Thursday, May 29, 2014

How To Price Your Original Art

Even though my blog is in the category of "Scrapbooking", many of you are, not only scrapbookers, but artists who use various mediums. So, I feel I should share...

Have you ever had your artwork displayed? or entered anything you created into an art show?

Moving several times in less than 4 years, I didn't have much time to unleash my creative spirit. But, last year, after we settled in to our new home, with no plans to move anytime soon, I finally put paint to canvas again. I have only done a handful of paintings so far this year, but it feels wonderfully liberating to be creating again.

Recently, I joined the local Art League in hopes of meeting like-minded creative people in our new town. Suddenly I am swept into this whirlwind of their annual summer art show. When I was told that one of the eligibility requirements was that art work submitted must have been completed in the last 2 years, I was actually relieved. It narrowed my choices to a small few.


I have no experience in any of this. It is all new and very exciting to me. I never "showed" my works. I have several dozen drawings and paintings but none of them were ever on display, other than in my home. (I am still a little nervous about what people will think of them, but I am really excited as well.) So, last week, I chose my two best pieces, and I submitted my entry paperwork for those two paintings into the show and into the judging contest.

Yesterday, I received a voice mail from Linda, the person in charge of the entry form paperwork. She said that she needed a selling price for my paintings! I am a graphic designer by day. I get paid by the hour or by the difficulty of the project. Painting (and scrapbooking) are hobbies. I do it because I love it. How do you put a price on that?

I had to give her a number. So, I did some research. I found that there are many ways that artists price their work and it also depends on a number of factors. How popular is that artist, or that style, or medium, or subject matter? The easiest way I found was pricing paintings by square inch. Here is Maria Brophy's formula.

I figured in the cost of the new frames and the size (14 x 18), and they were oil paintings (oil paints and supplies are more expensive than other mediums). The final result for my two paintings were $550 each. I called Linda back and gave her my price. I also confirmed with her that I was in the price range of the other paintings that size. So, there you have it!

I have no experience in any of this. It is all new and very exciting to me. I never "showed" my works. I have several dozen drawings and paintings but none of them were ever on display, other than in my home. (I am still a little nervous about what people will think of them, but I am really excited as well.) So, last week, I chose my two best pieces, and I submitted my entry paperwork for those two paintings into the show and into the judging contest.

Yesterday, I received a voice mail from Linda, the person in charge of the entry form paperwork. She said that she needed a selling price for my paintings! I am a graphic designer by day. I get paid by the hour or by the difficulty of the project. Painting (and scrapbooking) are hobbies. I do it because I love it. How do you put a price on that?

I had to give her a number. So, I did some research. I found that there are many ways that artists price their work and it also depends on a number of factors. How popular is that artist, or that style, or medium, or subject matter? The easiest way I found was pricing paintings by square inch. Here is Maria Brophy's formula.

I figured in the cost of the new frames and the size (14 x 18), and they were oil paintings (oil paints and supplies are more expensive than other mediums). The final result for my two paintings were $550 each. I called Linda back and gave her my price. I also confirmed with her that I was in the price range of the other paintings that size. So, there you have it!


 (These images were taken before the frames. I will take a photo of the finished framed paintings once they come back from the frame shop.)

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