Research your market. Look at other products or art for sale where you plan to sell your art cards. You might choose to craft artwork that fits into an established market, such as selling wildlife-inspired cards at the gift shop of your local zoo. Do not feel like you have to conform your art to a particular market, but find a good balance between the demands of your market and your personal artistic style. Make a note of what prices the other items in your target market are selling for. Also, find out if the place you plan to sell your cards takes a cut from your card sales.
Experiment with several designs to help determine which ones work best in the form of a greeting card. You may choose to scan your paintings and modify the layout and scheme of your work in a photo-editing software to create a series of cards that are interesting representations of your style. Be sure to include your contact information on the back of your card designs: Someone may contact you to buy one of your original paintings, request a commissioned piece from you, or invite you to show your work at a gallery. Keep track of how much your supplies cost in your notebook.
Show your designs to friends or family members whose opinions you trust and value. Ask them for their reactions to your work and whether it is something they think people would buy. Also ask them for a range of prices they think someone would pay for your cards. Take notes on what these people tell you.
Shop around for the best prices for printing services and supplies. Try contacting local printing businesses first to find out the lowest going prices for printing your cards. Also try searching for online print-making companies and compare your notes on who offers you the best prices, service, and quality. Talk to other artists in your local community at art fairs, or the staff at local art supplies stores to find out whether they know of a reputable and affordable printer in your area who can print your cards.
Buy supplies such as envelopes, plastic slip covers, and price stickers for your cards. Keep track of how much you spend in your notebook.
Review your notes and add up the total cost for your time and your supplies. If you plan to sell a series of originals, find out the individual price for each card, plus its envelope and slip cover cost. If you had a series of prints made, find out the price per each unit. Once you have an idea of what the base price for a card is to you, double or triple the cost as a general rule of thumb. If the place you plan to sell your cards takes a percentage of your card sales, account for this when determining a price for your cards that is profitable for you.