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So it has been brought to my attention i should start painting for cash. I have always doubted my ability until recently. I am not here to look for work, but instead ask how exactly to get into the business. Do i need to have a license or such? I would i need to apply tax To keep in line with state laws and such (And to keep the IRS off me lol) Is there a website or books to give me a push in the right direction? Any help givin is very much appreciated.


((if this isn't the right place for this by all means move it. Painting & Modeling just made sense to me)

No need for a license, technically you're self-employed, so fall in line with whatever tax guidelines that entails for you. In the UK, this means filing a return annually, from which a tax calculation is done. I do this online.
It's also necessary to keep receipts for anything you claim as a business expense (paint / tools / miniatures for which the cost is passed on).
In terms of getting the business off the ground, post your work in forums, set up a blog / website (googles blogger site is absolutely fine). TAKE GOOD PHOTOS. For getting commission work, the photography skills are vital - I've seen lots of painters whose brush skills are great be let down by poor pictures. Post on CMON (coolminiornot) so there's a peer-voted gauge for your standard of work.
Don't expect to make a lot of money though - it's high time, low pay, so make sure you organise your work around your life, not the other way around.

Remember its not just about how well you can paint. Its about how fast you can paint and how bored you get painting. Do you want to be hunched over a table at midnight or on a hot day reaching a deadlines?

Thank you for the info. I am a stay at home dad and contrary to popular belief stay at home parents have very little time for hobbies lol. I would be setting shop up in my office, and yes i do need to learn to take better photos. The ones i have are destroying just how well the models really are. My plan was to only do a small bit here and there, nothing insane. I guess i should work on my camera skills and get my youtube channel going then before i start dropping money on supplies.

If you are worried about the taxes, and want to do it legally, consider setting your self up as a LLC and get your state laws for self employment as well as the federal ones. You'll have to do some paperwork for FICA and stuff.

On the plus side, you can claim part of your house and utilities as business expenses, as well as postage, web page costs and your paints and stuff. If you lose money on paper (after all thoses costs, what you make as a painter is likely not going to cover it all) that loss can also be a write off for taxes...

Cptn. Jake that is a excellent idea. Although...what is a LLC? lol

Limited Liability Company. It will protect you and your family if something goes real wrong with the business.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_liability_company

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98277,00.html

O wow , Thank you very very much Capt. Jake.

Lifetime Limited Corporation. It protects your personal assets from negative business repercussions like lawsuits. There are actually a lot of benefits and it can all SOUND complicated but it is very simple. It basically separates YOU the private person from YOU the business owner. Single proprieter businesses are a recipe for disaster.