I wrote this originally for Artist Alley Network International, but it struck a chord with a lot of people, so re-posting here!
Your artwork, and your merchandise, is WORTH SOMETHING!
1. You are producing something no one else can. Even if there are a hundred other similar items, only you are making artwork like you. That is worth something even if you don’t immediately see it.
2. You aren’t walmart. You are a small business owner and need to charge what you’re worth rather than race to the bottom to see who’s the cheapest. This ties into #1… so what if someone else has acrylic charms for $3. You are the only one selling YOUR art, so price it at it’s worth.
3. Shipping, storage, packaging, presentation, and protection are all worth extra. Your item may only cost $1.50 to produce, but you also spent .10 to upgrade the quality. You spent .50 cents to ship it. You spent another $1 on packaging, and you spent $30 on the display it’s on. You rent your apartment or garage for $500-1500/mo. Your table cost you $300 to rent. Your online store charges you .20 cents per sale plus a transaction fee. Your item will sell at a loss if you sell it for $2 or $3, even if production was less than that. Factor in all these costs when you sell your item. PLUS, your worth. If you spent hours making the design, you deserve some of that in compensation!
4. Perceived value is actual value. Customers who see an artist where everything is $2-3 probably will perceive it as less valuable than the artist who sells everything from $20-30, even if the artist selling cheaper actually puts more time into their work. Perceived value also will change the way a customer approaches your artwork. Will they cherish it and save it and frame it, or will they punch holes through it with a thumbtack, or will they forget it’s in their bag and find it bent up hours later? Sometimes pricing your art higher actually creates DEMAND, because it now looks like it’s worth something.
5. fast sketch does not necessarily = cheap price. Did you spend money on your art education? Are you experienced in your field? Is there a lot of demand for your artwork? Do you work professionally with many clients? Did it take you years and hours to develop your style and speed? All of these are separate from how long it takes you to draw. Which is why a 10 minute sketch might be worth $40 rather than minimum wage x time spent drawing.
6. We are all in this together. If you fight with your neighbors on who can price art the cheapest to get the fastest sales, you are fighting a downhill battle which will ultimately make ALL of your artwork worth far less. Instead, look at an artist and go “Wait a minute? They charge HOW MUCH? That means I can charge that much, too” When I sit in a row of artists charging what they’re worth, I notice that ALL of us make far more sales than if we underprice one another.
This also reflects in the market, too. If a client who wants to charge $1000 for 24 illustrations is turned down by countless artists they’ll realize they have unrealistic expectations. When people start seeing the $ sign, instead of factoring in their time and energy and take these low paying jobs, these clients will become upset when they see the artist they really wanted turning them down. Obviously artists from different countries will price differently, BUT, if you’re selling to someone in a different country with a higher dollar value, ask for that higher value! You’re competing against THEIR dollar rather than your country’s dollar at that point. Same goes for pricing commissions online.
Good luck everyone. We’re all in this together!
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