This Page contains:
• Links
• Pricing Paintings
- Cost of Materials
- Time
- Marketing / Showing
- One plus One equals Three
• Paints and Mediums
• Supports / Panels
LINKS
These links open in a new window. If any appear to be broken when you try them, please let me know so I can remove or change them. A link to send me a comment is below. Thank you.
Beinart Surreal Collective
EBSQ Self Representing Artists
deviantART
Timeline Art History
Lines and Colors
Daily Painters
Spectrum
Artists I follow:
Not exactly art specific links:
Alibris: Used and New Books
Abe Books
Does God Exisit?
Australian Terrier Rescue
PRICING PAINTINGS
What we should consider when pricing a painting and why are similar sized paintings not the same price… from my point of view.
There are many factors to be weighed when pricing any piece of artwork, and there are many forms of calculating, which varies by artist. Some price by the square inch and some simply by what they need monetarily at the moment. I look at cost of materials, the time of the complete process, and whether or not a third party will be involved in the sale. There is also what I call the “one plus one equals three” factor. I will address each of these below.
First, I would like to make a clear statement of Quality. I will not sacrifice my work to inferior materials just to keep the cost down. I will not “water-down” paints to make my supplies last longer. If technique or effect requires paint be thinned, I use acrylic mediums, not water. By using only artist-grade paints, the pigment load always stays high even when diluted with a medium. No matter the price, the purchase (or gift of) a painting is a serious investment. It is important to me that this investment be true and honest. The buyer should feel confident that my work will withstand the test of time. Colors will not fade nor will the support on which it is painted degrade. I chose acrylics so I do not have to worry about my work yellowing nor cracking over time, as works painted with oils eventually do.
Cost of Materials.
For some artists, supplies are fairly consistent because they paint the same way every time. That is why they feel comfortable with square-inch pricing. I do not paint this way. Mt paintings of the same size may have twice as much (or more) paint as another and some have a far greater amount of time invested in them. This varies with technique. Some of these variable techniques are:
Painting a flat surface with a brush.
Applying paint thickly using a palette knife (impasto).
Painting straight out of the tube (a la prima).
Mixing paint with mediums.
Using mediums to create effects such as texture and glazes.
Multiple layers (sgraffito) to expose dry layers underneath.
Extrusion for distinct solid lines.
Creating acrylic sheets or skins off the support first.
… and many other techniques.
Not only is the amount of paint used a factor but also what specific colors. Usually craft store or student grade paints are all the same price, no matter the color. The amount of pigment in them varies to keep the prices the same. So a paint with a more expensive pigment has less in it. Of course, the quality of their other ingredients are inferior as well. Most contain fillers to bulk them up to appear to be of a higher quality than they actually are. (I plan to write more about paint ingredients in another article.) This is not the case with artist-quality paints, and that is all I use. I will give you an example.
A two ounce tube of Golden (top brand) Cerulean Blue Artist acrylic has a list price of $17.29. The student grade Cerulean Blue list price, in a Liquitex line called Basics (probably the best student grade), is only $6.49 for double the amount of paint (4 oz.). Then, of course, there are craft store paints that retail for under a dollar. Now, a Golden Ultramarine Blue, artist grade, is only listed as $8.65 for a two ounce tube - half the cost of their Cerulean Blue. Why? They are made exactly the same except for the color pigment, and the cost for the highest quality pigments varies greatly. Lower priced paints use lower quality (and less) pigments; and, as I mentioned, they use cheap fillers for volume. (Note: Liquitex also manufactures artist-quality acrylics.)
If I create a work with heavy impasto (thick paint) using Cerulean Blue right out of the tube (a la prima), the cost for that painting is obviously higher than for one the same size where I use Ultramarine Blue, spreading it flat with a brush, even if applied a la prima. Obviously, using paint right out of the tube, as opposed to mixing it into a medium (again I do not thin with water), requires that I use much more paint.
