Simple Art Styles That Actually Sell: Your Guide to Profitable Digital Products (With Half the Effort)

Okay, let’s cut to the chase. You hear “sell your art online” and your brain probably does that anxious little tap dance.

But what if you could actually make money with art that’s simple?

Those minimal, quirky doodles? They literally move digital downloads.

And you don’t need to spend hours blending shadows on an orange for it to sell.

Ready for the easiest vibe shift in your creative routine? Let’s do it.

Why Simple Art Styles Work For Digital Downloads

Simple art styles win in the digital download world for one big reason: most folks want their downloads to work, not just look pretty.

Think task-oriented art: stuff that’s easy to see on a screen and doesn’t get blurry or crowded in planners, stickers, or digital prints.

When you overcomplicate your designs, you just chew up extra file space and, honestly, make your art harder to use.

My first set of Habit Tracker Stickers was super cute, but when I printed them out, I couldn't tell what half of them were because they were so tiny!

So, keep it easy to see and don’t be afraid to let your lines breathe.

Benefits of Keeping Digital Designs Multipurpose

Here’s a mind-blowing trick: when you keep things simple, you can use your art everywhere. One effortless doodle?

Suddenly, it’s wall art. It’s a sticker. Maybe it’s even slap-happy on a t-shirt your mom will actually wear. Simplicity is flexible.

Possible product types for your art:

• Wall art prints
• Planner stickers
• T-shirts
• Greeting cards
• Digital downloads for bullet journals
• Magnets, mugs, tote bags—oh my

The best bits? You aren’t tied down. Repurpose and resell that art across formats, all without redrawing a single thing.

Popular Simple Art Themes to Create

Let’s get those wheels spinning. Here are themes that sell. Pick your favorite vibe, mix and match them, do a happy dance, or don’t. Up to you.

Plants and Flowers

People are obsessed. Succulents, monstera leaves, tiny little plant pots.

Whether your readers have a green thumb or are certified plant killers (no judgment), these themes always get love.

• Popular plant doodle ideas:
  • Succulents of all personalities
  • Big leafy tropicals
  • Cactus in cute pots
  • Hanging plants (bonus points for macrame)

Faces and Figures

Cartoon faces. Even fashion illustration doodles in your notepad.

• Best-face ideas:
  • Abstract line art faces
  • Character heads (with or without eyes, eyes are stressful)
  • Kawaii cuteness is so fun
  • Fashion doodles

Pet Doodles

Pet parents are wild for art that even KIND OF looks like their dog. Or their bird. Or maybe both.

My husband finally informed me last week, that what I thought was a backyard turtle situation, was actually a new baby turtle they found in the middle of the road.

I just thought he was watching all the taking care of turtle videos out of curiosity. Well, yeah, evidently, he needed to be really curious since he had just become a new turtle parent.

Which brings me back to the point.

Someone’s always ready to buy “turtle obsessed” stickers for their planner. Or you know, a chicken. Because why not.

• Pet doodle highlights:
  • Cats and dogs (of course)
  • Birds, turtles, bunnies, and the “bonus” pets
  • Anything that makes you go awww

Cozy Home Items

Don’t underestimate the power of a coffee mug. Your iced coffee, your fancy boba, those water bottles everyone hauls to yoga.

Yes. Just yes. And before you ask: if you find a sugar-free boba that doesn’t taste like sadness, send it my way.

• Must-draw cozy items:
  • Coffee mugs and to-go cups
  • Boba (please… someone let me have boba again)
  • Fancy tea cans, iced drinks, anything cute and sippable
  • Add a face to your cozies and you up the cuteness factor x10

Celestial and Mystical Images

Stars. Moons. Suns. What's not to love? If it looks like it belongs on a tarot card, it’s a hit.

On that note if you have the skills you can design your own set of tarot cards but I'm not sure that would fall under simple!

