Cut the Crap: The Truth About Pricing Your Artwork

If you're an artist or you've sold a few pieces of art, you've probably heard "Look at those prices. You should be asking more." It may come as a shock, but the truth is your pricing is probably right on point and here's why.

Making art is a full-time job best suited as a part-time career when you're starting out. There's a reason why they call it "starving artist". You may have the talent, you may have the drive, but art is a commodity that's only value is what people are willing to pay for it. Therefore, forget the hourly pay rate, forget the material costs, forget the four years of art school you paid for. 

Unless you're a salesman and maybe that's the key in selling art, everyday people are not going to invest in a mantlepiece that you poured your artistic soul into. They don't see the value in what you handmade versus a printed canvas on sale at Walmart. (Of course, it is important to note that I am only generalizing and if there's that one guy who walks in with five hundred dollars, points at your painting and says I want that, then you've hit the jackpot. This is the other 99.9999% of the time.)

You might be asking yourself, "Can't I just sell it in a gallery?". There's a few interesting clauses you may or may not know about selling art in galleries. First off, galleries are businesses. They take in art that they know will sell. If you're a nobody or your art is not marketable, you might have trouble finding someone to sell it. 

Secondly, there's commission. A gallery isn't going to sell your art for free. You're renting the space the hang your artwork. You're paying them to get buyers in the door. While it's not an extravagant amount of money, it's usually a double digit percentage that can drive up the cost of your art to begin with and in turn, be too expensive for buyers to want to spend. It's a lovely double-edged sword that in the end may or may not be sold.

So what's the magic number? What should I sell my art for? Here's a few tips that help me go through the pricing of a piece and ends up in multiple sales during one show:

1. Location, Location, Location! If you're in a low-income area, you might not sell your work for anymore than someone can buy a similar piece at a store. If you're in a high-income area, people are more willing to part with their money on undiscovered art.
2. Like Location, Know Your Customer. Are you selling your art to college students or working professionals? While students may rave about your work, they may not have enough extra cash to spend on furnishing their dorm. Figure out who you want to buy and love your art - then price it accordingly.
3. Remember Who You Are. Sadly, the art world doesn't know who you are and unless you start getting your art in the public eye, you're just another artist. You make art because you love to make art, it's that simple. You want people to enjoy your art. You want to get the art out of your storage closet and into some place that will appreciate it. You need to start out somewhere and building a fan-base will help you become that high-priced artist (one day).
4. Research Your Peers. Is there an artist that creates art similar to yours or who seems to sell multiple pieces at one show? Ask them how they do it. Artists strive through networking and are willing to help other artists if you just ask.
5. The Economy Sucks! It's hard to earn a decent wage today. While they may earn enough money for food and shelter, some people may not have enough extra cash to spend it on non-essential items.
6. Would You Pay That Much? Think about it. If you saw similar artwork (and you couldn't make it), how much would you spend to put it on your wall? Be realistic with how you value your work. If you wouldn't spend that much, how can you expect others to as well?
7. Lastly, Don't Give Up! Sometimes you won't sell a single piece and that's ok! You won't always find the right crowd. Keep trying and unless you never sell any of your art ever, chances are you just didn't find the right buyers. 

Being an artist is not an easy job. If you can pay your bills solely making art, you're awesome. However, most of us use art as an outlet when we're not busy working our daily 9-5 jobs. We make art in our spare time because we love it. We just hope that one day we will get paid to do what we love.

Transparencies: Using Tape

What You'll Need

What You'll Need

• Print/Wrapping Paper/Image
• Packing Tape ($2/Roll)
• Scissors
• Paper Towel
• Water

Things to Consider

The transparency image that you choose should be a matte (not glossy like magazine paper) finish printed image on paper. Stamped images, newspaper and printed computer inkjet paper are a few examples of what materials work best for tape transparencies. Magazine images and photos will not work as well - although, you can always experiment with what you think will work best for your project.

Step 1:

Cut out your image. The image in this example is taken from store-bought wrapping paper with ink prints on craft paper.

Step 2:

Tear off a piece of shipping tape that is large enough to cover the entire image. Shipping tape is used, although regular tape or clear contact paper can also be used. The difference depends simply on the size of your image and if you want to layer the tape.

Apply the tape onto the image.

Rub the tape vigorously to adhere the image and attach the ink.

