I Tried Selling AI Art For 30 Days

Introduction

This article recounts the journey of attempting to sell AI-generated art over a 30-day period. With the assistance of various AI art generators and platforms like Fiverr, the aim was to see how profitable AI art can be. Below is a detailed day-by-day and step-by-step account of the process.

Getting Started

Firstly, access to an AI generator was essential. Options like DALL-E 2, MidJourney, and NightCafe were considered. Eventually, Stable Diffusion, an open-source AI art generator, was chosen due to its cost-efficiency, allowing unlimited image generation for free on a personal computer. However, it required an Nvidia GPU, prompting a visit to a friend with a powerful gaming PC.

Initial Experiments

At a friend's place with the requisite Nvidia GPU, initial art concepts like "gangster baby oil painting" and "Elon Musk banana spaceship" were generated. Despite taking longer than commercial options, the results were satisfactory and promising for the venture.

Setting Up on Fiverr

Multiple gigs were set up on Fiverr to cover various niches:

City and Landscape Concept Art
Dog Portraits
Dungeons and Dragons Character and Landscape Art
Heavy Metal and Rock Album Covers
Anime and Furry Character Art

Descriptions, images, and competitive pricing were thoroughly prepared for each gig. However, the initial week showed minimal traction, reflecting zero messages or orders.

The Turning Point

Despite initial setbacks, a missed message for a potential metal album cover highlighted the demand for AI art. This led to a more proactive approach, such as promoting AI art in Dungeons and Dragons Facebook groups. However, this strategy attracted significant backlash from traditional artists.

Adapting to Challenges

After facing resistance in Facebook groups, altering gig offerings on Fiverr brought in a wider range of potential customers. This paved the way for eventual success, albeit modest, with the first order being an album cover.

The Orders Flood In

With the first order successfully completed, more orders followed. Each order required an understanding of customer needs, creative prompts, and sometimes, working for long hours to deliver the desired artwork. The initial $ 5-$ 15 earnings per order didn’t reflect the effort, but the learning experience was invaluable.

Conclusion

By the end of the 30-day experiment, eight orders from seven customers totaled about $ 80, with Fiverr fees deducted. While not financially groundbreaking, the experience demonstrated a viable, albeit challenging, path for selling AI art. Future plans possibly include investing the profits into an AI art print-on-demand business.

Keywords

AI art
AI generator
Stable Diffusion
Fiverr
DALL-E 2
MidJourney
NightCafe
Nvidia GPU
Dungeons and Dragons art
Anime art
Album covers

FAQ

1. What AI art generators were considered in the experiment?

DALL-E 2, MidJourney, NightCafe, and Stable Diffusion.

2. Why was Stable Diffusion chosen?

Stable Diffusion is open-source and allows unlimited image generation for free, although it requires an Nvidia GPU.

3. What platforms were used to sell AI art?

Fiverr was the primary platform used to offer varied art gig services.

4. What challenges were encountered?

Initial slow traction, missed opportunities, backlash from traditional artists in Facebook groups, and time-consuming order fulfillment.

5. What was the total earning from the 30-day experiment?

The experiment earned $ 80 after deducting Fiverr's fees.

6. Are there plans for future AI art ventures?

Yes, there is a possibility of investing the profits into an AI art print-on-demand business.

By embracing AI technology, artists can explore new avenues and tools, potentially transforming the future of artwork and its marketplace.