Pricing Your Work for Beginners

Stop guessing and stop undercharging. Here are the three industry-standard formulas to help you price your art with confidence.

One of the hardest things for a professional artist to do is put a price tag on something that feels like a piece of their soul. However, if you want to be a professional, you must treat your art as a product.

The biggest mistake emerging artists make is pricing based on "how much they like the piece." This leads to inconsistent pricing that confuses buyers. Instead, you should rely on objective, math-based formulas.

1. The "Time and Materials" Method

This is the best method for artists just starting out who do not have a sales history yet. It ensures you are paid a living wage for your labor.

  • The Formula: (Hourly Wage × Hours Spent) + Cost of Materials = Price
  • Example: You want to earn $25/hour. You spent 10 hours painting. The canvas and paint cost $50.
    ($25 × 10) + $50 = $300.

2. The "Linear Inch" Method

This is the standard for gallery artists. It ensures that a small painting costs less than a large painting, regardless of how long it took you. Galleries love this because it makes pricing consistent across your portfolio.

  • The Formula: (Height + Width) × Multiplier = Price
  • How to find your multiplier: If you usually sell a 20x24 inch painting for $500, your multiplier is roughly 11 ($500 divided by 44 inches).
  • Example: For a new 16x20 inch work using that multiplier:
    (16 + 20) × 11 = $396 (Round up to $400).

3. The "Market Comparison" Method

If you are unsure where to start, look at the data. Research artists who are at a similar stage in their career as you (similar education, exhibition history, and skill level).

  • The Strategy: Do not compare yourself to Picasso, and do not compare yourself to a hobbyist at a craft fair. Find your peers.
  • The Check: If your peers are selling A3 drawings for $200, and you are selling yours for $50, you are hurting the market. If you are charging $800, you might be priced too high for your current resume.

The Golden Rule: Consistency

You cannot charge $500 for a painting in your studio and $1,000 for a similar painting in a gallery. If a collector buys from you directly and later finds out they could have bought it cheaper elsewhere, you lose their trust forever. Keep your prices consistent across all platforms.

The "Discount" Trap
Friends and family will ask for discounts. If you want to give one, never go below 10-15%. If you give a 50% discount, you are telling the buyer that the art wasn't actually worth the original price. Value your work, and others will too.

Pricing is not about greed; it is about sustainability. By pricing correctly, you ensure you can afford the materials to make your next artwork.