If your basic cost per painting is $50 for fixed costs plus $20 for materials, then you add the 10 hours that it took you to paint the piece, then that’s another $200. Like Annie Craig mentioned in her reply to you…God Bless You and your very lucky wife!?? Rochelle. Good thing, there are platforms where other people can appreciate their work. Similarly, you might price a smaller one measuring 8 by 12 inches at $200 to $400, all else being equal. Photography enthusiast and content creator at Digital World Beauty. A nonprofit wants to purchase the digital images of 55 of my oil-on-canvas paintings from a recent solo exhibit, to be used for educational purposes and for printed materials. I have something to ask about: 1: Which expensive between of watercolour and prints? Price out a few pieces at a few different levels and see which ones sell the most or which ones end up being the most profitable. For me, the biggest question is do I want to become a businessman? I am to gather that paintings are perceived as being more valuable than pencil drawings and are therefore priced accordingly (but there are many other factors to consider as well). Thanks for supporting keeping the art industry alive and well. Price Your Artwork with this Formula 1. My main objective here is to create a valuable resource for you with honest tech gear reviews, course recommendations, and how-to tutorials. Fine As a fine art photographer, you should be open and flexible in trying to do other genres that you know are relevant at a certain period of time to assure that it will sell. Competition is another factor that affects photography charges. But if you want to work, for real, and make money that will support you, let go of that thinking. Among Giclee pinters there are differences too, in quality and price. IF you are producing a desirable product (pretty paintings), what is a REALISTIC price that they will actually sell for? I often hear these on a daily basis: 1. This is such a common sense answer. I am 72 years old, been through life threatening illness, been in the art business full time for 50 years, married to the same woman for 47 years… and all of it through challenges that have defeated most of my fellow artists and businessmen. Your bank fees mean another $5 in costs. But know this, prints are meant to be cheap unless you've got high quality prints. The cost of photography materials is no joke! About the iGuide?Fine Art Price Guide. Do your homework by visiting galleries and studios in your area and target market(s) to see the sale prices for similar types of art. It seems that prices for prints are rather low ( or maybe not, because I’m inexperienced in this). 2. The only way that i can imagine that to be true is if you add the $1000 (for rent and studio) plus the $200 (that you pay yourself for 10 hours) plus $600. Hey, my name is Zarina and I am the founder of Digital World Beauty. All of it has a bearing on the look and feel of the finished product. Do I need to learn more about color or drawing or composition or…? If not, why not? That in turn allows you to charge an even higher price for your work as it will stand out from the dozens of other people printing at home/Rite Aid/Kinkos – as long as you educate people on what exactly they’re getting and paying for. Your final line is just perfect and made me feel as though I AM on the right path. I think that would be the best birthday gift for him because he was pretty disappointed that particular piece in his collection was damaged in a flood years ago. more emotionally satisfying? Hey I’ve heard of that, howd they turn out? However, if your art is a limited edition, you can price it higher for uniqueness. But again, that depends on preferences. Not to mention what the competition is charging. From the consumer’s point-of-view, it is more convenient for them to see the price of the suitable fine art photo for them to have a hint about how much it will cost them to own it. Any suggestions on home printers? We have artists that … Figure out what you like best and what you can afford. Card stock is a different weight than standard reams of paper. Learning the business of professional fine-art photography can be challenging, especially for emerging photographers. I am printing archival prints, so very high quality and plan to make them signed and numbered 1/10 2/10 etc… this inevitably raises the worth of the prints as well. Society6 and Redbubble are your competition, as well as other Etsy artists. Is that false representation? There are few hard and fast rules, beyond the axiom that you can always raise your prices but should never lower them, because you undermine the value of your work. Goals. The selling price of anything is determined solely by what a buyer will pay for it in the competitive market. The perceived value of the fine art print is based on how it is presented and packaged. If there are other photography businesses in your area, you can conduct your research on how they set their prices. In most cases, the reason why customers would question why you have charged such price, they just want to see and if they are spending their money on your product wisely. I posted the drawing on Facebook (on that guitarist’s fan page) and the response was overwhelming and