• Top mystical ideas:
  • Crescent moons
  • Star clusters
  • Sun faces
  • Mystical doodads and swirls

Self-care Icons

“Does your skin need a little joy? Your calendar does, too.”

Self-care doodles are where it’s at for mood trackers, planners, and habit trackers.

If your customers are anything like me, they watch one YouTube video about the benefits of a new skin care item and need something to track how it's working after they hit purchase!

Night routines, bathtubs, yoga poses, heart icons—just sprinkle them everywhere.

• Self-care sticker themes:
  • Bathtubs with bubbles
  • Yoga poses (easy ones, no headstands required)
  • Skincare bottles and jars
  • Cute little hearts and sleep masks

Design Tips For Simple Digital Stickers

Let’s talk basics you can actually use. Black outlines, white or transparent backgrounds.

Why? Simple pops on every digital planner, especially if your customer plays with colors.

You can always go back in and add additional versions of your stickers with colors!

Boom, even more products for your customers who want more color in their lives!

Here’s the pro secret: use thick and thin lines. Your line weight? That’s the difference between “meh” and “ooo, that’s lively.”

Save your sticker as a PNG with transparent background so your art plays nice with any backdrop your customer throws at it.

Making Digital Stickers Easy To Use For Customers

Always make your digital stickers absolutely painless to use. Customers want to drag, drop, and move on with their day.

Complicating things is a surefire way to a digital cart abandonment. Customer ease isn’t optional—it’s everything.

Creating Sticker Sets and Bundles to Increase Sales

Sets are the way, friend. If you’re already drawing, make a set.

If you’re already making a set, why not toss it into a bundle?

People love a bundle. You will never know if people would like a whole set if you don't give them the option!

Bundle ideas:

• “All The Coffee” sticker pack
• Pet doodle set (bonus turtle, obviously)
• Mystical celestial bundle
• Cozy home essentials (mugs plus houseplants)
• Self-care tracker stickers for planners

Sneak some stickers into your digital invitations or printables. More options, more sales. Simple, right?

Overcoming Overwhelm When Starting

Getting started can feel like navigating spaghetti with a fork and a spoon.

First go grab the Procreate Starter Kit for Beginners: it comes with a sticker outline brush, template stickers, a cheat sheet, and the whole layered shebang so you can actually see how my brain works (scary but useful).

Psst… everything you need to start is in there. No overthinking required.

Then make a list of products you would like to try. Now you need to decide whether you would like to batch products or batch artwork.

Personally, I'm batching products once I finish a piece of artwork. So I'm making one art piece then applying it to prints, stickers, apparel etc.

You need to see what works best for you.

Individuals who aren't creating their art will normally batch the same type of product for various styles.

So it may work better for you to create a bunch of art, then make one product. For instance, bookmarks, make a bookmark and then add various art to multiple bookmarks.

Once you have some products created you will add them to your online store!

Embracing Imperfection and Building Confidence

You don’t have to be fancy. That weird, wobbly line you just drew? Someone’s about to favorite it, buy it, and slap it on their planner, phone, or forehead (maybe).

Shake off impostor syndrome. Seriously.

You can do it! Your art will only get better with each piece you upload.

Sometimes the most “imperfect” thing is exactly what someone else thinks is adorable.

Draw your first sticker set? Tell me about it! Put it in your shop? Drop your link. Your shop gets eyeballs, I get to see all your brilliant chaos.

If you want inspiration for how these stickers fit into real life, check out my guides for journaling ideas and bullet journals.

Keep it simple. Grab that Procreate Starter Kit for Beginners, check out my Procreate stickers that slap.

Set a goal: draw one thing every day or every week.

Come hang out with me on YouTube, hit subscribe, and stay in touch. You’ll surprise yourself with how much you grow (and how fun it actually is).

Love and messy buns,
❤️
Cynthia McDonald
Helping women find creativity in the chaos — with stickers, stationery, and a little bit of fun

Make sure and grab your favorite Pinterest Pin and Save it to your Digital Art Pinterest Board