Digital Products for Your Custom Illustration Business
Digital products let you earn money while you sleep—something that’s difficult with custom client work alone. As an illustrator, you already create valuable work; packaging that knowledge and your art into products you sell once but deliver infinitely builds a second revenue stream without requiring custom project hours. This frees up time for high-paying commissions while passive income covers overhead.
Illustration Style Guides and Brand Templates
What it is: A downloadable PDF or Figma file showing clients how to commission you and maintain visual consistency in their brand. Include your process, color palettes, line weight examples, and mood boards specific to the style you offer.
Who buys it: Small business owners, freelancers, and startup founders who want custom illustration but need guidance on what they’re asking for.
How to create it: Document your existing style and process. Screenshot your workflow, create before-and-after examples, and write clear descriptions of your techniques. Use Canva, Adobe InDesign, or Figma to assemble a 15–25 page template buyers can reference or adapt.
Where to sell it: Sell directly on your website or through Gumroad. This positions you as an expert and often leads buyers to book full commissions with you instead.
Realistic income: $17–$47 per sale if you price it $27–$47. With moderate marketing, expect 2–8 sales per month, generating $54–$376 monthly.
Custom Illustration Brush and Asset Packs
What it is: A collection of digital brushes, textures, patterns, or design assets in Procreate, Photoshop, or Clip Studio Paint format that replicate your signature style.
Who buys it: Other digital artists and illustrators who want to work faster or adopt techniques similar to yours.
How to create it: Spend a weekend making or recording brushes you actually use. Export them in the standard format for your chosen software. Create a preview PDF showing what each brush produces. This requires minimal explanation—artists understand instantly.
Where to sell it: Gumroad works well for digital artists. You can also list on Creative Fabrica, which offers a subscription model that pays you per download.
Realistic income: $9–$29 per pack depending on software and quality. Expect 5–15 downloads monthly if you promote on Instagram or artist communities, earning $45–$435 monthly.
Illustration Client Onboarding Course
What it is: A short course (3–8 video modules) teaching clients, startups, and small business owners how to brief illustrators, understand timelines, and use illustration in their brand effectively.
Who buys it: Business owners and marketing teams who commission illustration work but don’t know how to do it efficiently.
How to create it: Record yourself walking through a typical project from inquiry to delivery. Include modules on defining style, providing feedback, and common mistakes. Aim for 30–45 minutes total. Use Teachable, Kajabi, or even Gumroad’s course feature to deliver it.
Where to sell it: Sell on your website as a standalone course or through Teachable. Email your past clients first; they’re your easiest audience.
Realistic income: Price at $47–$97. With email marketing to past clients, expect 3–6 sales in the first month, then 1–3 sales monthly, generating $141–$582 monthly in year one.
Pre-Made Illustration Packs for Specific Industries
What it is: A themed collection of finished illustrations (health, tech, e-commerce, education) that small businesses can buy and use immediately instead of commissioning custom work.
Who buys it: Solopreneurs, content creators, and small businesses that need illustrations but can’t afford full custom commissions.
How to create it: Design 10–20 illustrations around a single theme using your standard style. Make them versatile enough to work across different contexts. Export as PNG or SVG files with transparent backgrounds. Create a simple preview image showing all pieces.
Where to sell it: Etsy, Creative Fabrica, Design Bundles, or your own website. Etsy and Creative Fabrica give you access to buyers searching for illustrations.
Realistic income: Price at $12–$37 per pack. A single pack on Etsy can generate 20–50 sales monthly once it gains visibility, earning $240–$1,850 monthly per pack after fees.
Illustration Critique and Feedback Template
What it is: A downloadable guide or checklist that teaches artists how to give and receive constructive feedback on illustration work, plus a template they can use with their own clients.
Who buys it: Art directors, creative leads, design teams, and freelance illustrators who manage multiple artists.
How to create it: Create a 5–10 page PDF with frameworks for giving feedback without crushing creativity, a revision request template, and common pitfalls to avoid. Include real examples from your own work (anonymized if needed).
Where to sell it: Gumroad or your website. Share it in design and illustration communities to build awareness.
Realistic income: $7–$17 per sale. Expect 1–4 sales monthly with no promotion, scaling to 5–10 monthly if you share it in relevant communities. Monthly income: $7–$170.
Illustration Rate and Contract Bundle
What it is: A practical package with freelance contract templates, rate-setting guides, and proposal templates specific to illustration pricing, usage rights, and revision policies.
Who buys it: New and mid-level illustrators who struggle with pricing, scope creep, and client agreements.
How to create it: Write a short guide on how to price by project type, usage rights, and industry standards. Create three contract templates: simple project, retainer, and licensing. Use Canva or Word for easy customization.
Where to sell it: Gumroad is ideal. You can also market this directly to illustration communities and through relevant newsletters.
Realistic income: Price at $27–$47. Target new illustrators through communities. Expect 2–8 sales monthly, generating $54–$376 monthly.
Time-Lapse or Behind-the-Scenes Video Courses
What it is: Filmed walkthroughs of your illustration process from sketch to finish, broken into short lessons on specific techniques your clients care about.
Who buys it: Aspiring illustrators, students, and artists wanting to improve their technical skills.
How to create it: Record one complete illustration project. Narrate your decisions and explain your technique. Edit it into 4–6 focused modules (15–20 minutes each). You can film this while working on actual client projects.
Where to sell it: Teachable, Skill Share, or Gumroad. Skillshare pays you based on minutes watched, while Teachable lets you set your own price.
Realistic income: On Skillshare, expect $50–$500 monthly per course depending on watch time. On Teachable at $37–$77, expect 2–6 sales monthly: $74–$462.
Getting Started With Digital Products
- Start with pre-made illustration packs. You likely already have finished work in your portfolio. Bundle 10–15 similar pieces, write a simple description, and upload to Etsy. This requires zero new creation and tests whether your style sells without custom commissions.
- Create one brush or asset pack next. This takes a few hours and appeals directly to other artists. It’s low-risk and positions you as skilled enough to teach.
- Document your client onboarding process. You already do this. Write down the steps you take with every client, then record yourself explaining them. This becomes your course foundation.
- Build a contract and pricing guide. Compile templates you already use, explain your reasoning, and package it. This helps newer illustrators and establishes authority in your niche.
- Plan a video course around your signature technique. Pick one technique you’re known for and film yourself using it over several projects. Edit and upload. This is content-heavy but creates lasting value.
Pricing Your Digital Products
Your audience—other illustrators, small business owners, and creative professionals—understands that digital products cost less than custom work but still have real value. Price based on time saved and value delivered, not guilt. A $37 brush pack that saves an artist 10 hours monthly has a clear ROI. A $67 course teaching someone to brief illustrators better prevents thousands in wasted revisions. Your buyers can afford these prices because they’re already spending money on design and illustration.
Avoid underpricing to seem accessible. Illustrators and creatives often perceive lower prices as lower quality. Start slightly above what feels comfortable, then adjust based on sales. If nothing sells in three months, lower price by $10 and improve marketing. If you’re selling out, you priced too low.