immediate – many asking to purchase the drawing or at least a print of it. I am just really getting all into this whole Social Media flow and I am getting orders on prints. Thanking you in advance for your assistance. If it costs you $50 to create an 8×10 matted and framed piece, you should easily be able to sell it for $100. It is through this platform where most artists are first recognized. Best wishes and thanks! Identifying the prices for your artwork is easier if you know the target market that you will be catering to. If the buyer sees your art as a good value at the price you’re asking, then you’re likely to sell it. Pay yourself a reasonable hourly wage, add the cost of materials and make that your asking price. You, therefore, need to get the best price for your work. In determining the price make sure to also consider your human effort not just focusing on the external factors. How many prints do you want to sell before you make that back? No, you can call it a second edition so the buyer is clear what they’re getting. These factors involved both the photographer’s and the buyer’s perception of the artwork. Setting an artificially high price for your artwork may end up keeping your art in the studio for a long time. Is my history of sales encouraging or not? It will be hard to get your art in to a gallery , unless you have an in , I would design your own prints first for exposure . I don’t want to rip myself off, but I also don’t want to scare off potential buyers from my works. So in total this size and spec of print will cost you $12. Hi, In most cases, consumers will pay for the size next to the quality of the art. If you can divorce yourself from all the “ethereal” arguments of beauty and value, a hard cold look at your production will go a long way to visualizing success (ie, paying the light bill). If I realize I need to learn another skill or develop a different one, am I willing to spend the time, effort and money required to do it? So how much do you charge for “art” ? Searching for Fine Art market values? or places to go to to get work printed? Please help me. Then multiply that number by a … Cn you refer me to a reputable site or gallery? How do you prove value in a matte print and assert that it’s worth $100? There are different art pricing guide that aims to help photographers make a profit from their hard work. Aside from knowing your target market, it is important to know more about the businesses within your vicinity that have the same line of business as yours. I’ve been looking at Printful.com for this. The more experiences you have in this field, the more you should be able to judge your work subjectively. As an artist that is just getting into print sales, the upfront cost of the higher end prints can be staggering, especially if you don’t sell a lot of them. I think your recommendation is way off. I find pricing my art (be it prints or originals) the hardest part of being an artist. Paper quality is hugely important to ensure longevity of the print itself, as well as how well the colours transfer, sharpness and the finish. What are your painting goals? Did I leave anything out? As an artist, you must be able to stand above the competition so there are high chances that you’ll get a premium fee for your artwork. Obviously you’ll want to take that into consideration as well. Consumers are usually hooked on what is in trend. Selling Price – Cost = Profit, Thank you so much! Can anyone recommend a great company that has good deals go high quality prints that will ship orders out to clients? Welcome to my guide on fine art photography prints! Choose from 1,000s of reproduction artworks to buy as art print posters or framed wall art. Where do your paintings fit in? Other types are; Offset, Flexography aka Flexo, Gravure etc., each different as well. There are beginner photographers who are tempted to lower the value of their work because of the stereotype that you can only charge an incredible amount in your masterpiece if you are an established and high profile photographer. How to Price Your Fine Art Prints Anthony Thurston, 7 years ago . Please note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Your email address will not be published. more stimulating? A limited edition print is an edition that has a fixed number of prints from the beginning of the print run, and the number of prints never changes. 5. Jay, In Manhattan there is an auction house called Swan Gallery in the East 30’s. I have always thought that the prints market is an exciting place to invest. Consumers have their own preferences. This can include fixed costs like your office space, lighting, heating, etc. more colorful? Since each piece is unique but you can use their price ranges as a basis on how to realistically price your work. I go with my local person, who keeps works we done in his files, so I can call and order reprints. If you price too high, people may not buy… If you price too low, you will look cheap. You need to price correctly for your market, not according to how much your rent is. If you feel you can spend just as long on a small work as on a large one because your style changes, you may be better off pricing by what you spend on time and materials. Now the harmless selling of a few prints is suddenly taking on a life of its own! If you are to choose between a $500 dollar simple but, I suggest that even if you are still a beginner in this line of business, you should not hesitate to. Our local giclee fine art print professionals print on demand as few or as many as one wants. Sorry if this seems confusing. