Comments on: Why you should raise the prices of your art and how to do it (177)

By: Patricia C Vener

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 21:49:58 +0000

Last year, over the course of the year, I raised prices for both my paintings and my bead weaving. When asked about this I explained that my work was worthy of those prices and I could just as easily “not sell at X dollars as at one half x dollars.” But the changes were not truly as random as that. With respect to the earrings which went up by $10.oo (15 to 25 and 24 to 34) I made the decision after speaking with other artists. In the case of the paintings I did some research and calculations first.

I have matured as an artist and found my voice. I am hopefully pricing more closely to my works’ actual value.

I fear a lot of artists undercharge and mostly for similar reasons, especially, the undervaluing of the work of independent artists and the fact that too many forget that the Wal-Mart customer is not our client.

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By: Zoyoyayep

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 06:22:58 +0000

As a top level Banner Design Agency , we are confuse to maintain the price and banner ad design cost for our client project. Thanks for the solutions.

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By: David Stanley

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 22:50:35 +0000

Thank you. This message is one that is necessarily needed to be understood by all artists. My simple comment is this: you can’t expect to have your art valued if you don’t value it yourself.

Artists need to understand their own worth. In my own case selling through galleries, art fairs and agencies I need to have the same remuneration as any other professional. Take off the 50% commissions and don’t forget the tax (income tax and VAT) in some cases, then your overheads of studio rent and direct costs of materials – if that does’nt leave you with a working pay cheque then you are a hobbyist

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By: Jimmypopart

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 22:35:00 +0000

Really enjoyed this.

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By: Terry Parker

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 22:25:43 +0000

I raised my prices on my functional pottery items that I was not able to keep in stock – some of them by a significant amount. The end result has been that the items still sell but not as quickly and I am able to have some left in inventory at the end of a show or in the case of my Etsy shop, have time to make more before I sell the last one on-line. One of the least expensive items has slowed down to a point where I sell far fewer, but I am happy to not have to make as many and even in a larger volume they did not comprise enough of my sales at the lower price for me to be concerned. I also have introduced some slightly “higher end” items that have yet to sell but these are items that take more time to make and they serve to attract people into the booth even if they do not regularly sell. They are currently receiving a lot of favorable comments and in time, the right buyer should come along.

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By: Nadia Louderback

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 10:46:58 +0000

In reply to Ellie Harold.

Very helpful. Thank you Ellie. I am working on my limiting believes. 🙂

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By: Marcia

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 20:12:12 +0000

I struggle with pricing because of commissions that range from 0% (I pay a flat monthly rent at my co-op) to 15% at the local Arts Council gallery (plus a monthly entry fee that varies depending on the amount of work you hang) to 30% at a higher end co-op in Palm Springs (plus $40 annual membership fee + an annual fee if you get juried into the gallery) to 50% at commercial galleries and other outlets in upscale areas. I also participate in an open studio tour that has $170 entry fee + expenses getting ready for visitors to my studio + a 5% commission on my sales.

If I price too high, sales disappear over the board, if I price too low, it isn’t worth it, once the galleries take their 50%. I am constantly having this discussion with my peers because most of us in my area are in the same boat. I wish it were as simple as just factoring in a % commission.

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By: Robin Edmundson

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 19:21:44 +0000

I’m so glad to see this article. I am starting afresh in a new medium [watercolor] after a couple of decades in weaving. I have always struggled with pricing. I was told by a mentor to use best quality materials – and I did – and then found that the hometown crowd loved the new work, but would not pay for it. And I stayed stuck there. I’m too far away from either coast to branch out to better venues. So, I turned to selling hand dyed yarn instead, which sells great online and consistently, but I still don’t know how to price and sell finished work – like my new paintings. If I’m brutally honest, I’m scared people will think I’m not worth the prices. I know I can paint really well – about 1 in 10 paintings lately. So how do I price the other 9? Can I sell them? Or do I just tuck them away as ‘studies’.

I have not tried to market at all and instead have focused on competitions, thinking that maybe someday if I get into enough big juried shows or win an award or two, by then I’ll have a decent inventory and enough reputation to charge decent prices. And then maybe galleries will approach me instead of me having to do the salesman thing. Marketing and pricing go hand in hand for me and marketing feels a lot like prostitution. It’s a big problem area for me.

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By: kathy ross

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 19:12:59 +0000

Ive been selling art full time since 1978.
1. decide if you are wholesaling or retailing. Hard to do both; and its not really quite right to have 2 different sets of prices.
2. Safer to undercharge than to overcharge. The last thing you want is a collection your own artwork. Some people think charging more makes it seem more valuable. I dont think so. Even the 1% wants things to be as cheap as possible (but lets not go into that)
Of course, this is a perspective from a perpetual motion machine possibly a workaholic….

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By: Ellie Harold

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 16:17:11 +0000

I’m always interested in your thoughts on this topic and I agree with most everything you say here. When I started selling my work about 10 years ago I tried Robert Genn’s system of uniform pricing by size and annual increases. While it made perfect sense, it called for price leaps for my smaller paintings I couldn’t justify, particularly in the recession economy. So I settled on a more relaxed, intuitive version of his system that has yielded extraordinary results for me.

I do review my pricing annually and, based on the previous year’s sales, raise the price of my best-selling sizes by rounding up. For example, I sell a lot of 30 x 30s. In 2000, the price was $2000; today it’s $2500. The pricing on some sizes I simply leave alone until it seems time for them to go up. I publish an annual price list that I hand to serious lookers in my home-based Studio & Gallery.

I’ve observed that buyers seem to go art shopping with an upper limit in mind and I try to create work that will allow them to purchase at a level they’re comfortable with. For example, when the price of my 30 x 30s increased to $2500, I started offering a 24 x 24 at $2000. Now, both of these sizes sell well.

Because I’ve wanted to paint larger, I’ve created pricier paintings too. Now, my 30 x 40s ($3200) and 36 x 48s ($4000) sell well. I also have created several paintings that range between $6,000 and $9500. I’ve not yet sold one of these but there has been meaningful interest. Not one of the interested parties has mentioned price as an obstacle.

I’ve made my peace with the fact that a painting is a luxury item. Those with disposable income for art will frequently spend whatever it takes if they really want the piece. I’ve become comfortable with the notion that a lot of people who like my work don’t believe they can afford to own it. I’ve also noticed that some people I assume (based on my own limited beliefs) can’t afford to purchase art actually can and will if I don’t apologize for my prices. I also have a policy that states my willingness to make it possible (thru a variety of means) for anyone who loves a painting to own it. Occasionally someone who believes they can’t afford a painting will work with me to achieve ownership in a way we both win.

I see pricing as a great exercise in expanding my limited thinking about what’s possible. Just as I once stretched to sell a painting for $1000, when I (inevitably) sell one or two of those $9500 paintings, I will no doubt cross the Great Divide to 5 figures and, one day, beyond that. Meanwhile, time to get some painting done!

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