How to Sell SVG files

Creating SVG files (short for Scalable Vector Graphics) is one way to earn passive income from your own designs. Simple SVG files are sought after by many crafters using cutters such as Silhouette Cameo or Cricut, because the images are easy to resize and crop. To sell SVG files, all you need is a creative design idea and a vector graphics editing app like Inkscape to create the images. Here’s an article on how to turn ideas into SVG works that you can sell on Etsy and other creative exchanges.

Table of Contents

Choose a design

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/37/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-1.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-1.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/37/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-1.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-1.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Learn the trending SVG patterns. If you want to create a best-selling design, find out which designs a lot of people are looking to buy. You can start from:

SVG catalog on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/market/svgs
Etsy best-selling SVG template: https://www.etsy.com/search?q=svgs&explicit=1&order=most_relevant
InsightFactory’s trending SVG list (free account provides limited but still useful information): https://insightfactory.app/etsy-trends/?product_category=svg

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/33/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-2.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/33/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-2.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Choose the right typeface and design for the cut. You need to make sure the design is easy to cut with a Cricut cutter or similar product, which means you need large, flat lines. ^{[1] X Research Source} Avoid ultra-thin lines and rough typography.

If you want to know how handwriting looks with different typefaces, visit https://wordmark.it to try it out!

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/82/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-3.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/82/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-3.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Use royalty-free fonts only once. If you have chosen a typeface, check to see if it is free to use even for commercial purposes. If you don’t have a copyright file on your computer, you’ll search the internet for the name of the typeface to know the creator and find copyright information on their website. Here are a few places where you can download a one-time paid typeface to add to your SVG file without any worries:

1001 Fonts: https://www.1001fonts.com/free-for-commercial-use-fonts.html
Fontspace: https://www.fontspace.com/commercial-fonts
Fontbundles: https://fontbundles.net/free-fonts

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/6/61/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-4.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/61/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Check the copyright and trademark of the words. Don’t sell trademarked names or sentences – you’ll be in trouble. ^{[2] X Research Source} If your design includes text or phrases, please:

Search the term in the United States Copyright Office database: https://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=First
Search for registered trademark information in the United States Patent and Trademark Office database: https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/search

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/4/4a/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-5.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/4a/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Design works. Taking every step in the design process is how to create your own work. Don’t use other people’s work and add a few touches of your own – this could land you in copyright trouble. Or, you can use free vector graphics. The following sites allow you to find downloadable images and/or ideas:

Public Domain Vectors: https://publicdomainvectors.org
VectorStock: https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vectors
Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/vectors/

Creating SVG files in Inkscape

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/f/f9/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-6.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-6.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f9/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-6.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-6.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Install Inkscape on your Windows or Mac computer. Inkscape is one of the popular and completely free vector graphics creation applications. Even if you design your work in a raster graphics program (or have downloaded the design in BMP, PNG, or JPEG format), you can still add images to Inkscape and use the drawing tools to convert. If you do not have Inkscape installed, you can download the program at: https://inkscape.org.

Click the DOWNLOAD link at the top of the page, and click the link for your operating system to start the download.
To install Inkscape, double-click the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/b/b8/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-7.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-7.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b8/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-7.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-7.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Create a new file in Inkscape. Proceed as follows:

Open Inkscape.
On the Quick Setup screen, click the Save button.
Click Thanks .
Click the Print tab.
Select the paper size you want to use. Don’t worry – no matter what size you choose, the final SVG file can still be enlarged or reduced with no loss of quality. That’s the magic of vector graphics!

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/b/bc/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-8.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-8.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/bc/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-8.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-8.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Import existing photos (optional). If you already have a design, you can import it into Inkscape and use the built-in stroke tools to convert it to vector graphics. Photos with large, seamless lines have the best conversion results. Here’s how to add photos to Inkscape:

Click the File menu.
Click Import .
Select All Bitmaps in the “Files of Type” field.
Select the photo you want to use and click Open .
Select Smooth for Image Rendering Mode and click OK .