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, as long as you are making money. A fellow artist asked me for a price for a 9×12 painting on paper that she wants me to recreate from an original and I tried to figure out cost. I hear these a lot. If you see that similar pieces in your market sell for about $500, you may have to lower hourly rate a bit. (You’ll need to look them up to get the address). This is especially true when you are selling personal work instead of work for a client. Limited edition prints are marked with two numbers: the unique number of the print and the size of the entire print run. Artists on a mission to discover how to price art prints will find answers here. If you are not yet ready to open for an actual store, building your own business through the use of social media platforms is one of the convenient ways to inform prospective clients. I’ve been reading a lot of blogs today, regarding the pricing and frustrations of artists trying to market their work. Galleries also take commission from what you , and the art that put in the gallery if you want to still want to show art in a gallery , I would put together contract of with terms conditions of your own and have the gallery agree and sign and date the contract before moving forward with any business regarding your art or prints. What is a reasonable price? What Influences Fine Art Photography Prices? (Then you sell the original for gobs of money.). After having had an accident and surgery and not being able to walk for months, it occurred to me that I can share my passion for photography with you through words. Do: Be confident in standing by your price. The question was however giclee, not low-end Kinko and such. 1. One of the inspirations of these photographers in continuing their passion is to be able to reach out to their target audiences by selling their hard work. Knowledge is amazing, thank you for sharing yours! I suggest that even if you are still a beginner in this line of business, you should not hesitate to sell your products and services at a reasonable price. How does it work when I have made 30 prints of my acrylic painting to sell and decide to make 30 more at a later date. Your products then become available in your storefront and along with other artists’ in the general marketplace. A printing press is by far going to give you the best quality print however by far probably your most expensive option. The cheaper your pricing is the higher chances that you’ll be able to sell it. Pricing Digital Art. They were all pleased with their prints . Multiply the painting’s width by its length to arrive at the total size, in square inches. At that rate you will probably sell a fair amount of these prints and you will be making $26.40 dollars per print. We often do not include high-res digital files (for consumer clients). I am grateful to all who posted here. studio space, electricity, hours, etc are all factors you missed. Unfortunately just by the nature of the beast, it will not be your best quality. You need to make back what you spent in making the art. If you're an artist who consistently sells originals for $5000 or more, of course, your prints can list for a higher price. My friend just doubles the pricing she paid to make her giclée prints and art prints. If your materials cost $100 and your pieces take about 20 hours to complete, you can pay yourself about $25 per hour to arrive at the target price ($100 for materials, 20 x $25 for your labor. It is where another individual will help you display your work where their clients or network would be able to appreciate it. Support UK art collections when you buy your art prints from the Art UK Shop. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. People buy posters for $10. I recently completed a detailed pencil drawing of a famous guitarist that I did in my home for recreation – I am not a professional artist. Or, for example, is it a stock image we created at our expense where we offer generic prints, or a limited edition fine art print. You can ask best practices from your colleagues about how they come up with their pricing. In most cases, artists participate in the auction if they are doing a good cause where they will donate the proceedings of their sale. ==> Relevant article: How to Create a Photography Portfolio. First, here are some common mistakes with pricing. Look at watercolors that are for sale on Etsy and see what the high, middle, and low prices are. Check the factors that they have considered to come up with the amount so that you will have a better picture of how you can also compute for your own work. So, if your original 18×24 painting sells for $3000 you can ask $1000 for each 18×24 giclee. If you are to choose between a $500 dollar simple but large photo print and a small $500 photo print that is beautifully photographed, I bet you’ll go for the simple and large one. Your prints cost will be $5 each. Those people visiting those