Build a Price You Can Explain.
Pricing changes when another person or organization becomes part of the sale.
Before choosing a number, understand what that number needs to cover.
01 — START WITH THE WORK
Consider:
Materials
Production
Fabrication
Framing
TimeScale
Complexity
02 — LOOK AT YOUR CONTEXT
Consider artists who are similar in:
Career stage
Medium
Size
Exhibition history
Sales history
Market
Look sideways, not upward.
A famous artist's price is not a useful starting point for your first sale.
03 — KEEP YOUR PRICES CONSISTENT
Ask:
Are works of similar size priced logically?
Would the same work have dramatically different prices in two places?
Can I explain why one work costs more than another?
WHEN A GALLERY IS INVOLVED
The sale price is not always the amount the artist receives.
Before agreeing to a gallery arrangement, understand:
RETAIL PRICE
The price presented to the buyer.
COMMISSION
The portion retained by the gallery or selling organization under your agreement.
ARTIST PROCEEDS
The amount paid to the artist according to the agreed terms.
ASK BEFORE YOU AGREE
What is the commission structure?
Who determines the retail price?
Who can authorize a discount?
If a discount is offered, whose share does it affect?
Who pays for framing?
Who pays for shipping?
Who pays for installation?
When is the artist paid after a sale?
What happens if the artwork does not sell?
NOTE
Pricing is not only about choosing a number.
It is also about understanding what
happens to that number after a work enters the market.
HERE’S WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY
“Because we make everything, we can make pieces that fit together, work together and suit each other”
— Tom Shaw, Founder