Step 3:

Wet the paper towel with water. Then, turn the tape and image over. Begin blotting the back of the paper with the wet paper towel until the paper is thoroughly wet.

Step 4:

Once the paper is wet, slowly roll your fingertip over one corner. Gently pull the paper up to separate it from the tape. A transparent image will remain on the tape. If your paper begins to dry, simply blot the wet paper towel over the surface again.

Step 5:

Once the undesired background paper has been removed, pat the tape to dry off any excess water. The image transparency should remain on the tape. If necessary, trim the additional tape from the edges of the image to create a clean transparent image.

Finished tape transparency image

Trim excess tape, if desired.

Step 6:

Apply Mod Podge or clear glue to the back of the tape transparency. Then, adhere the image and allow the glue to dry.

Variations

Transparencies can be printed off the computer on printer-friendly acetate. This technique is more expensive because the plastic sheet is will trap ink from inkjet printers. Regular acetate sheets cannot be put through common household printers. 

As noted before, regular scotch tape or clear contact paper can be used as an alternative to shipping tape. Scotch tape may need to be layered in strips to cover the entire image. Contact paper, on the other hand, may not be sticky enough to separate the ink from the paper. As always, test different methods to achieve the best results for your project.

Get the Look: Ink Stains on Painted Surfaces

What You'll Need

What You'll Need

• Liquitex Ink ($3)
• Acrylic Craft Paint ($2)
• Cheap Wide Paint Brush
• Canvas/Board

Things to Consider

If you're using a surface made of paper or coated in paper, the porous materials will absorb most of the paint and ink. For best results, use on blank or painted canvas, on top of glossy magazine clippings, or pre-treat the paper surface with a sealer or Mod Podge.

Step 1:

Add paint to the surface where the ink stains are desired. 

Step 2:

While the paint is still wet, use the wide brush to spread the paint horizontally or vertically. Add more paint until the surface is evenly covered.

Step 3:

Set the canvas on a flat surface and use the Liquitex eyedropper to apply the ink. The greater the distance from which the ink is dropped, the larger the splatter. 

Step 4:

Allow the ink to seep into the paint for 1-2 minutes. Then, place the board vertically to let the ink run. Once the ink has dripped to the desired length, set the board on a flat surface again. Wait 5 minutes for the ink to penetrate the paint.

Step 5:

Use the wide paintbrush to gently brush over the surface in the same direction as the paint was applied (horizontal or vertical strokes). The ink will begin to spread and blend into the paint, but the areas where the ink was applied will have a lighter, "stained" appearance.

Step 6:

Allow the ink to dry. Repeat Steps 3-5 if necessary or change the ink color to create an alternative stained look.

Get the Look: Thick Wrinkled Textures With Masking Tape

What You'll Need

What You'll Need

• Masking Tape ($1)
• Mod Podge ($4)
• Plastic Knife ($1/Package)
• Canvas/Board

Things to Consider

Wider masking tape works better and uses less pieces to cover a large surface. Light beige masking tape is easier to cover with paint, but other colors works just the same.

Step 1:

Tear off various length strips of masking tape. Crinkle each strip so that it wrinkles the tape. Ensure that the wrinkled tape is still sticky in various areas so that it can be adhered to the board.

Tear off various lengths of masking tape strips.

Crinkle areas of the strip so that it will not adhere completely flat to the surface.

Step 2:

Apply the tape sticky-side down onto the surface. Burnish the tape to ensure it sticks properly.

Apply the tape to the board surface and rub it to help it adhere.

Step 3:

Continue to add strips of crinkled tape to the surface. Layering and overlapping the tape will create a thicker, more consistent texture.

Overlapped masking tape layers.

Step 4 (Optional):

Generously spread Mod Podge with a plastic knife over the masking tape. The Mod Podge will seal the tape and help keep it adhered to the board. Once complete, set the board aside to dry until the Mod Podge is clear.

Spread Mod Podge over the entire masking tape surface.

Variations

Crumpled tissue paper and crepe paper can be used to create a similar texture. However, the paper has to fully dry before layering anything on top of the texture. Masking tape, on the other hand, can be adhered to the surface and will stick without the use of a sealer. Tissue paper and crepe paper also tear easier when being glued to a surface.

Any other tape can be used instead of masking tape. Masking tape is often a better choice for collaging because it has a semi-porous surface and paint can adhere better. 

Finished Masking Tape Collage Examples

Masking Tape Example #1

Masking Tape Example #2