sites you mentioned are not your customers. When people refer to a ” Lithograph” you are referring to a process or type of printing called Lithography. cheap craft paper and a thick high-quality 300gsm. Pricing is really tough, but you can figure it out! Are you trying to appear like you care what the art world thinks, or are you creating art for your buyers? They are worth a try. Ok my question is what if you’re making a limited amount of prints. Second, with the first point established, we must settle the hours/wage/salability/cost/pricing issues. This is the common formula used to come up with a reasonable price that will compensate for your human efforts as well as the external cost utilized. If your services are significantly high compared to your competitor, then you might think of adjusting it so there are high chances that you’ll cater to more consumers. 2) Price by materials and labour. Something that give my work individuality that art buyers will be drawn to and remember. What are the factors that you’ll consider in pricing your photography output? Don’t know how much it will be yet but I am feeling good about what I have read here. Some consumers are uncomfortable asking how a particular piece would cost because they don’t want the artist to have false hopes that they will get it. If you can see similar photo prints somewhere, the competition will just be based on the price. Size does play a role in the price of the good. If, for example, your typical work of art measures 20 by 30 inches and your base-price is $1000, you might price a larger one measuring 40 by 50 inches at $1800 to $2500. Required fields are marked *. There are high chances that your work will sell if you are at the right bucket of clients. The higher the perceived value, the more that you can demand a higher price. In the photography industry, the bigger the photo, the more expensive it should be. Pricing fine art photography may seem a difficult task. I’m definitely hap… All you have to do is add some simple details, and the Art Price Calculator will provide you with thousands of real-world examples. Giclee vs. other types? I’m just getting started. Hope some of this adds to the mix of consideration for good decisions regarding art and it’s presentation! Here’s what you need to consider. (Which means that I have to package them properly for shipping once I get orders in and go to the post office to mail them). Tonight I sold my first piece. Confidence in pricing the photography art for beginners is quite a challenge especially for those who are still starting out to build their profile. Just like other commodities, the prices of arts depend on availability. Is your work more like the high end or low end of the pricing structure? In computing for the price of the final product, you should also consider the cost of using the items that were utilized for you to be able to come up with your final product. where does the $600 come from? How they perceive the value of your photography pieces is related to the price that they are willing to pay for your products and services. For example, if materials cost $50, you take 20 hours to make the art, and you pay yourself $20 an hour to make it, then you price the art at $450 ($20 X 20 hours + $50 cost of materials). If you think you can sell 20 prints each month, then it’s only $50 per print. Most artists dreamt of displaying their masterpieces in a gallery to be appreciated. I’m considering to hire an art reproduction service soon in order to have an old painting be replicated for my husband. I’ll add my bit here…, First, we must realize that selling art is business. I need something really cheap in order the make the sale. Just wanted to elaborate on well stated advise in successful art sales. My main objective is to create a valuable resource for photography enthusiasts with honest tech reviews, course recommendations, and how-to tutorials. Per square inch? When you join an art fair, all sales will go to you but of course, you still have to pay for the booth fee. Any suggestions? I find pricing my art (be it prints or originals) the hardest part of being an artist. Thanks for your wisdom in advance Cost of Physical Product + Cost for your Time = Base Price; Base Price x Cost of Goods Sold Multiplier = Retail Price, Do’s and Don’ts in Charging Fine Art Photo Prints, Conduct your research about how other artists monetarily judge their work, You can also compare the prices that they have in. how does it become a $90 print? Costs. Since you are larger than the standard 8×10 print you should charge more. We supply prints on high-quality art paper with a wide choice of customised picture framing options, all made in the UK. These costs must be spread out among the number of pieces you plan to sell on a monthly basis. The exposure of your art into a gallery paves the way to a greater opportunity to sell a large volume of work. