Why do artists charge so much?

Why do artists charge so much?

“Wow that’s way overpriced.”

“How does ___ come up with that price? That’s crazy”

“I’d buy it if I could afford it.”

These are things I hear all too frequently. As an artist it’s really hard to hear that because it blocks me from my full potential, as I’m sure other artists can relate.

There are several reasons why artists seem to “overcharge” for their artwork. I won’t be the last one to say this, but I do think sometimes artwork is very expensive, so my goal here isn’t to make anyone feel bad or tell you to drain your pockets to go support artists. But I hope this helps others understand why artists charge their artwork the way they do.

 

If I can break it down into my top five reasons, they would be:

 

1. Time

2. Cost of Materials and Size

3. Sentimental Value (and making sure it goes to the right person who will appreciate it)

4. Knowing Their Worth

5. Finally, we need to make a living

 

So let’s get started!

 

Time

The amount of time it takes for an artist to create a piece of art depends on several factors. Some of which might be:

1. Medium they’re working with

2. Planning, especially if working with a customer who is commissioning the artwork

3. Personal life, life events, etc.

Medium

The definition of medium in the art world is, “the materials used to make a work of art.” To name a few we have oil, acrylic, and watercolor painting, clay wood, and metal sculpting, and drawing. All of these have different processes to go through before delivery, and all of them take time

One medium might have a longer processing timeframe than another, but it’s still something that artists calculate into their artwork. For example, an oil painting involves mixing paints, prepping a canvas, cleaning brushes, and a lot of drying time. Often times, oil painters even have to allow for drying between phases of a painting. 

On the other hand, a drawing might not take as much time if the artist isn’t using mixed media or if the drawing isn’t of installation scale. A single pencil or stick of charcoal doesn’t require any drying time, but the artist may choose to use a fixative (a sealant product to prevent smudging when completed), which may require some drying time and tests to make sure it won’t smudge. 

Planning

If the artist is working with a customer for a custom work, not only is there creative inspiration planning, but there is planning with the customer to make sure they are getting exactly what they want. After all, the customer is the one paying for it!

I personally have had every kind of customer, but here are two different examples for contrast. One type that says “I give you full artistic freedom! I’ll pay for whatever you give me!” And another one where there has been phone call meetings, email exchanges with multiple photo references, and a few final design idea changes before settling on a plan. I love both experiences! They both have their complications and things that make me nervous, but they both make for beautiful and unique paintings that I always hope will make my customers happy.

The challenge with having artistic freedom for custom paintings is the fear it was too much freedom and the final will be great to me, but not what the customer actually wanted. That has thankfully never happened, but it’s still a fear. On the flip side, there can be almost too many ideas with the second customer that I have to turn on a hyper-organization switch to make sure I don’t have any blurred lines. 

The planning process can be faced with many obstacles, and ultimately take a lot of time. 

Personal Life

While this isn’t necessarily a factor that goes into the price of a piece of art (so no, your’e not paying for their vacation time!), it is something that may make the piece of art take more time. This portion is really only necessary for those who are waiting on a commission. I, being a mom of two littles (three if you count my husband, whom I love so dearly), can get very caught up in the necessities of life. So to all of my moms out there, I hear you!

Sometimes more serious things like a loss of a family member happens during the commission process. If I have to take more time on a project, I always send follow-up messages with an apology for the time it’s taking. While I have offered small discounts as an apology, it should never be expected! It is my own guilt that has brought me to make those decisions, even though I know it’s not necessary. All of my customers have been so wonderful and understanding whenever “life happens” and time gets away from all of us. 

Cost of Materials & Size

Some artists use their materials and size of the artwork as their leading source of pricing. Including myself, it’s the easiest singular tool to use. Many times when an artist is selling artwork, there will be price differences depending on the variations they offer. 

What is a variation?

A variation is the combination of options you have for a specific item or listing. This can go for prints and originals. I’m showing an example below with my Highland Reflections print with variations. The first picture shows the lowest price item with the smallest size and the premium archival paper. The quality is still considered premium, but the material is a less expensive and more affordable option. The second photo shows the opposite at the most expensive print option with the largest size.

 

Both are still great options to own! But they are different options to work with your specific budget and space. Many artists who offer prints also have to outsource their printing services and may likely factor the cost of their order to make offering prints worth it for their business. 

When ordering a custom piece of art, you’re in more control with the size and medium that the artist has to offer and there will be a more open discussion before payment and fulfillment of the order for what works with your own budget. 

 

Sentimental Value

Even if I’m not particularly attached to the subject of a custom piece, there is always this pride element that makes me more attached to a painting before sending it to it’s forever home. 

Now that we’ve learned about the time it takes and cost of materials, there is now this new feeling of attachment because the artist only gets to enjoy the final product for a short period of time before saying goodbye — in most cases. So when the time comes to see it off, we just hope it’s well taken care of. That might sound dramatic, but it’s a common perspective!

That scenario was just for a custom piece. Imagine if it were one that the artist actually had the creative freedom and desire to paint. Those might be marked higher because there was a bit more of a personal touch to it. It might even be possible it wasn’t originally planned to be sold, but artists can’t hold onto every piece they make, right? But we don’t want just anyone to own it. If someone really wants an original, high quality piece of art, they will commit to the financial responsibility.

My point here is that if we’re going to sell original artwork, we would want to make sure it’s going to be treated with only the best care. 

 

Knowing Their Worth

Okay, this might seem like a very arrogant topic, but it’s a very important one. Many artists aim too low with their pricing because of the fear no one would buy their artwork. I’m guilty of this! The sale meant more to me than the value of what I deserved credit for. 

I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. That means I am classically and professionally trained to create art, with a concentration in oil painting. To be honest, I didn’t understand this value, much less did I know how to even price out my artwork fresh out of college because I was blessed with parents who helped me pay for my materials because they saw the value in my art for me. So the cost of materials as a factor didn’t necessarily apply to my artwork. And now that I have been on my own, I have realized that the high quality materials are not cheap! But my customers only deserve the best so it’s worth every penny.

So while we, as artists, have our own journeys and paths to understand our own worth, in turn we understand your utmost value as a customer. 

Which brings me to my next and final point…

 

We need to make a living

I sometimes make this joke the “Starving Artist” isn’t starving because we can’t afford food, but it’s because we just get so absorbed in our craft that we forget to eat. While that’s actually pretty true in my case, I think most would say it’s because they often struggle to produce an income that supports their nutritional lifestyle they also desire. I’m lucky that I have a husband who makes up our primary income, but I would not be able to live my dream as an artist if I were on my own. 

This point could be put first, as it’s the most true point for every artist across the board, but it’s the one everyone else already assumes. But it’s not one that should be ignored because “this is the life they chose.” 

Artists are happy doing what they do and sometimes don’t mind the simpler lifestyle because of the level of satisfaction to see what their own artwork can do for someone else. So while they might not have literal food, art serves as spiritual and mental food. And for anyone who can hold that statement to heart and can find a piece of art done by a “starving artist” you’d be doing more than just helping them pay a mortgage or put food on their table for themselves and their family — you’d be feeding your own body and mind while also giving the artist a name. 

Being an artist is a dream come true. It’s not something any artist takes for granted. Ultimately, we all just hope our artwork can feel as special to someone else as it does to us.  

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