Turnkey Affiliate Websites for Artists Seeking Passive Income

If you are an artist who wants more stable income without taking on another job, then yes, turnkey affiliate websites can be a real option. They can bring in money from art related products or creative tools while you keep painting, drawing, sculpting, or doing whatever your main practice is. The catch is that they are not magic and not fully passive at the start, but they can become calmer and lighter to run over time.

I want to walk through how these sites work, what is real, what is a bit overhyped, and how this actually fits a working artist who has limited energy and time.

What is an affiliate website in plain words?

An affiliate website is a site that sends visitors to products or services on other websites. If a visitor clicks your link and buys, you earn a commission. That is all. No shipping, no customer service, no dealing with returns. You are basically the person who helps people decide what to buy.

For artists, that can mean things like:

Recommending paints, brushes, paper, tablets, cameras, or sculpting tools
Reviewing online art courses or memberships
Sharing your favorite books about figure drawing, color, or composition
Suggesting framing services or print on demand platforms

Instead of building an affiliate site from zero, some people buy a prebuilt one that already has content, design, and sometimes traffic. That is what people usually mean when they talk about ready made or “done for you” sites.

An affiliate site works when it helps real people make buying decisions, not when it only exists to chase search traffic.

If the site feels like a real person talking about art materials or creative tools, it has a better chance to last.

How “turnkey” is this really for artists?

I think this is where some people get misled. The word makes it sound like you pay once, flip a switch, and money appears every week. That is not how it goes for most people.

A prebuilt or turnkey style affiliate site usually gives you:

A domain and hosting setup
A basic design or theme
Some starting content, like product reviews or blog posts
Affiliate links already placed or ready to connect

What it usually does not give you, at least not in a strong way:

A loyal audience of readers who trust you
Strong search rankings that will never drop
A guarantee of income without any updates or care

So it is more like buying a small studio that already has tables, shelves, and a few tools. You still need to use it, move things around, and make work in it. Otherwise it just sits there.

If you want a site that keeps earning, expect to put in steady but not extreme work for at least the first year.

Why this model makes sense for some artists

Many artists are used to bursts of energy around shows or commissions, then slow months where money is tight. Passive or semi passive income can soften that pattern a bit. An affiliate site does not replace art, but it can add a new income line that is not tied to each painting or print you sell.

It fits how artists already think about tools

You already talk about materials and tools with other artists. Maybe you have:

Ranted with a friend about a brush that falls apart after one session
Praised a sketchbook that holds ink without bleeding
Spent hours choosing a tablet or camera and reading reviews

All that experience can live in an affiliate site. You are not pretending to be a big store. You are just being honest about what you use and what you would avoid.

For example, if you work in watercolor, your site could focus on:

Watercolor paints by brand and price level
Papers that handle lots of glazing vs quick sketches
Palettes, masking fluid, brushes, and travel kits
Online classes that helped your own technique

This is less abstract than being “an affiliate marketer”. It is closer to being a guide for people starting or deepening their watercolor practice.

Types of affiliate sites that work well for creatives

Not every model fits an artist. Some are too technical. Some feel off or too aggressive with sales. Here are a few that tend to match a creative mindset better.

1. Gear and material review sites

These sites focus on tools and supplies. They compare different products and help visitors choose.

Ideas artists often connect with:

Detailed brush tests with photos of marks and strokes
Side by side pigment comparisons and lightfastness notes
Tablet reviews with drawing app tests
Camera and lighting setups for photographing artwork

You do not need expensive gear to start. You can review what you already own or what you borrow from friends or your studio group. Some artists even review cheaper student grade materials for beginners who feel overwhelmed.

2. Technique and learning sites

These sites are more about teaching. The products are often courses, books, or memberships people can join.

For example, you could run a site about:

Learning portrait drawing from home
Basic oil painting safety and setup
Urban sketching for people with busy jobs

You write guides, show exercises, and recommend learning resources that pay you a commission.