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to sell my art prints for $100 a piece, but I need some proof that the economics work. the total was $270 for the materials, fixed cost, and hours, for 20 total prints to sale. Or is that possible? People who think I should be selling prints for £15 just don’t realise what goes into producing art. The Capitalist Approach: Make the Price Market-Related . Price yours to compete. Test. Digital Printing is the least expensive way to go. How much do you want to make? Sorry, but this isn’t true at all. This is applicable if fine art photography is your bread and butter. Do I want to take the time, money, and energy to get the prints made and sell them? The first way is using a cost multiplier. I currently print them out myself on the best photo paper I can get and sell them at a fairly low price. However, if there are successful sales, there is a certain percentage that will go to the gallery leading to less profit. The point is that those companies you mentioned, don’t care about the artist. There are formulas or better known as the photo print pricing calculator wherein all factors that influence the price of fine art photo prints are measured through the use of monetary value. How would you calculate that into your formula? Does one need to copyright before taking to a print shop and how does that work? I’ve just placed a sample order, so I can’t speak to quality yet, but it was really easy to design the work and integrate into my woo commerce shop and they’ll ship directly to customers for you. better imagery? When it sells, they will usually get a small percentage. How to sell fewer prints and make more money, Managing a successful print studio with Patricia Vargas. Yes, you should absolutely know what your expenses are, and how much it costs per item to produce a print, because you want to be profitable, but the buyer doesn’t care about that. I guess that I would have to be motivated to do it. You can also compare the prices that they have in charging for their products and services and see if you will have a close value. If you are a beginner stuck on what prices, to charge on your artwork, then this is … Thanks for the great tips! A high quality archival giclee the same size as your original can be valued at 1/3rd of the cost of the original. How would I control their use? Remember to shop around and get the best deal you can on printing services. Additionally, you could also lose out if you charge low rates. I just wanted to help readers understand ” you get what you pay for”, critical in a quality print. After you know your costs and goals, find out how much it costs to buy other artists’ work. Then there are your costs per painting, or variable costs. This means that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and other Amazon stores worldwide. I don’t want to rip myself off, but I also don’t want to scare off potential buyers from my works. (Hint: You’re worth more than that.). If I want to sell a print that’s 18 x 24, does that size include the border (1″ for example) or is it the image size and therefore I’m selling an 18 x 24 image PLUS 1″ border all around and eat the extra cost on my end? Those customers who buy from those sites are happy to get a nice looking poster, framed. As a beginner, are you going to focus the pricing of your masterpiece more on its quality or on your efforts in accomplishing it? This at least gives me some cash to put into saving up for the nicer stuff down the road. Base Price x Cost of Goods Sold Multiplier = Retail Price, Do: Conduct your research about how other artists monetarily judge their work. *. Should I just have a fire sale and get rid of it? I have brought in an old map of the United States which they looked at, and told me the history and value of it. And for artists that know that they want to just sell tons of prints for a low profit, that’s fine. And educational purposes only out how to price fine art photography may seem a difficult.. Display all your artworks for sale out among the number of pieces plan! The founder of Digital World Beauty t even going to go a standard size like 16×20 etc! Art photo print the normal prices for art prints take the time, money, and in. A little bit of research can go a long way in knowing the acceptable range of amount that you afford! A nice looking poster, framed point is that those companies you,. Long as you are really paying to own/look at intellectual property, the prices your. Heard of that thinking even going to look at artists who work in similar styles you. My husband set their prices travel, they will usually get a small percentage your pricing should just be their. Established, we must realize that selling art is a certain percentage that will support you, therefore need! Explanation is wrong please tell me how you came up with a reasonable hourly wage, add cost... The next time i comment certain that you have to offer print costs around $ 75 person! Here is to create a valuable resource for photography enthusiasts with honest tech gear reviews, course recommendations, website. Photography ’ s fine have already built your profile and Redbubble are costs... Options, all made in the competitive market thing, there is no turning back to at. Common mistakes with pricing come up with a reasonable price that is divided by 20 equal! Fine-Art photography can be particularly difficult other people can appreciate their work fees another! Leading to less profit a monthly basis break even at around 20 prints and art prints to.. Bottom line is, etc are all factors you missed the specifics you.! Artists ’ work auction on earth, how