How to Make Passive Income From Your Art With StampFans

Written By Dean Rodriguez

I’ve tried every way to make money as an artist over the last 13 years, and shipping?

Not for me. I just want to make art, not pack envelopes.

Patreon was too much work, Etsy’s fees are ridiculous, and even print-on-demand comes with customer support headaches. I needed something easier and more consistent.

That’s when I found StampFans, is a small business that lets you send real mail like zines, postcards, or letters, and they handle all the printing and shipping.

No upfront cost. Just upload your design, share it, and get paid. 

Use code WOI100 to sign up and give your subscribers their first month free (up to 100 subscribers) here!

It’s like running your own art newsletter, minus the stress, plus the cute hand made vibes factor.

And the best part? You don’t have to rely on the algorithm anymore to get your work into someone’s hands.

Hell fucking yes! Sorry not sorry Instagram!

How does Stampfans work?

You upload your design, set your price, and they do the rest. 

They print it, pack it, ship it, and even deal with customer service if something gets lost in the mail (which, let’s be honest, WILL happen at some point).

What you don’t have to deal with:

  • Inventory

  • Shipping supplies

  • Printer drama

  • Tracking numbers

  • Or answering “where’s my order?” emails while crying into your morning tea

It’s honestly the lowest-effort thing I’ve seen in a while that can actually bring in real money…with barely any work. My favorite kind of income, lol.

Especially if you’re like me and your shop is just... sitting there. Or you keep meaning to open a shop, but it feels like a lot.

And something else I really love? You’re not depending on one-off sales anymore. You’re building a dedicated base of people who actually want to hear from you, without the pressure of trying to go viral every week just to pay rent.

And yes, it’s a similar model to Patreon, but they do all the heavy lifting. 

What kind of creatives this would work perfectly for

If what you make fits on a page, you’re golden.

  • Illustrators

  • Lettering artists

  • Poets and writers

  • Photographers

  • Collage and mixed-media folks

  • People who make affirmations or creative prompts

You can send things like:

  • A 6×9" cardstock postcard – art on the front, bonus message on the back

  • A 8.5x5.5” folded booklet – think mini zine or coloring book, up to 8 pages (yes, it folds like a little book!)

  • A full-page 8.5 x 11”letter – classic stationery style (pen pal vibes fully activated)

I’ve been using their Canva templates to make mine, but you can also just design in whatever program you already use, just be sure to keep about a half-inch margin so your fab art doesn't get cropped.

Hehe, I’m starting my own mail club too!

So I created something called Paper Pep Talks, a monthly postcard that’s like a tiny creative confidence boost in the mail.

Each postcard includes:

  • One of my most shared hand-lettered quotes

  • A chaotic pep talk on the back

  • A QR code that unlocks a secret blog post filled with art and marketing tips plus a creative challenge.

  • If you participate, you always get a shoutout in my stories. And my favorite entries? Featured on my Instagram feed to our 800K+ followers.

It’s kind of like sending your future self a little pick-me-up in the mail, except I’m the one writing it, and there’s homework. But the good kind that you are actually excited to do. It’s like a MUCH cheaper version of my Mentionship program.

I’m charging $12/month for it. After StampFans takes their $3 shipping/printing fee (not bad at all), I make $9 per subscriber which can add up quickly!

  • 15 people = $180/month

  • 72 people = $864/month
    …and I don’t have to ship a single freaking thing myself.

If you're curious about how this could work for your art, sign up for mine and see the whole experience from the subscriber side. It's like a test run with perks.

Wait, do people even want mail anymore?

Because getting something in the mail that isn’t a bill is magic.

As an artist trying to make living from my work, I know times are tough. And not everyone can afford a fancy $3,000 original painting, or even an $80 hoodie. But a $7 postcard, $5 personalized letter, or $10 zine? That’s doable! That’s accessible. 

That’s something they can tape to their wall, pin to a corkboard, or just stick in a sketchbook and smile at later. That’s art that can create real connection, and you don’t need a giant audience to make it worth it.

What makes this work (and why I’m sticking with it)

Here’s what’s been working for me so far:

  • I don’t have to front the money to get started

  • I’m not stuck answering shipping emails

  • I only need to come up with 12 art ideas a year

  • I just make one thing each month and call it good

  • People actually get excited to receive it

So to break it down, StampFans takes $3 per item, which includes printing AND shipping, which is pretty good honestly. And if you're just starting out, they’ll actually cover that cost for your first month (up to 100 subscribers) so you get 100% of the profits. SICKKKK!

Wanna Try StampFans with me?

Yeah, technically this is a sponsored post, but only because I’m a hella smart business lady ok. I’ve been testing it out myself and I genuinely want to see what we can build with this together.

If you wanna give it a shot, use my code WOI100 when you sign up here so you’re new subscribers get their first month free. 

It gets you:

  • First month’s subscribers (up to 100) printed & shipped at no cost to you

  • A chance to test the whole thing with zero risk!

I’m also going to be writing up a post next month with 20+ creative ideas for what you could send in case you need more inspiration first, so if you’re not sure where to start, I’ve got you.

Dean Rodriguez

Every day I combine my 10 years of design experience to create lettering that entertains, engages and inspires a community near you. The kind of design that’s custom-made to attract your audience through the combination of beautiful letters and handmade illustration.

Over the past five years, hand lettering has been the primary focus of my career. What started as a hobby drawing letters for a few hours every day, quickly turned into a full-time passion doing client work for companies like American Greetings, Wacom, and Penguin Books.

Since 2013, I’ve worked with over 300 carefully selected clients working on everything from apparel design to chalk murals for businesses all over the United States.

Early on I started teaching everything I know on lettering and freelance so I could better understand my craft to help others do the same. I started blogging, writing books, and began to live stream my work on Twitch twice a week so I could build a creative community around my hand lettering.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve named 2017 as the year of art education for my brand. I’ll be traveling the country teaching lettering and the business of illustration at design conferences like Creative South and Design Week Portland. I also recently landed an opportunity at the Pacific College of Fine Arts teaching Illustrated Lettering once a week.

All this teaching means I’ll be devoting my time and skills to just one new client a month. So if you are looking for an artist with a broad range of lettering styles with a proven track record of happy customers, then I invite you to fill out my Project Questionnaire to get started on your next creative idea.

https://womenofillustration.com
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