I usually paint a la prima because I like my paintings to be filled with deep vibrant colors and I like the buttery texture it creates. Now, fortunately, the Artist-quality paints have such a high pigment load that they can be mixed into acrylic mediums (artist grade as well) and still maintain the high pigment quality I require. Painters use mediums to alter the result of their paints, making the paints thinner or thicker usually, or to achieve a specific texture. The cost of the various mediums vary just as the paints do. One might expect to pay more for a texture medium using crushed garnets as an ingredient than a smooth one, for instance.
What one paints on, called a Support, varies also. When considering the purchase of a painting, one should ask what was used for its support. An artist can purchase a cheap stretched canvas frame at Wal-Mart (probably the lowest of qualities) or buy one from an art supply store (quality varies there, too). Some artists make their own stretched canvas frames, which is very easy to do by the way; but how well they do it and what materials they use can vary - the quality of the wood as well as the canvas is also a factor.
Some artists paint on panels. One should ask what the panel is made of - is it even archival? There are student- and museum-quality panels in art stores (and catalogs); and, of course, panels can be bought from lumber and home supply stores, such as Home Depot. A buyer probably never considers the quality of the painting’s support - and you really can‘t tell just by looking at it. I have seen a painting literally peal off of its panel, which was not even primed first.
Speaking of priming (either canvas or panels), the quality of gesso is also a factor. Is it simply a cheap water-base with some chalk or an acrylic-base with titanium, for example? Again, I use only artist-quality acrylic gesso. I started to learn to paint using an inexpensive gesso thinking (incorrectly) that they were all the same. That isn't smart, of course. If one is greatly more costly than the other, there is a difference. There is also a big difference in how it goes on and what you can do with it beyond simply coating a canvas or panel. For that very reason alone, I would not use inexpensive gesso again.
I also worry that a stretched canvas frame as a support can easily be damaged. An accidental poke through the canvas and the painting is basically ruined. I have seen it happen. Also, time has proven that paintings on panels last longer - ask any museum curator or art historian. I like the surface texture of canvas and the stability of panels, so I use them in combination. I usually make my own supports (a convenience, quality, and size issue) by securing canvas with artist-acrylic medium to the panels, wrapping the canvas around to the back (which protects the edges of the panel and covers--hides--the bracing or sides if I have made a deep-boxed support). Boxed supports made this way do not need to be framed, and I can continue the painting over the edges to the sides.
Design options for bracing and for sides can be seen in Post 46. I brace any support, to prevent warping, with a dimension on any one side over twenty-four inches. I even paint the backs of my supports to seal them, and this minimizes moisture damage over time.
Time involved.
Naturally an artist can spend far more time painting one work than another of the same size. A realistic portrait for instance would be expected to take more time than an abstract painting, for example (though this is not always so). There is also the time involved in research and preparation to consider. Is the artist taking the time to do photo shoots, or paying another to do that? Is there the cost of a model involved? Is he/she doing extensive research on the subject of the piece? There is also the time for making the support if the support is not purchased ready-made. Has time for preliminary sketches and other drawings been included in the price? It should be. The time for set-up and break down, as well as cleaning should also be considered, especially if the artist is doing a lot of mixing and/or painting on location instead of in a dedicated, always-ready studio. If framing is involved (cost of supplies to be added also), there is the time to go about doing that. An artist should also consider the time and activities involved in marketing the completed work.
Marketing and Showing.
This is a major factor in pricing, if not the biggest. If an artist sells a piece as a self-representing artist, from a web site, studio, or other showing, the price is what the artist wants for the piece. If, however, a third party is involved, such as a gallery, agent or special exhibit, a commission must also be included - this is beyond the artist’s control, with little room for negotiating, usually. The gallery, for instance, has a lot of expense and time involved in order to display and promote art sales. Generally, they earn, and deserve, every cent. It is not atypical for a gallery to double the artist's price to earn a fifty percent commission.