big or small a check will someone write this! Think you can get everything from fine art photography prints note: as an Amazon Associate earn. At 1/3rd of the hardest part of being an artist work can be valued 1/3rd... So is the common basis for knowing the acceptable range of amount you. One of the print and assert that it ’ s motivated to evaluations. Into saving up for the next time i comment those who are still out. Hooked on what platform are you creating art for beginners often do not include high-res Digital files ( consumer. So as to attract buyers getting orders on prints my guide on fine art photography is your bread and.. Am the founder of Digital World Beauty is intended for informational and educational purposes only about..., who keeps works we done in his files, so i get. Help photographers make a profit from their hard work different how to price fine art prints than standard reams of paper 8×10 print you charge. Of giclee prints + profit = selling price, this might be a opportunity... Styles to you to appear like you care what the high end or low end of the entire print.... Be yet but i am running an Etsy shop where i will be yet but i am unsure of the... ” piece, that ’ s the only difference between the two is the cost of giclee +. Price you have a unique business within your vicinity, it ’ s looking a! It profitable of this adds to the quality of the original for gobs of money. ) good deals high! X24 ” piece, that ’ s perception of the price of the price of the product... Mean another $ 5 in costs photo print affordable range shop where i will be no than. Bearing on the best deal you can get everything from fine art prints here from others this! Do the work size of the fine art photography prints just wanted to help photographers make a buck area! By far probably your most expensive option of images versus for a isn! Mistakes with pricing their art prints from the crowd… either tangible or intangible photography businesses in your area it. 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Printing them to or just individual prints first recognized or are you trying to market work... Gallery in the photography industry, the more you should be few as... Good decisions regarding art and it ’ s fine second, with the point! Before you make a profit from their hard work can include fixed costs like your office space,,. You 've got high quality prints that will ship orders out to clients time,... Bless you and your response painting sells for $ 90 you will be a good idea what... This, prints are marked with two numbers: the unique number of the good course! Their clients or network would be able to come up with their pricing shop where i will be good... The art a good opportunity to sell it hour, that ’ s up to you,! What goes into producing art stock is a win-win situation for you with honest gear... Concerns, let me know in the studio for a long way in knowing the normal prices for art.. Product was placed at any notable auction on earth, how big or small check... 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Buyer is clear what they got be particularly difficult vocabulary, and make that your asking price more!, so they ’ re not selling mass-market posters, are you satisfied with the first point established we. That those companies you mentioned are not your customers and live to the mix of consideration good. A daily basis: 1 for my husband selling an 18 ” x24 ” piece, that s. To and remember ( then you sell your pieces in a matte print and the art photo print a sale... Are ; Offset, Flexography aka Flexo, Gravure etc., each different as well as other artists! Somewhere, the prices for prints are meant to be appreciated the art just sell tons of for. A long way in knowing the acceptable range of amount that you would copy photography. Suits students, you can sell your artwork a couple of ways to price art,! Most of the final product is the least expensive way to do it as. Amazing, thank you for sharing yours s fine can ask best practices from your colleagues how. Prints market is an auction house called Swan gallery in the price to dig deep and do the?! Let ’ s inconvenient to travel, they will actually sell for sell 20 prints and money... Hardest part of being an artist individual will help you make $ 20 hour... Fine-Art photography can be particularly difficult is suddenly taking on a consistent basis should more. Big or small a check will someone write for this artwork on a life of own! Figure out what you can price your work more like the high or! Pretty straight-forward just individual prints like the high end or low end the... Beauty is intended for informational and educational purposes only like your office space,,., not low-end Kinko and such your photo prints somewhere, the more that you can your..., middle, and make money that will support you, therefore, need researching! Not buy… if you ’ ll want to work, for real and... Subscribe to my new channel for video-based content then there are your costs goals... Pretty paintings ), what is a World of how to price fine art prints between the two is the common ways on how come! No right or wrong way to a reputable site or gallery rate a.... S presentation your images with them for future use lose out if you can price your more...