Hashtags help social media users discover new content related to a specific theme. For this reason, the right use and combination of hashtags will help to expose your work to a larger and more relevant audience. In this post, I share some tips for choosing the right hashtags for your posts, and I include some of the most popular hashtags artists are using.
Tips for Choosing the Right Hashtags for Your Posts
- Decide where to place the hashtags. Instagram hashtags may be located in the caption of the video or photo you upload or in the comments section of your post. Both approaches work, so it depends on how long you want your caption to be.
- See how many posts are connected to your hashtag and if it is not banned before using it. You can see this by adding the name of the hashtag (preceded by the # sign) to Instagram’s search bar.
- Avoid your post getting buried in the feed. Add a combination of popular and niche-oriented tags with a lower number of posts.
- Limit the number of hashtags to 5-12. Instagram allows as many as 30 hashtags on a regular post and 10 on a story. However, marketing experts often recommend using between 5 to 12 meaningful hashtags.
- Use apps and websites that provide hashtag suggestions. Some examples are RiteTag and Tailwind. You can also benefit from Instagram’s suggestions if you place words in the search bar.
- Be specific. Add hashtags that describe the topic, style, techniques, materials, and influences of the artwork displayed in the post.
- Keep a list of your hashtags. Create a list of the hashtags that are most relevant to your practice.
- Vary the hashtags you use. Do not include the same ones in every post.
- Get Inspired! See which hashtags other artists are using and write down which ones you could include in your future posts.
Top Instagram Hashtags for Artists
Here is a list of the most popular hashtags artists are using on Instagram. I included the number of posts attached to each one so that you can see how one letter or word makes a difference in the world of hashtags.
General Art Hashtags
#art 907,553,565 posts
#artwork 168,207,411 posts
#painting 145,572,975 posts
#instaart 87,799,680 posts
#artoftheday 65,870,303
#fineart 31,563,035 posts
#arts 27,652,090 posts
#artistic 26,873,420 posts
#artists 18,765,597 posts
#dailyart 10,682,678 posts
#artoninstagram 8,771,181 posts
#artistofinstagram 5,524,144 posts
#worldofartists 3,279,068 posts
Landscape Hashtags
#landscapepainting 3,615,743 posts
#landscapeart 1,280,060 posts
#watercolorlandscape 397,648 posts
#landscapeartist 358,714 posts
#landscapepaintings 228,092 posts
#landscapedrawing 208,190 posts
#landscapepainter 195,462 posts
#landscapesketch 84,219 posts
#landscapeoilpainting 60,887 posts
Portrait Hashtags
#portraitart 3,288,380 posts
#portraitpainting 3,055,349 posts
#portraitartist 1,193,800 posts
#artportrait 468,708 posts
#portraitpainter 199,298 posts
#portraitartwork 196,235 posts
#portraitpaintings 141,469 posts
#portraitartists 43,317 posts
#oilpaintingportrait 41,062 posts
#portraitarts 29,445 posts
#portraitpainters 14,231 posts
Still Life Hashtags
#stilllife 7,342,850 posts
#stilllifepainting 627,446 posts
#stilllifegallery 455,053 posts
#stilllifeart 128,843 posts
#stilllifedrawing 110,616
#stilllifepaintings 32,974 posts
#stilllifeflowers 19,049 posts
#stilllifeartist 17,087 posts
#stilllifeoilpainting 14,104 posts
#oilpaintingstilllife 11,161 posts
Color Hashtags
#colorfulart 1,487,959 posts
#colorart 525,553 posts
#colorfulartwork 230,442 posts
#colorfulpainting 214,037 posts
#colorpainting 155,593 posts
#colourart 155,062 posts
#colorartist 126,805 posts
#colorfullart 47,218 posts
#colorfulartist 37,472 posts
#colourartist 24,050 posts
#colorartwork 19,599 posts
Plein Air Hashtags
#pleinair 1,483,831 posts
#pleinairpainting 836,115 posts
#pleinairartist 133,845 posts
#pleinairpainter 191,488 posts
#pleinairart 27,225 posts
#pleinairwatercolor 21,086 posts
#paintoutside 19,306 posts
#pleinairpaintings 16,134 posts
#pleinairdrawing 14,951 posts
#pleinairpainters 9,812 posts
Realism Hashtags
#realism 7,354,875 posts
#realisticdrawing 2,077,938 posts
#hyperrealism 1,178,929 posts
#realismart 452,236 posts
#realisticpainting 279, 397 posts
#hyperrealistic 255, 721 posts
#realistart 179,332 posts
#hyperrealisticart 118, 274 posts
#realisticartwork 70,438 posts
Impressionism Hashtags
#impressionism 2,627,967 posts
#impressionist 461,323 posts
#impressionistart 347,413 posts
#impressionistic 105,881 posts
#impressionistpainting 68,458 posts
#impressionismart 41,926 posts
#impressionismus 32,105 posts
#impressionists 31,477 posts
#impressionisticart 17,888 posts
#impressionistartist 16,821 posts
Abstract Hashtags
#abstractpainting 11,890,239 posts
#abstractartist 5,22,662 posts
