So you love making art. You've got a bank of original pieces, and you want to sell them. We'll assume they're awesome. Now what?

Well, before you head out and look for a gallery to show your work, master the following three skills. These are skills that may seem to have nothing to do with art. And they don't.

But they have everything to do with selling art.

Here we go.

Pricing - In the world of art sales, most worthwhile galleries are prepared to justify their prices to anyone who asks. They know the artists they represent, their accomplishments, their selling history, and their reputation among art buyers.

You should do the same. Keep records of your sales, and have documentation ready.  Be prepared to talk about where you've sold, who you've sold to, and how much you've sold work for. If you're just starting out, and don't have a history of consistent sales, try basing prices on how much other artists charge who live in your general area, work in similar mediums, sell through similar venues, create similar art, and whose accomplishments, experience and quality of work are comparable to your own. Remember to base your prices on work that actually sells. Or just price your work based on time, labor and cost of materials. Give yourself an appropriate hourly wage, add the cost of materials, and make that your asking price.

Market research - Many artists suffer from too much time in the art world. They forget 99 percent of the buying public is not like their friends, who live all art, all the time. Art scenesters frequently lose touch with the wants and needs of the everyday art buyer.  Talking about art with like-minded people is easy. It's talking to the other 99 percent of the population, however, that is likely to net you some sales. The best way to do this is to talk to people who aren't invested in you or your art. Have a show, but invite as many regular folks as possible. Remember, the goal is to learn, not to talk about art with the same old group of people. Have your event at an unintimidating location - a.k.a. not the hot local gallery. Make sure there's no pressure to buy - invite people to just show up, look, enjoy, and have fun. Pay attention to the most common questions people ask about your art. Remember, don't take it personally. This is about learning, not self-aggrandizement.

Budgeting - Nothing will kill your will to create like wondering how you're going to pay for your next meal. Anxiety - the kind that knots up your insides and activates the old, patently un-creative reptilian brain - is a creation killer. And nothing creates pervasive anxiety like being broke. Yes, the starving artist archetype is romantic. Sort of. But most of the starving artist pop stars you've seen and read about made their best art when they were well fed and on stable financial footing. So learn to keep a budget. There are hundreds of free forms all over the Internet. Know how much is coming in, and know how much is going out. Plan accordingly. I promise your art will benefit.