Читать книгу How to sell your paintings? - - Страница 22

The question of pricing is perhaps one of the most complex for artists. Always. Always! You'll hear polar opinions, from "why so expensive" to "why so cheap." And they'll add, in a friendly whisper: "Tell me, can you even paint?" I suggest we silence this whisper and sideline discussions about artistic and masterpiece value.

What determines the price? No matter how much you think and ask, the decision is ultimately yours. Accept it. You decide how much your work is worth and at what price to exhibit it on a specifically chosen platform for online art sales. In doing so, perhaps you consider several factors important to you personally.

For example, I'm amazed at the question of how much time I spent on a piece. But for some artists, this is important. Or what's difficult for one to draw might be easy for me. For instance. I also often browse what's being exhibited on sales websites and auctions. Sizes, levels, prices. And, most importantly, the level of name and career comparable to yours. Here's a quote from some comments directed at me personally as an author: "You're not La Fe!" Yes, I'm not La Fe, nor are many worthy masters of watercolor painting and drawing. And those masters aren't all architects. Get the idea?

Here's the thing. When you see a work and its selling price, make sure it's actually being bought. Because if what you see isn't selling, then the price means nothing. And another important point. Having low prices as an idea isn't good at all. Let me tell you a story.

I was browsing works for sale posted in one of the Facebook groups. There was a very decent copy of Shishkin's painting. The first thing that caught my eye was the price being too low. Very. You can't imagine how many questions it raised! And not from happy buyers, eagerly clutching money in their hands. But from specialists. And buyers read all these dialogues and discussions and draw their own conclusions. If you're tired of selling at reduced prices, then raise them urgently! There's a chance that sales will increase.

And I know what's happening. That nothing sells at your low prices. Why? That's a separate topic for another article. So you sit there with a pile of works and no profit. That's why it's become tiresome. Raise your prices.

For some reason, people usually take into account only time and materials. They take out a calculator, do some math. Look at the art market around them. And are surprised. Where's the artist's profit? Why don't you pay yourself? But you want the buyer to pay.

Another story. This time about my hand-painted T-shirts. I collected almost 1000 comments under a post on social media in one evening. On one hand, people started calculating the quality of the cotton in the T-shirt and its price. On the other, they showed comparisons and prices. I was amazed. Thankfully, they started calculating the paint consumption. Nobody thought about the artist's labor. To create a design and paint it personally. And when I looked at the examples they sent… when I subtracted the price of the finished T-shirt from the actual T-shirt price, it was sad – what's left for the artist?

Here's what I do. I have prices for each work. I change them periodically. It mainly depends on the presentation and the platform I exhibit on. I also consider the nomination. There's a difference between "decor" and "original by the author," after all. Plus, I know the shipping costs to different countries. And I always base my prices on my profit. What else, in my opinion, is important when I set the price? The price range from $30 to $300. So there's a choice. Besides, it's emotionally difficult to part with some artworks. It happens, yes. I have a whole folder in the closet called "not for sale." Thick.

Set a price that you're willing to part with, and it will cover your lost emotions. Not for 50, but for 370, okay, take it. Got it? Here's to good buyers lining up for your paintings! And to decent profits!