Teaching focused affiliate sites work better when you share some of your own work, mistakes, and progress instead of pretending you never struggle.

3. Art business and print on demand sites

Here you talk about the business side of art. You recommend services artists use to sell prints, store files, or manage commissions.

That might include:

Print on demand platforms that handle shipping
Website builders for online portfolios
Email tools to stay in touch with collectors
Simple accounting or invoice tools

This is helpful if you have already tested several tools yourself and have opinions. Many new artists feel lost with the logistics of selling. You can save them time and earn income at the same time.

Buying a prebuilt site vs building from scratch

Here is where opinions differ. Some people are very against buying an existing site. Others only want done for you projects and never want to touch the tech. I think both extremes are off.

There is a middle road that can work for many artists: consider buying a site if it removes technical barriers, but do not expect it to remove the need for content or connection with readers.

Comparison at a glance

Option	Pros for artists	Cons for artists
Build from scratch	Full control from day one Very low starting cost You learn how everything works	Setup can feel confusing More time before it earns anything Tech issues can distract from art
Buy a prebuilt site	Faster path to something that looks finished No need to design from a blank page Can start editing instead of setting up	Higher upfront cost You inherit someone else’s choices Quality of content can vary a lot

If your main fear is tech, a prebuilt site can free you to focus on writing and art. If you actually enjoy tinkering with websites, then building from scratch might be better and cheaper.

How to pick a niche that feels natural for you

Niche just means topic. People sometimes overcomplicate this. For an artist, it helps to push your niche into an area where you already spend a lot of time thinking.

3 questions to shape your topic

Ask yourself:

What art related questions do friends ask me often?
Which part of my practice do I enjoy talking about the most?
What tools or services have I tested more than the average person?

Some example niches that often match an artist’s life:

Affordable art materials for students and beginners
Minimalist digital setup for illustrators who travel
Home studio lighting and photography for painters
Art journaling supplies for people who draw to relax
Figure drawing resources for self taught artists

If your niche is too broad, like “art supplies”, you will compete with large sites and stores. If it is too narrow, you might run out of things to write about. You can adjust as you go, but it helps to start with something fairly clear. Not perfect, just clear enough.

What “passive” really looks like month by month

There is often a gap between how people talk about passive income and what daily life feels like. From what I have seen, an affiliate site tends to follow a pattern a bit like this, if you treat it seriously but not obsessively.

Stage 1: Setup and learning (months 1 to 3)

This stage is more active and can feel a bit boring.

Connect your affiliate accounts (Amazon, art stores, course platforms)
Check that links track properly
Fix basic layout or design issues
Write or rewrite some core pages in your own voice

Income here is usually low. The real gain is that you learn how everything fits together. Some people get discouraged at this point and quit. That is where expectations matter. If you go in thinking this is a long project, you are less likely to throw it out.

Stage 2: Content building (months 4 to 12)

Here you add more focused content that responds to real questions.

Material reviews with clear pros and cons
How to guides for common problems
Roundups such as “best brushes for gouache” or “best tablets under a certain price”

You also start to get small signs of life. A few clicks. Maybe a sale. An email from someone who found your advice useful. That feedback loop tells you what to write next.

This stage is where many people see the first small steady income, maybe enough to cover some supplies each month.

Stage 3: Maintenance and slow growth (year 2 and beyond)

If your content is useful and does not depend on trends too much, this is where more of the income becomes passive.

Typical tasks:

Update prices, links, and out of stock items
Refresh old posts with better photos or clearer text
Add a small number of new posts each month or quarter
Reply to comments or emails

Work here can fit around your art schedule more gently. It is still work, but it does not need to be daily, and your older articles can keep earning even if you take a few weeks away for a show.

Where do artists actually send the traffic?

