One of the toughest choices you make as an artist is how to set a price on your work. It depends on so many factors that need to be considered:

• The popularity of the art.
• The medium used.
• The complexity and quality.
•  What the buyer is willing to pay.

Some artists determine the true cost of materials, the amount of “man/woman” hours put into the painting, complexity, size, medium, and any other thing that could be considered. If sold through a gallery, they double this figure and settle on an amount.

Remember, as an artist, if you choose to self promote and do not use a gallery, you need to use the same percentage markup you would give the gallery because acting as your own intermediary will require about the same expense (cost of promotion, time lost from painting, etc.). Here are a few tips to consider when pricing your art.

• Know your market. Search on-line and visit galleries to find art that is similar in quality, size and medium used to your own work
• Medium matters~Generally an oil is valued higher than a water based painting.
• If framed, be sure to double the price of the frame to the gallery so you get one hundred per-cent of the frame cost back. Add this to the price per square inch of the painting.
• Set a subjective value. Instinctively, what is your painting worth? What amount would convince you to part with it?
• Consider adjusting price of your art up or down based on its commercial appeal. Is it in a style, technique and composition of what is appealing and popular?
• Is it executed well? Will other artists respect your work?
• Consider the above factors and determine a price per square inch for your painting. For example a 24″X36″=864 sq. inch. Lets say that after considering the information above you determine the selling price should be $1.85/sq.inch, and it has a $150.00 frame on it then the price the gallery should sell it for is $1900.00. This gives you $800.00 plus the $150.00 cost of your frame back.