An artist may also create postcards, hand-outs, and other marketing materials at his/her own expense, which all needs to be considered when pricing artwork. This would be considered overhead if this were a retail store, and it is certainly no different for a self-employed business owner - the artist. Naturally, there are also expenses incurred when art is shipped to galleries and other showings.
I should also point out here that an artist who undercuts a gallery by making a private sale after a showing to a buyer who wants to avoid the gallery markup is basically a thief. Most galleries enter into a contract with the artist which states that he still needs to pay the commission to the gallery for any sales generated (by the gallery showing) after a certain amount of time. It is not fair to the gallery for a buyer to wait until the show closes and then immediately purchase it directly from the artist for a substantial savings. An artist who is caught doing these kinds of sales is not very likely to get future exhibits. If you think one gallery or venue won’t communicate this unethical practice to others, you are mistaken. Artists should never agree to such an exhibition of their work without knowing the gallery policy on this matter, for many buyers will try to do this.
One plus One equals Three.
Something else every artist and buyer should consider: a work of art is more than the sum of its components plus time. To visualize this, take all of the supplies utilized and pile them all up next to the finished work. Do you see a difference? Of course. The pile of supplies is meaningless without the artist having turned them into something unique and whole. That is one reason why a van Gogh is worth millions of dollars. Even unknown living artists give birth to a new “life,” and that artistic life is worth more than the paint, canvas, and the gestation time. How do you accurately price that? There is no formula because it must come from the artist - the painting’s added value is, quite literally, a work of art.
I hope this has helped buyers understand an artist's pricing, as well as help other artists to consider what should be calculated into the price they ask for an individual work. Every factor I have mentioned here are reasonable and legitimate considerations, and I am sure there are many others which may or may not apply to all artists and situations.
You are more than welcome to share this article with others because I feel this is an important subject that is too often neglected. If you do, make sure that I am given credit for writing this article by both providing links to this blog, to my website, and by spelling my name correctly (wink); and please ensure that this article is not changed nor edited in any way. If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to ask.
If I have left something out which you feel is crucial, please let me know.
PAINTS | MEDIUMS
I only paint with high quality artist paints and mediums. I want my work to have the greatest possible pigment load as well as strong lightfastness and other archival properties. Right now I am using the new acrylic paints and I am experimenting with the very wide assortment of acrylic mediums - all of them. I really like that I can do any technique with these acrylics, from watercolor style to heavy impasto. I find the fast drying time a plus.
I only paint with high quality artist paints and mediums. I want my work to have the greatest possible pigment load as well as strong lightfastness and other archival properties. Right now I am using the new acrylic paints and I am experimenting with the very wide assortment of acrylic mediums - all of them. I really like that I can do any technique with these acrylics, from watercolor style to heavy impasto. I find the fast drying time a plus.
I do plan to try the traditional oils, just for the experience though. I can not see myself using them now for anything important. I do not like that they yellow and crack, and take so long to dry (I am not that patient).
SUPPORTS
Unless otherwise indicated, I prefer to work on canvas covered panel supports which I make when I need them (see below). Some are flat, and some have sides of various depths and do not require a frame. Although lighter, I am too concerned with the stretched canvas supports being easy to puncture or otherwise damage.
I make my own supports (what one paints on) instead of purchasing low quality stretched canvas frames. Usually I gesso 1/8" (or 1/4" if large) wood panels then cover them with canvas (adhered with acrylic medium) instead of making my own stretched canvas frames or using a plain panel. Then I prime the canvas surface with additional layers of acrylic gesso. I wrap and adhere the canvas around to the back of the panel so all edges are finished and painted. I like the look and texture of traditional canvas but feel stretched canvas frames are too easily damaged. However, if I am going to put down an overall thickly textured foundation on which to paint, completely covering the panel - with acrylic paste or gell for instance - then I may skip the canvas* altogether. Conservators agree that paintings on panels have held up better than those worked on stretched canvas frames. Each back is painted as well so the panel is completely resistant to moisture damage.