Affiliate programs are the backbone of this model. They are what lets you earn commissions. Some of the most common for art related niches include:

Large online stores that sell art materials
Specialist art shops with affiliate programs
Online art course platforms
Bookstores for art books
Software or app companies for creative tools

Each program has its own percentage and rules. Some pay a small cut on many items, others pay more on fewer items. I would not chase the highest percentage first. It often works better to pick programs that actually match what you already like and use.

If you recommend products you do not trust just because the commission rate is higher, your long term income usually suffers.

Trust is slower, but stronger.

How an affiliate site can support, not replace, your art practice

Here is where the topic connects most with artists. The goal is not to turn you into a full time webmaster. The goal is to create a side channel of income and visibility that supports your creative work.

Use your art to improve the site

You have an advantage that many affiliate site owners do not have. You can create original visuals.

Ideas:

Photograph your own studio, tools, and sketches
Show step by step images when you review materials
Use your drawings as simple diagrams when explaining concepts
Include before and after photos when you test new lighting or scanning methods

People get tired of stock photos. Your own work, even if rough, feels more honest.

Use your site to support your art career

The site can also become a bridge to your main practice. You can:

Link to your portfolio or shop from your about page
Offer a simple email list where you share both site content and new work
Mention your own projects in a natural way inside tutorials

Think of your site audience as people who are already interested in art related topics. Some will be happy to see your paintings, prints, or classes too, if you share them gently and not in every paragraph.

A realistic weekly schedule for a busy artist

A common worry is “How do I fit this in without losing studio time?” That is fair. An affiliate site can eat as much time as you give it. Setting limits helps.

Here is a simple example schedule that many artists could manage without burning out:

Day	Site tasks	Time
Monday	Outline one new article or review	30 to 45 minutes
Wednesday	Write half of the article	45 to 60 minutes
Friday	Finish writing, add photos, and publish	60 minutes
Weekend (optional)	Reply to comments, check stats quickly	20 minutes

That is about 2.5 to 3 hours per week. For many artists, that is possible without cutting deeply into studio time, especially if you see this as a long term project, not something that needs to explode in three months.

Red flags when looking at affiliate sites to buy

This part matters because the market around “done for you” websites has some bad offers. I do not agree with the idea that you should trust anyone who promises easy income.

Some warning signs:

Guaranteed income claims that sound too easy, like “make a certain amount per month without work”
No access to traffic or income data for at least several months
Very thin articles that repeat the same phrases and do not say much
Stock images only, no sign of real testing or use of products
Poor or unclear niche, like trying to cover every topic from pets to finance on one site

Also ask yourself:

Would I feel comfortable adding my name or face to this site?
Can I realistically maintain or improve this topic over the next year?

If the answer is no, it might not be the right match, even if it is cheap.

How to write in a way that feels like conversation, not a catalog

Many affiliate sites sound stiff. That is one reason they struggle. As an artist, you may already have a better natural voice from talking about your process or sharing work on social platforms.

Some simple habits when writing

Use “you” and “I” when it makes sense
Mention what you actually do in your studio
Share small doubts, like “I was not sure this brush would hold a point, but after a month…”
Avoid long strings of product names with no opinion

People come to your site for guidance. They want to know what you like, what you do not like, and why. You do not need to be perfect. Honest, clear notes are enough.

What if you are shy about selling?

Many artists feel uneasy with sales, both for their art and for anything else. Affiliate marketing can trigger the same discomfort. That is not strange at all.

One way to reduce that feeling is to think less about “selling” and more about “curating”. You are not pushing everything. You are choosing, filtering, and saying: “Here is what I would pick for this situation, and here is why.”

You can also set some simple personal rules, such as:

No promoting products you would be unhappy to use yourself
No hiding affiliate links; state somewhere that links can earn you a commission
No fake scarcity or fake countdowns

Those lines can keep your site and your conscience in a calmer place. The odd thing is, ethical sites often sell better over time anyway, because people sense the difference.

Example paths for different types of artists

To make this less abstract, here are a few example paths. These are not rigid formulas, but they may spark ideas.

