How to Make Money as an Artist and Designer in Shumen

Where customers for design and art work in Shumen look

In a city of Shumen's size, customers for creative work come from several overlapping sources, and they do not all behave the same way.

Small businesses and sole traders - shops, restaurants, hairdressers, repair services, construction and trade businesses - need logos, business cards, flyers, menu design, signage and social media graphics. These owners often know each other or work near the city centre and in business districts, and they usually find designers through word of mouth or by searching online. They tend to have a budget because the work is a business expense.

Schools, community centres and cultural institutions sometimes commission design work for events, printed materials, websites or decorations. They have procurement rules and often move slowly, but the work is steady.

Private customers - people who want personal projects like portrait commissions, illustrations, graphic design for hobbies or home décor - find designers by searching online, through social media, or by asking friends. They may have a smaller budget than businesses.

Online customers outside Shumen are possible if your work is digital - logo design, illustrations, website graphics, UI design. You can reach them through an online portfolio and presence.

Word of mouth remains powerful in a smaller city. One satisfied customer tells another, and your reputation spreads among small business owners and repeat clients.

Setting your first prices in Shumen

Pricing in a city like Shumen requires honesty about what the local market can support and what your work is worth. This is hard at first because you have no local reference point.

Start by researching what other designers in Shumen charge - look for anyone with an online presence, portfolio, or profile on platforms like Websta, Facebook pages, or portfolio sites. Pay attention to the scope of work: is that price for a single logo, a full brand package, unlimited revisions, or a rush job. The range you find will show you what local customers expect to pay.

Talk to other creative professionals if you know them - illustrators, graphic designers, web designers. Ask them what they charge and what type of customer they work with. Conversations like this are awkward but necessary.

Price by the project, not the hour, whenever possible. A customer cares about the final cost, not how long you take. For a logo, business card design, menu redesign, website graphic, or illustration, quote a fixed price that includes a reasonable number of revisions.

Start at a level that feels sustainable - not so low that you resent the work, and not so high that local customers walk away. You will adjust your prices as you complete work and learn what customers in Shumen actually pay. Raising prices is easier than lowering them, so do not underprice yourself dramatically to win your first job.

Put your prices on your profile so customers see them upfront. This filters out people who cannot afford you and saves both of you time.

Your first ten customers usually look like this

In your first months, expect a mix of customers rather than a pattern. Your first three to five jobs might come from people you already know - a friend's small business, a relative who needs a logo, someone from your network. These are easier sales because they trust you already, and they help you build a portfolio.

Early paying customers are often small business owners who need something fast - a flyer for an event, a social media graphic, a business card redesign. They have a clear task, a small to medium budget, and they make decisions quickly. They may not have worked with a designer before, so they might ask for many revisions or unclear requests. Stay patient and clear about what is included in your quote.

You might also get a customer who found you online - through search, social media, or a profile on Websta - and approached you because they liked your portfolio or style. These customers tend to be more self-directed because they searched specifically for your work.

Early customers often want to negotiate price, ask for extra work beyond the quote, or need revisions that change the original brief. This is normal. Keep communication clear in writing - email or message - so both of you know what you agreed to.

Some of your first customers will be difficult - unclear about what they want, slow to pay, or unhappy with the result. One or two bad experiences in the first ten jobs are common. Learn from them and decide what kinds of work you actually want to take.

Tax registration and money as an independent person in Bulgaria

If you earn money as a self-employed artist or designer in Bulgaria, you must register as a self-employed person or sole trader with the Bulgarian tax authorities. Do not skip this step because you work part-time or earn a small amount. The legal requirement applies regardless of income level.

Contact the National Revenue Agency (Narodna Agentsia po Prihodite - NAP) to register. They will ask for basic information about your activity and issue you a registration number. This process is straightforward and does not cost money.

Once registered, you must declare your income and pay tax and social security contributions. The exact method depends on your tax status - whether you are a sole trader, registered as self-employed under a simplified regime, or operating under another structure. Tax rates and thresholds change, so check the current rules with NAP or a local accountant.

You must keep records of your income and expenses - invoices you issue to customers, receipts for business expenses, contracts. Keep these for at least five years.

If you use Websta to accept payments, money comes directly to your bank account through Stripe. You are responsible for declaring this income to the tax authorities; the payment platform does not do it for you.

An accountant who knows Bulgarian tax law for self-employed people can help you stay compliant and may cost less than you think for a small business. Many charge a fixed monthly fee and handle your quarterly or annual declarations.

Do not assume that working part-time or earning cash payments means you do not need to register. The registration requirement is separate from the amount you earn.

What usually goes wrong in the first months

Scope creep is the most common problem: a customer asks for a logo and then wants changes, additions, or extra deliverables beyond the original quote. You end up doing far more work than you planned. Protect yourself by writing down exactly what the price includes - number of revisions, file formats, ownership of the work - and asking for extra payment if the scope changes.

Slow or missing payment is frustrating. A customer approves the design but takes weeks to pay, or promises to pay later and goes silent. Set payment terms in advance - half upfront, half on delivery, or full payment before you deliver files. Use a contract or invoice that spells this out.

Unclear requirements lead to wasted work. A customer says they want a logo that is 'modern and professional' without explaining their business, target audience or what they actually need. Spend time on a discovery call or questionnaire before you start designing. This saves revision rounds later.

Comparing yourself to designers in bigger cities or internationally is demoralizing. Your prices are lower because Shumen's market is smaller and customers have lower budgets. This is normal, not a failure.

Feast and famine - some months you have several projects, other months nothing. This is part of freelance work. Build a small buffer of savings and keep marketing yourself even when you are busy.

How a Websta profile fits into your work

A professional profile on Websta serves as a page you can send to anyone - a customer, a potential client who asks where to find you, someone who wants to see your work and prices. You control the content, upload your portfolio, list your services, set your prices, and add a contact form and online booking.

The platform has a marketplace where people in Shumen search for artists and designers by location and service category. If a customer searches for a designer in Shumen, your profile can appear in those results. This does not guarantee work, but it puts you where people are actively looking.

Payments go directly to your own bank account through Stripe, so you keep the money without waiting or chasing payments. You set the prices, and the customer pays through the platform.

A Websta profile is not your whole strategy - you still need to reach out to businesses, build your portfolio, use social media, and rely on word of mouth. But it is a professional presence that works 24 hours and costs you nothing to maintain once you build it.

Building your first portfolio and moving forward

Your portfolio is your most important asset. It shows customers what you can do and builds trust. Start with work you have already done - school projects, personal work, volunteer projects, or even unpaid work for friends - and add real paid work as you get it.

After your first ten jobs, you will know which types of work you enjoy and which customers you actually want to work with. Double down on the work that pays well and feels good to do. Say no to work that does not fit.

Earning as an artist or designer in Shumen takes time, consistency, and willingness to improve. There is no shortcut. Some months you will earn well, other months less. Build your presence slowly, keep learning your craft, and treat it as a real business from the start.