To prevent warping on panels with any side longer than about 20", I fix braces to the back of the panels before adhering the canvas. This allows me to create supports which can be hung with or without framing (fig.1 and fig.2), or supports with deep sides (boxed panels) which are painted as part of the work and are best displayed unframed (fig.3). Even though the sides of panels like fig.1 are not deep, I paint them as part of the piece as well, just in case one wants to hang them unframed. The supports which make the painting seem to float away from the wall (fig.2) also look very nice without frames. Larger paintings have center bracing (fig.4) for additional strength.* If working on a panel with the bracing on the panel edges (fig1 and fig.3), on which I will completely cover the surface with a heavy texture medium, I will still put down canvas and wrap it to the back so the seam between the panel edge and the bracing does not show.
PANELS - cutting and what kind
I have received quite a lot of email inquiring about how, where and what kind of panels I paint on. Here are the answers...
You can purchase ready-cut 1/8" hardboard panels in standard sizes (generally up to 24"x30") from art suppliers such as Dick Blick. I have done this. Such suppliers also offer a variety of other non-canvas supports. Some primed already and some boxed (deeper), and naturally the prices go up once you venture from the plain 1/8" panels. If you don't paint very often and don't care what you paint on, by all means just order them.
Five reasons why I do not buy my panels from an art supplier now...
1) Too impatient to wait for them to arrive. When I want it, I want it right then and there. I could buy a variety and have them ready but I never know what I want. Like a typical artist, I don't settle for something other than what I want.
2) I want to be in control over how they are primed. A quality issue. I have no clue what is used for commercially manufactured panels. I also like to start my texture beginning with gessoing the panel and/or canvas on the panel. I like to cover most of my panels with canvas that wraps around the edges to the back.
3) I like choosing from a variety of thicknesses and composition. Can also be a quality issue. Generally I prefer 1/4" thickness, or more.
4) I do not want to be limited to certain standard sizes or types (flat or deep) and I like to be in control of the bracing - a quality issue.
5) They are much cheaper at Home Depot (and I imagine other such stores).
In your local home construction / lumber store, they will be offered as large 4'x8' sheets or much more manageable 2'x4' sheets. Although the larger will get you even more inexpensive individual panels, I opt for the 2'x4' sheets. Easier for me as well as the people cutting them down for you. It is also my experience that you have a larger selection with the 2'x4' size.
I go into the store with my cutting diagrams (see below), select which 2'x4' sheets I want, go to the cutting station with them, flag down an employee (usually the longest part of this process), hand him/her my diagram(s) and watch. You do need to watch. Make sure the person cutting the panels for you takes into consideration the width of the saw blade and is not just estimating. When possible they can push this to the waste areas or the last cut. If I do not know the person, I measure his first cut so he knows I am serious about my dimensions - if he is off by more than 1/16" I get another sheet and make him do it right, refusing his first attempt. Rarely does that happen, but it does occasionally. This is especially important if the panels are meant to fit with standard mat or frame sizes. If he gives me a difficult time about it (happened once) I call for a manager.
As I mentioned, I go to Home Depot. They supposedly had a policy of $1 per cut after the first or maybe second cut. I have never had anyone try to charge me for the cuts or even mention it. I simply go up to the checkout person and hand them the cut pieces with the barcodes and tell them something like, "I had 2 of these and 3 of these," and they just ring that up.
Note: I highly recommend you read the following page (link) so you are up-to-date with Today's panels. There is much incorrect information published about this issue based on the old ways of manufacturing. The Story Of Hardboard will open in a new window. Short but very informative. Here is a quote from that article:
When artists call Ampersand we always recommend using tempered hardboard because it will resist warping and the edges won’t fray as they sometimes do with untempered or standard hardboard. Furthermore, tempered hardboard creates a better seal with oil and acrylic primers so that the painted surface is protected from any potential discoloration.
