what my first was here on FAA and my first on microstock and I saw it was the same image. I uploaded this as one of my first online stock images in 2007 and 3 days later it sold. Actually it sold twice that day and every day after for months. I joined FAA in 2012 and this sold after 12 days. It is listed as the first but the buyer actually bought two other prints as well.

This was my first ever sale. Might be cheating a bit as we work together and stay in the town where it was taken but made me feel a million dollars when she asked to buy it.


http://render.fineartamerica.com/displayartwork.html?id=13102777&width=250&height=187&domainid=3

About 12 years ago I started doing the art show circuit selling only handmade greeting cards with my photos of local New England scenery. The very first show took me about two weeks to prepare for and I thought for sure I wouldn't sell a single one. Much to my surprise, I sold about half of my stock though I don't remember what card image sold first. From then on, little by little, I started adding more things to my table. Postcards, 5x7 and 8x10 matted prints, then on to some matted and framed prints.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1179399961637&set=a.1179398761607.2028372.1127305969&type=3&theater

Congrats Alan. I made a lot of sales to co-workers when I was starting out. It's not cheating to sell to friends or co-workers . It's a perfect example of getting the ball rolling here.
Joann nice display. That reminds me I have some card racks I need to get back into action.

My first sale of photography was to the Record American back in 1942.... My Dad was in the Boston Fire dept, and I hung around Engine 12 evenings and Sat, watched the classes they held about everything related to the F.D. When there was an alarm, Id close the doors and make sure there was a pot of coffee on.... If a 2nd alarm came in, would jump on my bike, and head for the location. Always had my Kodak Vest Pocket camera. For those who do not know it (made in 1928) it had an adjustable diaphragm and speeds.

Went to this fire, on a cold winter day, flames were shooting out every window of the brick building. Spray from the hoses was freezing on the walls and fire escapes, got a dozen good shots.
By the time a reporter from the Record got there, there was only smoke. He saw my camera and asked if Id got any good shots. Said, if you did, we will develop the film, make 8x10 prints for you, and pay for anything we print. When the paper came out, there were eight photos in the centerfold spread and a big one on the front page and I made more per photo than 6 days a week during the summer...at Fifty cents an hour. Had been carrying a camera everywhere since I was eight, when my aunt taught me to process film and print....

Thanks Bradford. I stopped the art shows a few years ago when I started selling online. It got to be a little too much when I factored in all time I spent editing and marketing...not enough hours in day. Sometimes I miss the one on one with people, sometimes not so much :)

My first sale (to a family member) came a few days after I uploaded my first images to FAA.



My first (non-family) sale came a few months later.

Great idea for a thread ... it was fun looking this one up.

My first sale was to a RedBubble purchaser in August of 2008 ...



My first sale on FAA was in June of 2010



just realized they both have "Ahh" in their titles!!!

In 1962, 52 years ago,I sold my first oil painting, a landscape when I was in the eight grade. In high school, I was class elected class artist and sold lots of commissioned work to students and faculty. Won many awards while in high school including a scholastic Gold Medal and blue ribbon in Boson for the "Best Of New England" competition. Studied painting, illustration and photography at the Art institute of Boston from 1968 to 1971 and was represented by a gallery in Boston that sold my paintings. Been selling my art full time ever since. ~ What a life!

My first sale was a photo I call "Bay Skimmer" at a two night weekend solo show in a local gallery. Before the show the owner of the gallery told me she would only allow an artist one two night weekend solo show every two years. I sold 13 prints in the two nights, I was invited back three months later. She liked the commissions.