5 Tools I Can’t Live Without in my Creative Business
*Please note: this article contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Over the years, I’ve tried a ton of different products, tools, and tech to help my creative business grow. Some have been winners, some I could live without, and let’s be honest…some end up in the back of my desk drawers never to be touched again. From high ticket investments like scanners, printers, and 4K filming cameras, to everyday items like logo stamps, shipping labels, and phone clamps, I’ve had my fair share of trial and error when it comes to small business products.
In today’s article, I’m breaking down my top five must-have tools and tech that I use in my creative art business. Let’s take a closer look…
If you’ve followed me for a while now, you know my #1 piece of advice for artists is to learn how to digitize your artwork. It’s truly a game-changer when it comes to creating a sustainable business by allowing one piece of artwork to be used in a multitude of ways. For example, a simple floral painting can be reproduced into fine art prints, greeting cards, stickers, notepads, surface pattern designs - the list goes on.
That being said, you can’t digitize your work without a high quality scanner! I’ve personally used the Epson Perfection V39 Scanner for more than 3 years and I highly recommend it. It’s one of the most affordable artwork scanners on the market, it allows me to scan up to 4800 dpi (though I typically scan all of my artwork at 720 dpi), and the slim, lightweight design makes it easy to slide into my desk drawers when I’m not using it. Thanks to this scanner, my fine art prints look almost identical to the original artwork.
When my husband and I moved from Seattle to Honolulu in 2021, this scanner was one of the few things I insisted on bringing with me and I’m so glad I did. It’s truly my most loved, used, and appreciated piece of equipment in my studio.
Flodesk Email Marketing Platform
Building an engaged list of email subscribers is a must for every small business owner. Even if you’re a social media sensation with 100K Instagram followers or you regularly rack up millions of views on TikTok, you’re still operating off of a borrowed platform. If your account got hacked or your favorite platform was shut down - what would you be left with? If that scenario makes your stomach flip, it’s probably time to start building your email list.
Whether you use your email list to sell products, promote blog posts, highlight upcoming events, or just connect with your audience on a more personal level, it’s important to find an email marketing platform that works for your business and your budget.
Over the course of a few years, I’ve bounced around from Mailchimp to Squarespace email, and more recently made the switch to Flodesk. At the time of this article, I’ve been using Flodesk for over a year and have been incredibly impressed by its capabilities. Flodesk is a comprehensive platform that allows you to manage your email strategy from start to finish. The platform includes lead generation tools like forms and landing pages, list segmentation, workflow automation, analytics, and, most importantly, beautiful customizable email templates to suit your creative business needs. In addition to these features, one of my favorite things about Flodesk is that everything is included for one flat monthly fee. Most other platforms charge for additional features and contacts - meaning you pay more as your business grows. What’s even better? You can use this link to get 50% off your first year of using Flodesk!
My greeting cards are hands down the best-selling items in my wholesale catalog and online shop, and I’m proud to say I print them all from my own studio! I use the Canon Pixma ix6820 printer and it has been a solid investment over the past two years. I chose this printer because it was the most affordable high quality printer I could find at the time ($245) and it has served my needs perfectly so far. It handles ultra thick cardstock paper and works tremendously well for transforming my artwork and designs into retail-quality greeting cards. By the way - if you want to learn how to design, print, and pack your own greeting cards, check out my latest class here!
Now, I can’t speak to how this printer would do with fine art prints, because I personally use a local print shop to handle my art prints, but for greeting cards, it’s *chef’s kiss*. However, if you have the budget for something newer, several artists have recommended the similar Canon Pixma Pro 1000 printer for producing high quality greeting cards AND fine art prints.
Most artists dip their toes into running a creative business by selling artwork, cards, stickers, or other products online. Whether you set up a shop on Etsy, another e-commerce platform, or run a wholesale business on a marketplace like Faire, I can’t stress enough the importance of investing in a thermal label printer. It will make your life SO much easier. Thermal printers, like the Rollo label printer that I have, print via heat using direct thermal technology. That means no need for toner or ink (yay!) Rollo is compatible with all online marketplaces like Etsy, Shopify, eBay, and more, and automatically imports new orders.
Pre-printing your labels allows you to prep, pack, tape, and ship your outgoing orders all from the comfort of your own home and bypass all of the lines at the post office. Talk about a time saver! These labels also make your packages look more professional than a hand-scribbled address you write while in line at USPS… While I personally use the original Rollo printer, there is also a new wireless version available as well.
Sony ZV-1 4K Camera + Vlogging Kit
Last but not least, I can’t live without my new Sony ZV-1 Camera + Vlogging Kit. Sure, phone cameras have improved greatly in recent years, but if you’re looking to take your filming to the next level for Instagram reels, YouTube tutorials, or online classes, there’s no comparison to this little gem. It’s small but mighty, and can film up to 4K quality, which is incredible for a variety of uses. Even if you’re not filming lengthy courses or tutorials, using a high quality filming camera for short-form videos like Instagram reels can have a huge impact. I personally gained over 35,000 new followers on Instagram over the past year from filming and posting engaging watercolor videos with crisp, high-quality footage on IG reels.
While the extra vlogging accessory kit isn’t a necessity, it has been a huge help for filming vlog-style videos, taking timed photos, and controlling recording options while filming my online classes.
The Sony ZV-1 is definitely an investment, but one that I wholeheartedly recommend for artists looking to step up their filming game.
There you have it! It was tough to narrow it down to just five products, but these are truly invaluable tools in my creative business. Of course, this list doesn’t count the supplies I use in my watercolor practice (brushes, paints, paper, etc.) To receive access to my comprehensive watercolor supply guide, click here!
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