#abstractartwork 1,230,134 posts
#abstractpainter 697,637 posts
#abstractpaintings 515,606 posts
#abstractarts 488,862 posts
#abstractart_daily 357,028 posts
#abstractpainters 179,991 posts
#abstractpaint 177,486 posts
#abstractartworks 64,101 posts
Art History Hashtags
#arthistory 2,817,162 posts
#historyofart 582, 932 posts
#museumlover 313,721 posts
#classicalart 311,914 posts
#oldmasters 233,635 posts
#arthistorian 149,808 posts
#arthistorynerd 82,518 posts
#museumlovers 70,772 posts
#historyart 55,064 posts
#historyofpainting 10,823 posts
Oil Painting Hashtags
#oilpainting 21,642,400 posts
#oilpaintings 1,862,348 posts
#oilpaintingoncanvas 393,709posts
#oilpaintingart 286,041 posts
#oilpaintingartist 106,635 posts
#oilpaintingsoncanvas 68,32 posts1
#oilpaintingtechniques 41,457 posts
#oilpsinyingstudy 30,553 posts
#oilpaintingartists 14,213 posts
#oilpaintingprocess 10,692 posts
Acrylic Painting Hashtags
#acrylicpainting 23,439,937 posts
#acrylicpaintings 1,129,955 posts
#acrylicpaintingoncanvas 259,119 posts
#acrylicpaintingsoncanvas 103,094 posts
#acrylicpaintingartist 86,575 posts
#acrylicpaintingart 60,468 posts
#acrylicpaintingtechniques 19,610 posts
#acrylicpaintingsoninstagram 13,188 posts
#acrylicpaintingonpaper 12,355 posts
General Drawing Hashtags
#drawing 262,968,010 posts
#drawings 34,722,242 posts
#drawingoftheday 11,108,019 posts
#drawingsketch 5,132,019 posts
#drawingart 4,217,514 posts
#drawingartist 623,758 posts
#drawingsofinstagram 603,093 posts
#drawingpractice 609,853 posts
#drawingeveryday 426,117 posts
#drawingprocess 291,910 posts
#drawingtime 493,167 posts
Pencil/Graphite Drawing Hashtags
#pencildrawing 22,093,948 posts
#pencilsketch 8,024,904 posts
#graphitedrawing 1,897,850 posts
#pencilsketches 1,317,104 posts
#drawingpencil 693,055 posts
#graphitesketch 515,605 posts
#pencilsketching 390,059 posts
#sketchpencil 100,689 posts
#pencilsketchings 86,059 posts
#drawpencil 77,679 posts
#pencilsketch 49,538 posts
#pencilsketchesofinstagram 20,461posts
Charcoal Drawing Hashtags
#charcoaldrawing 2,754,619 posts
#charcoalart 852,620 posts
#charcoalportrait 322,759 posts
#charcoalsketch 297,462 posts
#charcoaldrawings 107,809 posts
#charcoalartist 86,488 posts
#charcoalonpaper 73,966 posts
#charcoaldraw 26,959 posts
#charcoalsketches 19,148 posts
Ink Drawing Hashtags
#inkdrawing 8,123,637 posts
#inksketch 919,697 posts
#inkdrawings 474,057 posts
#inkdraw 192,447 posts
#inksketches 107, 654 posts
#inkdrawingart 82,118 posts
#drawingink 81,705 posts
#inksketching 49,003 posts
#drawink 37,354 posts
Portrait Drawing Hashtags
#portraitdrawing 3,871,022 posts
#pencilportrait 959,640 posts
#portraitsketch 758,381 posts
#portraitdrawings 312,184 posts
#drawingportrait 271,531 posts
#drawingfaces 172,792 posts
#graphiteportrait 120,077 posts
#sketchportrait 84,608 posts
#portraitsketching 75,238 posts
#portraitsketches 25,506 posts
#portraitdrawingstudy 23,969 posts
Landscape/Nature Drawing Hashtags
#naturedrawing 263,834 posts
#landscapedrawing 212,196 posts
#landscapesketch 85,992 posts
#naturesketch 71,186 posts
#naturedrawings 17,991 posts
#landscapesketching 16,844 posts
#landscapedrawings 12,269 posts
#drawinglandscape 8,011 posts
#pencillandscape 2,220 posts
Pen Drawing Hashtags
#pendrawing 4,419,756 posts
#pensketch 1,423,194 posts
#drawingpen 925,093 posts
#penartwork 376,932 posts
#penartist 176,937 posts
#pensketching 124,384 posts
#pensketches 118, 638 posts
#sketchpen 70,114 posts
#drawpen 26,575 posts
#sketchpenart 15,827 posts
Drawing tutorial/tips Hashtags
#drawingtutorial 844,912 posts
#drawingclass 221,420 posts
#drawingtips 139,530 posts
#drawingtutorials 66,872 posts
#tutorialdrawing 18,537 posts
#drawingtipsandtricks 7,892 posts
#sketchingtutorial 6,526 posts
Key Takeaway:
- The appropriate use of hashtags will mark the difference in the traction of your posts and on the type of audience that will be directed to them.
- The best way to start is by doing. You can experiment by adding some of the hashtags mentioned above to your next post. Remember to use only the ones that describe your work and to include both popular and niche-oriented hashtags.
- Set time aside to choose and plan which hashtags to use. You can even make a calendar of the posts (including hashtags and pictures) that you will publish on your feed in a given week or month.
- Like anything in life, there will be a learning curve and once you get a hold of it the process will be much easier. Good luck!
Thanks for Reading!
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Thank you for this information, it’s very helpful. I hear pros and cons on marketing on Instagram. What do you think of artists marketing on Pinterest ? I would love to hear your opinion.
Thank you,