How does one determine a price for a piece of original art? Whether you've decided to exhibit your work in a show and sale or if accepting a commission... how is the value determined?

As a new artist, I can't really go by how long the piece took to create because if that were the case, all my pieces would be priceless!! ( Ha, Ha.. I'm pretty slow!) Seriously though...does anyone have any thoughts?

Barbz... I know that you are an awesome artist... have you sold your work? Has anyone else?

Hi Tannis,

there are many variables in pricing a piece of art. It all depends on your own perception, what people are prepared to pay and the level you are at in your career (for some.) I know of a lady here in Australia who began painting just less than five years ago and she asks anything from $9,000 to $25,000 upward (and sells her work at that too.) you can see her work here http://annarubin-fineart.com . She does paint exceptionally excellent realism however this is not the sole reason she can charge and receive these prices. She also has alot of experience in marketing as you will see on her site and marketing plays a huge role in art promotion just like anything. This is a bit out of the norm though, most of us take our less-audacious seat in the pricing arena Lol!


Winning important awards, having your work purchased by museums and into important collections all help to raise the price of your work. First you begin entering into local art exhibitions/competitions and start your prices low. You can gradually increase your prices as your work begins to sell and win awards outside of your local area. Take a look at what other artists at a similar career-level to your own art are asking for their work.


There are major stages you move through with your art career and pricing of works usually reflect those stages. If you are represented by a private gallery the gallery owner will often help you to price your work. The general stages of an artists career are; learning the craft (when you are still learning how to paint and draw) at this level you are considered a hobbyist and would probably charge enough to cover your weekly food bill (thats where I started anyhow.) that covers your paints and a bit of pocket money and allows you to paint some more - as well as get the respect from your family to give you time to do more:) The next level is emerging artist, then there is established, then there is internationally recognised (this is when you are huge and can expect to sell your work into the $100, 000's mark upwards.

It is often said that it takes much more than just great talent to be a great artist. when you start out, it is great just to sell your work, it is also very important to respect your work too and not under-sell yourself. My advice as I said is to compare the price of similar standard artworks to yours in the town you live and work from there. You can always put your prices up but it is not good form to put them down once they are up:)

I have lots of priceless pieces in my office!! But I think it really does have a lot to do with getting the correct people to see what you have. What we may thing an insane price for something.. others (the ones with more money than they know what to do with) will think it is a good deal.. I have a distant family member that hand paints flowers on high end blouses and sells them at a few particular art shows and gets between $8000-$1200 for them. It is all about finding the people who want what you create. Please note art is a hobby for me, I have no training or interest in the "Art world" in fact I have never been to an art museum and only live 20 minutes for the Philadelphia Art museum. All I know is it gets real stressful and very much like work doing commission work and the higher the price the more the stress....
Good luck with your Journey!

Hi Tannis and everyone else! Just saw your post. No I have never sold anything - as a matter of fact - very few people have viewed work that I have done in the past. I'm a very private person and would not have believed that anyone would ever pay to own something that I had drawn or painted! But, I'm starting to reconsider that - thanks to Cindy. I have started checking out art competitions, online and locally. I look forward to the day when I can do some family portraits - and if I never get beyond that point I think I would be happy with that. I suppose that as your ability grows you need more challenges to keep your interest up - but I am very far from that. Have you done anymore portraits? Guess I should go check out your gallery. Just finished "Isha". Will post that as soon as I get feedback from Cindy. Sorry I couldn't be of more help on your topic.

I consider art a hobby, too! When I started out on this venture of improving my skills, I would never have thought that I would want to exhibit or sell anything either...But like you said Barbz, with encouragement from Cindy and others, I start to wonder about the possibilities. The possibility of still having fun, not taking myself too seriously, but perhaps accepting the odd commission and putting some pieces into the show and sale that my artist group is planning for November. It is funny how originally when the idea of selling was presented to me... I thought "no way.. not interested!" But then, you start thinking... well why not? what is stopping me? I think the answer is simply... myself! And once I wrapped my head around the idea, I realized it is something I CAN do.

Cindy, you have given great insight and advice as usual... I'll figure it out, I think that I have a pretty good idea of worth based on local offerings... I just have to be careful not to undervalue myself. (And to not be so quick to say no)
Marketing is very important... I think that if you can probably make a good living if you figure out what your niche is (like Airscapes relative's hand painted blouses), and sell it! Just like any good commercial venture....

Barbz, I am glad that you are opening up and are considering entering your work in competitions... that is very exciting! I love your work!
I haven't done very much since my portraiture class, I took a small trip to visit our kids and have drawn the outline of a shoe.. need to finish it! Other than that, I am just enjoying the summer weather! ... oh, and looking forward to the start of the next unit!

Tannis, this is a really good topic and I hope that more people join in and offer their opinons. I am not an advocate of the 'Poor Struggling Artist Syndrome' and never have been. I believe there are loads of opportunities for artists to sell their work and that there is nothing wrong with selling art. It is definitely a matter of exposure like airscapes says. Whether we paint for a hobby or we are professionals, selling our art helps us to support that hobby or to enable us to buy more products and time to do it. I am sure you will be delighted when you sell your artworks. It just completes the whole cycle of creation. You create and someone else gets to enjoy your creation by purchasing your art. It's no good storing it under sheets in the garage. Cheers!

Cindy, you are so right.. I 've been wondering what to do with it all
I'll run out of wall space!...no sense storing it!

