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.)

Thursday, April 17, 2014

4 Handmade Cards

My latest project was not a scrapbook exactly, but some handmade cards. With the help of my Stampin' Up! rep Debra Foster-Brunst, I made these 4 cards. (Her card making group usually does 6, but, I only finished 4. So there are 2 more to come - eventually.)
Hand Made Any Occasion card with lace and ribbon
Just Because made with ribbon and lace

This is a general, any occasion card.

I Lava You Valentine's Day card or Anniversary card
I Lava You
Love You To The Moon Card
Love You To The Moon
These are Valentine's Day cards, or an Anniversary cards.

Oh Happy Day

This one could be a masculine birthday card or a general happy occasion card.

All of them are blank inside, except for the "I lava you" which has a red word stamp inside that reads I love you.

If you would like to know how to make any of these, (or any of my projects for that matter) please let me know. I'd be happy to share.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Looking for a Dog Themed Album

Oh, no. I just received an e-mail from scrapbook-creations.com telling me that the dog scrap book I ordered is out of stock and discontinued. Heavy sigh!

I am having an awful time trying to find an 8"x 8" dog themed scrapbook album. (or 8.5"x8.5")

I don't really want a 12x12 or a 6x6. The 8x8 was just right. Not too big, and not too small. Big enough for larger photos, but small enough that I could print on my own Photojet printer at home on 8.5x11 photo paper instead of having to order 12x12 prints.

A long while ago, I had bought and started putting together 8x8 albums for my two cats, and our dog at the time. Since then, my oldest cat, a 16 year old diabetic fur ball, passed away. And 3 years after him, our sweet, Ariel followed. She was a Golden Retriever-Australian Shepard mix.

Keeping my albums of my animals all together, I really need to find an album for our new pup, Sephira, who is filling our home back up with love, and joy.

The old album's have long since lost their wrapping and the only identifying marks on them simply say "Made in China". I shopped at Michael's, Hobby-Lobby and Jo-Anne's. and searched all of Google. If you know where I can find something similar for our Sephira's album, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.


PLEASE DROP A LINE IF YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN GET AN ALBUM SIMILAR TO THESE!!!!

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