How I Price My Artwork

Hello!  I'm glad you found your way here.  I'm grateful for each one of my customers and students.  The creative world is full of the most positive people.  It is so joyful.

Have you wondered how artists price their artwork? Well, let me share a little bit about my process.

Each piece is unique.  Some surfaces are new, while others are being recycled into something beautiful.  There is prep for each surface before the creation process begins.  It must be cleaned and primed to make sure the paint sticks to it, especially on slick surfaces.  The primer acts as a blocking agent on wood to make sure the tannins don’t sneak up to the surface and discolor it.

I love texture so I try to add as much as I can.  I might use a raised stencil, pour resin moulds, add texture paste, or sculpt on it.  It just depends on the piece.  Once that is all done and dried, the painting begins.  I use only the finest paints on the market.  There are no bargain basement products in my arsenal.  I might add decoupage papers or décor transfers to add more interest to the piece.  There are other embellishments including metal filigrees, ribbons, chains, finials, etc. that may be added. More is more in my world.  

On some pieces, the painting is not as time consuming as others.  Size does have impact on the final price, but it’s not the most important factor.  The artwork might be a smaller sized piece, but very detailed as far as the painting part of it goes.  All these things add to the final cost of the artwork.

After I have finished the layering, shading, highlighting, etc, it’s time to seal it for a lasting finish.  I have several water-based varnishes that I use, depending on the application.  I also use glazes, wax, and gilding wax to add even more depth to my pieces.

I hope you understand a bit more about the pricing of pieces designed and painted by me.

Karen

Owner/Artist with From My Palette to Yours