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/d/df/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-9.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-9.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/df/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-9.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-9.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Use the stroke tool to draw strokes on the added image (optional). If you add an existing image, here’s how you can convert the image into a vector graphic to save as an SVG file:

Click on the added photo to select it.
Click the Path menu and choose Trace Bitmap…
Your choices will depend on the type of photo you want to convert. The goal of this is to create a simple black border.
Start by selecting Single scan and choosing Brightness cutoff .
Click Update while processing the image to see the changes.
Adjust the “Brightness threshpd” menu until the desired image becomes a bold black outline that the cutter can crop.
Click Apply to put a border on your photo.
Click and drag the original image out of the border so that the two images are placed side by side. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
Right-click the original image and select Delete so you only see the outline. A border is a vector version of an image that you draw.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/0/07/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-10.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-10.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/07/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-10.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-10.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Add words. Adding text to photos is very simple! Just click on the text tool in the left pane, select the typeface you want to use, and type the word or sentence anywhere you want.

To move the text, you would click the arrow selector in the upper left corner, and then click and drag the text to the desired position.
You can change the size of the selection by clicking on the area and dragging any arrow until it is the size you want.
To change the font style, click the Text tool again, select the text, and choose a different typeface.

Sell SVG files

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/6/69/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-13.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-13.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/69/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-13.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-13.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Choose where to sell SVG files. Etsy (https://www.etsy.com) is the largest craft exchange, but it’s not the only place to sell SVG work. You can sell work on Etsy and the following places:

Creative Fabrica: https://www.creativefabrica.com/open-store/
Design Bundles: https://designbundles.net
The Hungry JPEG: https://thehungryjpeg.com
Creative Market: https://creativemarket.com/

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/0/0b/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-14.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-14.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0b/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-14.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-14.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Try creating a work set of multiple SVG templates. As you can see on all exchanges, SVG is usually sold in sets with many of the same styles or themes. Create a set of linked SVG images that buyers can use for a variety of products.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/b/b1/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-15.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-15.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b1/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-15.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-15.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Test SVG files in Cricut Design Space and/or Silhouette Studio before selling. Before you sell your work, you need to make sure the SVG file looks good on applications that are used by many people. You can check photos on either of those apps, or preferably both. If you notice discrepancies, you can correct them in Inkscape before creating the set.

You can download Silhouette Studio from https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/software/ss/download. When you open the app, just choose File > Open and select the SVG image to check.
Download Cricut Design Space from https://design.cricut.com. To check a photo, you would open the app, click Upload image , select Browse , and double-click the image to open it.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/a/a8/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-16.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-16.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a8/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-16.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-16.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Set permissions for SVG files. You can choose multiple permissions for your files. Many people on Etsy allow buyers to use SVG files to their liking – for personal and commercial purposes. Others only allow personal use, but offer commercial rates that customers can pay if they want to sell products with that design. You’ll need to specify your usage rights in the product description on Etsy (or anywhere you want to sell the product).

Read frequently asked questions about Creative Commons licenses to learn how to choose the right license for your product at https://creativecommons.org/faq. That way, you can also find content to use within your permissions.
Besides stating the terms of use in the SVG file’s introduction, you should create a text file (in an application like Notepad or TextEdit) with the full terms of use and add to the ZIP folder the files SVG.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/88/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-17.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-17.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/88/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-17.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-17.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Create creative promotional photos. Customers won’t buy your SVG file unless they know what it is! You can use your favorite graphic design software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Gimp, or Canva to create eye-catching visuals for your work. Check out other people’s Etsy products for more presentation ideas.

Even if you just upload the regular JPG or PNG format of your SVG work, others can download the file and convert it to their own SVG in Inkscape without paying you! Use an app like uMark Online or PowerPoint to easily watermark your photos to prevent others from stealing your work.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/a/af/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-18.jpg/v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files- to-Sell-Step-18.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/af/Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-18.jpg/ v4-728px-Make-SVG-Files-to-Sell-Step-18.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Create a ZIP folder containing the SVG file. When you sell digital files on craft exchanges, buyers download the file containing the product they purchased. Instead of just providing SVG files (or SVG files) and text files with terms of use information, you should also add images in other formats, such as PNG or GIF, so that buyers can can be used when needed. To save multiple files into one folder, compress the folder into a ZIP format that can be easily decompressed on any operating system.

Advice

Big and bold lines work very well with SVG files.
Design works in your familiar image editing tools before adding them to Inkscape.
Remember to watermark the preview image of your SVG work so that no one can use your image without paying for it.

Steps

Choose a design

Creating SVG files in Inkscape

Sell SVG files

Advice

Related Posts