Sophie Little from Reddish shares her journey of earning £1,000 monthly through her art side hustle. She emphasizes the joy of turning passion into profit while managing her time effectively.
Reddish: With the cost of living going up, many folks are diving into side hustles. It’s a great way to cover bills or treat yourself now and then.
Sophie Little, a 32-year-old from Reddish, knows this well. By day, she’s an art department assistant in film and TV. But in her free time, she creates commissioned drawings and paintings.
She can earn up to £1,000 a month from her art. “I love that I can take on commissions when I’m not on set,” she says. Each piece varies in design and price, so some months are better than others.
“Some months, I make over £1,000, but quieter ones might only bring in £100,” she explains. For Sophie, it’s all about doing what she loves while making some extra cash.
Her work ranges from tattoo designs to custom portraits and abstract art. She usually gets two to three commissions a month, but busy months can see her juggling five clients.
“Word of mouth is key in the creative world,” she adds. Once someone gets a family portrait, they often share it, and soon her inbox is buzzing with requests.
Sophie encourages others to try a side hustle, especially if it’s something they’re passionate about. “If you can get paid for what you love, it’s a win-win,” she says.
She started her art side hustle last year after settling into her TV job. “I had a client base from my tattoo days, which helped a lot,” she shares.
“I slowly built it up, sharing my work on social media and creating a portfolio website.” Now, most of her work comes from referrals, so she doesn’t need to advertise much.
“After getting into my TV role, friends started asking for tattoo designs. It just grew from there,” she recalls. Her work schedule can be intense, with long days on set followed by free time to focus on her art.
Sophie has used her earnings to refurbish her home. “I’ve done a lot of painting and bought new furniture, which I couldn’t have done without my side hustle,” she says.
“Sometimes, the money helps with bills, especially during winter, but mostly it goes towards home projects or saving for a little getaway.”
She has some advice for anyone thinking about starting a side hustle: “Make sure it’s something you love. It can be tiring to come home and work more, but if it’s a hobby, it feels less like work.”
Research shows that around 22,200 people search for “side hustles” in the UK each month. Adobe Express has looked into what people want to do and why.
They found that creative arts are among the most popular side hustles, followed by retail and e-commerce. Other areas include tech, health, and education.
However, many people worry about time management when starting a side hustle. Two-thirds say they want extra income, but 34% feel it’s important to keep it separate from their main job.
Interestingly, IT is the most lucrative side hustle, with 24% of people in that field earning over £1,000 monthly. Engineering and science also rank high for earnings.