The traditional painter

You work mostly with oil or acrylic, and you have a small home studio.

Your site might focus on:

Choosing paints and mediums that do not break the bank
Setting up ventilation and safety on a budget
Lighting, photographing, and varnishing finished work
Recommended books on composition and color

Affiliate links go to paint brands, brushes, studio gear, books, and maybe a few online courses you respect.

The digital illustrator

You work mainly on a tablet or computer, maybe for clients or your own prints.

Your site might cover:

Tablet and stylus comparisons by drawing feel
Monitors and color settings for printing
Drawing apps and brushes you use daily
Online classes for character design or comics

The links go to hardware, software, brush packs, and classes. Over time, you might add your own small digital products too.

The mixed media hobbyist turned serious

You started with art journaling or bullet journaling, then got deeper into mixed media and collage.

Your site could look at:

Journals and sketchbooks that handle wet media
Markers, pens, tapes, and adhesives
Storage solutions for small spaces
Relaxed daily practice routines and prompts

This niche can reach people who are not “professional artists” but are very active and happy to buy supplies if they feel guided.

When a turnkey style affiliate site is a bad idea for you

So far this might sound positive, but there are times when this path simply does not fit, at least not right now.

If you strongly dislike writing or explaining your process
If you already feel overwhelmed with art deadlines and life tasks
If you only want fast results in a few weeks
If you feel anger or boredom when you think about websites

In that case, it might be better to focus on selling your art more directly, or to use simpler tools like print on demand shops that need less setup.

Another option is to partner with someone who enjoys writing and tech, while you provide the artistic knowledge. Then you share the income. That requires trust, but it matches different strengths.

Questions artists often ask about these sites

Q: How much can an artist realistically earn from an affiliate website?

There is no fixed number. Some artists earn enough to cover basic supplies each month. A smaller group reaches income that matches a part time job. A few treat it as a full second career and earn more, but that usually comes with years of consistent work and learning.

A more grounded way to think about it is in levels:

Level 1: Covers a monthly restock of paints, paper, or digital subscriptions
Level 2: Covers common studio costs like rent share or utilities
Level 3: Covers a bigger share of living expenses

Reaching level 1 is realistic for many artists in one to two years if they keep at it. Higher levels are possible, but require more focus, content, and usually better traffic strategies.

Q: Does buying a prebuilt affiliate site save time, or does it create more work?

It can save time on setup, but it can create work if the content is weak. If you have to rewrite most of the articles to sound like a human, then you paid for a shell. That is not always bad, but you should be clear about it.

The approach that seems to work best is to buy only if:

You like the niche and can see yourself adding to it
The base design is clean enough that you do not hate looking at it
At least some of the content is usable with small edits

If none of that is true, then building your own with a simple theme could be a better use of your money and time.

Q: Is this still worth trying now, or is it “too late” for affiliate sites?

People have been saying it is too late for years. Search changes, markets shift, some tactics stop working. But people still look for honest reviews and guides about creative tools. That part has not vanished.

What seems to have changed is that low effort, copy pasted sites do not last long. If you bring a clear voice, real use of products, and a focus on art related problems, you can still stand out. It may grow more slowly than older sites did, but slowness is not always bad if you are building something that matches your practice.

Q: What is one small step I can take this week if I am curious but unsure?

You can start without buying anything.

Pick one topic you know well, such as “watercolor sketching outside” or “scanning pencil drawings”. Write a single page guide in a document, as if talking to a friend who asked for help. Include what tools you use and why, what you tried before, and what you would avoid.

When you finish, read it out loud. Does it sound like you? Does it feel useful? If the answer is yes, that is a good sign that an affiliate site could fit you. You can then decide whether to build your own or look for a prebuilt one in that topic.

If the answer is no, you have still practiced explaining your process. That alone can help you talk about your art in a clearer way, which is useful with or without a website.