How to price your art
By Nia Hefe Filiogianni, founder of Cream Athens, curator and art coach
Pricing is one of the questions artists bring to us most often, and one of the hardest to talk about. A good price is simply a number that pays you fairly, stays consistent across your work and makes sense to a collector. This is the method we use with the artists we mentor.
1. Start with what the work costs you
Before you look at anyone else, know your own numbers. For each work, add up
- your time, at a fair hourly rate (never below the living wage)
- materials, from canvas and paint to fabric, clay or paper
- framing, mounting or presentation
- a share of your studio, transport and other running costs
This is your floor. Selling below it means paying to make your own work.
2. Look at your market
Find artists at a similar stage to you, working in a similar medium, size and setting. Look at open exhibitions, graduate shows, art fairs and the online galleries you would like to show with. Note what sells, not only what is listed. Your price should sit comfortably among theirs, neither far below nor far above.
3. Choose one formula and keep to it
Collectors trust prices that make sense across a body of work. Two simple formulas keep you consistent.
- By area. Height × width × a rate per square centimetre. Best for paintings and works on paper of a similar kind.
- By combined size. (Height + width) × a rate per centimetre. Gentler on very large works, so they do not become far more expensive than the rest.
Set a minimum price for your smallest works, so they are never priced too low to be worth the making.
4. Keep one price everywhere
Your work should cost the same in your studio, on your website, at an open call and in a gallery. Galleries usually take a share of the sale price, often between 30% and 50%, so set your public price at a level where your share still pays you fairly. Undercutting a gallery that shows your work damages the relationship and confuses collectors.
5. Offer more than one way in
Not every collector starts with a large original. Small works, studies and limited editions let new collectors begin a relationship with your practice, and many of them come back for a major piece.
6. Raise your prices slowly and steadily
When your work sells regularly, after an exhibition, a prize or a new body of work, raise your prices by a modest step. Never lower them for the same kind of work. Collectors who bought early should never see the same kind of work sold for less than they paid.
Want help with your prices?
Pricing is part of our six-week private mentoring for artists, alongside your portfolio, your statement and your first steps with galleries and collectors.
Coaching and mentoringQuestions artists ask
How do I work out a starting price for my art?
Add up your time, your materials and your costs, then compare the result with artists at a similar stage, working in a similar medium and size. Your price should cover your costs and sit comfortably within that market.
Should I price by size?
Size is the simplest way to keep prices consistent across a body of work. Many artists set a rate by area or by the combined height and width, then add a minimum price for small pieces so they are never undervalued.
How does gallery commission affect my price?
Galleries usually take a share of the sale price, often between 30% and 50%. Your public price should be the same everywhere, so set it at a level where the share you receive still pays fairly for your work.
When should I raise my prices?
Raise your prices gradually, when your work sells steadily, when you have new exhibitions or recognition, or when demand grows. A modest, regular increase is easier for collectors to follow than a sudden jump.