I would like to add that regardless what level of "talent" or "skill" you are there is someone - somewhere, who will buy your art; "if" you market it well enough. I have always depended on skill and "word of mouth" mostly, but I have seen many works of "art" bring high prices when there was (in my opinion) very little talent or skill involved.

Marketing skill is great, but excellent art work and word of mouth is to me the most satisfying marketing strategy.

Bobby

Bobby, I couldn't agree more! Even though I sell advertising for a living, I believe "word of mouth" is the best and most gratifying!
and I can attest to the "someone some where will buy your art" theory...if you market it well enough!
here's a little story that I'll share!

I have actually sold a piece!!! YES! For 5 bucks! By accident!

A few years ago my husband and I owned a dollar store... I used to do creative endcaps to display our wares... believing that a product didn't have to look cheap to be cheap... so I'd make an effort to really do a nice display. On one such endcap, I had done a display for a new line of picture frames, and in one of them I put a drawing of an aloe vera plant that I'd done... and low and behold, someone wanted to buy it... but there wasn't a price on it... so our clerk called me to ask about it and I couldn't figure out what picture she was talking about so I just conjured up a price.... 5 bucks. That is a lot in Dollar store terms! LOL
I was sad when I realized that it was the drawing that had been sold but I realized that I should have put a "Display not for sale" sign on it... I did feel better when our staff member told me that the woman that bought it fell in love with it!
So, there you go, there is a market for everything... even a very amateurish drawing of a potted plant!

Interesting conversation..

As I'm reading a couple of thoughts come to mind..

With a commission you likely have a request and some direction from the customer. What about other pieces though.. Do you set out on a piece specifically with a broader audience in mind and knowing you're going to market it? Do you work on pieces for your own enjoyment and growth, even if it’s something that might not have much appeal on the market?

How do you decide what to sell?

but the real underlying question..
How would trying to do art as a business change that art?

just random thoughts as I read the conversation.. curious what the rest of you might think..

Hi dlewis, I'll answer this from my personal point of view but keep in mind this is just what I do and other artists of course will do things their way.

I paint because it completes me and if the painting sells it gives me great joy (and the gallery owner too of course.) However, to sell the painting is not the first goal on my mind, it is just one part of the whole experience. I like to think that by paintnig what I love to paint it also suits others and many times it does. I don't manage to sell everything I paint and often a painting might sit with me for years before someone falls in love with it and buys it. I don't think too much about selling if I can although I like to keep the gallery owner happy so sales of course are great. I think that if I like the apinting I create, chances are someone else will too.
In answer to your question, I don't paint for the market, I paint to create the best possible painting I can. I concentrate on quality rather than subject matter. I listen to the truth from within me and paint that. My paintings help me to understand the world I live in and bring me great joy, self-discovery and motivate me to get on with life. I paint for personal growth and to keep my soul in balance and. If I chose to paint only to sell (for the market) I feel that would defeat that purpose.
I create commissions by choice - if I am happy with the subject matter. The client usually gives me the right to design the painting however I like and we usually just chat in detail about the subjects that could possibly be included in the artwork. I usually make the final decisions and they leave the rest up to me. They are shown a full-colour rough visual before I begin and that has to be approved before I begin the painting. I always make a connection with the subject before beginning the painting with commissioned art.
As I have said I don't believe in being a poor struggling artist, there are many ways to survive as an artist. Many of the greatest artists in history were also art teachers and I teach to help others learn how to draw as well as improve my own critical analysis and keep up my realism drawing skills, as well as to earn a stable income. That takes all the pressure off having to paint to sell. I know some artists who paint some artworks to guarantee sales and some for themselves, that works well for a lot of artists. I also know some artists that are burnt-out from painting by request from the gallery owner and not happy with the soul-destroying act.
It will be great to hear some other points of view on this interesting topic. Cheers all!

Very interesting issue and one that have been in my mind for the past months!
I also wish to sell my original art, someday into the future. I am aware of my little knowledge and honestly I feel there´s still a long way to go before I can feel enough confidence to try to sell some work of mine, but I confess that this is my ultimate goal. I feel that it would give me so much happiness and pleasure to actually see someone interested in some of my art work! Personally I think that art must be shared, must be shown to the public. And if there´s someone willing to buy it, why not?

Thank you Cindy for all the information and insight provided on this issue!

Regards to all,
Sonia.

Hi Tannis
When I first started selling my silk paintings I was really hesitant about charging too much. My accountant at that time told me a good starting point was to work out how much your materials cost and add 50% to that. As you become more proficient and spend more time 'working' at your painting you need to work out an hourly rate (by talking to other artists) and add your materials costs plus 10% - because everytime you buy new materials the price has usually risen. Hope that is helpful.

Hi Jillb, there are so many theories out there aren't here?

My artist group suggests a certain amount per square inch, which I totally disagree with! If I am not mistaken, at one point Cindy suggested that we take the cost of the frame and double it as long as the cost of the frame wasn't too exorbitant. That is probably the best advice that I've gotten so far.

I sold 3 pieces at a sale last fall, all framed, but I just went by gut feel and what some of the other artists from my group were priced at. I charged a co-worker 100 unframed for a portrait in charcoal, now if I would have charged her for materials and added 50% I would have done the portrait for what? I am guessing $20, hardly would have been worth it, even for a friend!

I am not sure that the hourly rate really works for me either, some things it is ok to do quickly and others not so ok to work quickly,and slowing down is something I need to work on, so for me, I don't want to be keeping tabs on hours spent and pricing things according to that.