Be aware that Masonite is simply a brand name for hardboard.
Although I do not purchase panels from art suppliers, I heed the advice of this article by being aware of what I am purchasing and also by overkill - I seal my panels, apply multiple coats of a top gesso, apply a base coat of paint or affix a canvas to the panel with acrylic medium and then gesso the canvas. If the Master's paintings on poorly made panels have survived these past centuries, my panels will surely survive a great deal longer - that is if anyone appreciates what is painted on them.
The main reason I am so careful about Quality is for the consideration of those who purchase my work.
Here are my standard diagrams that I give the cutter to refer to, which I actually have on 3"x5" index cards. Please feel free to make use of these. Click on images to enlarge.
PANELS - cutting and what kind
I have received quite a lot of email inquiring about how, where and what kind of panels I paint on. Here are the answers...
You can purchase ready-cut 1/8" hardboard panels in standard sizes (generally up to 24"x30") from art suppliers such as Dick Blick. I have done this. Such suppliers also offer a variety of other non-canvas supports. Some primed already and some boxed (deeper), and naturally the prices go up once you venture from the plain 1/8" panels. If you don't paint very often and don't care what you paint on, by all means just order them.
Five reasons why I do not buy my panels from an art supplier now...
1) Too impatient to wait for them to arrive. When I want it, I want it right then and there. I could buy a variety and have them ready but I never know what I want. Like a typical artist, I don't settle for something other than what I want.
2) I want to be in control over how they are primed. A quality issue. I have no clue what is used for commercially manufactured panels. I also like to start my texture beginning with gessoing the panel and/or canvas on the panel. I like to cover most of my panels with canvas that wraps around the edges to the back.
3) I like choosing from a variety of thicknesses and composition. Can also be a quality issue. Generally I prefer 1/4" thickness, or more.
4) I do not want to be limited to certain standard sizes or types (flat or deep) and I like to be in control of the bracing - a quality issue.
5) They are much cheaper at Home Depot (and I imagine other such stores).
In your local home construction / lumber store, they will be offered as large 4'x8' sheets or much more manageable 2'x4' sheets. Although the larger will get you even more inexpensive individual panels, I opt for the 2'x4' sheets. Easier for me as well as the people cutting them down for you. It is also my experience that you have a larger selection with the 2'x4' size.
I go into the store with my cutting diagrams (see below), select which 2'x4' sheets I want, go to the cutting station with them, flag down an employee (usually the longest part of this process), hand him/her my diagram(s) and watch. You do need to watch. Make sure the person cutting the panels for you takes into consideration the width of the saw blade and is not just estimating. When possible they can push this to the waste areas or the last cut. If I do not know the person, I measure his first cut so he knows I am serious about my dimensions - if he is off by more than 1/16" I get another sheet and make him do it right, refusing his first attempt. Rarely does that happen, but it does occasionally. This is especially important if the panels are meant to fit with standard mat or frame sizes. If he gives me a difficult time about it (happened once) I call for a manager.
As I mentioned, I go to Home Depot. They supposedly had a policy of $1 per cut after the first or maybe second cut. I have never had anyone try to charge me for the cuts or even mention it. I simply go up to the checkout person and hand them the cut pieces with the barcodes and tell them something like, "I had 2 of these and 3 of these," and they just ring that up.
Note: I highly recommend you read the following page (link) so you are up-to-date with Today's panels. There is much incorrect information published about this issue based on the old ways of manufacturing. The Story Of Hardboard will open in a new window. Short but very informative. Here is a quote from that article:
When artists call Ampersand we always recommend using tempered hardboard because it will resist warping and the edges won’t fray as they sometimes do with untempered or standard hardboard. Furthermore, tempered hardboard creates a better seal with oil and acrylic primers so that the painted surface is protected from any potential discoloration.
Be aware that Masonite is simply a brand name for hardboard.
Although I do not purchase panels from art suppliers, I heed the advice of this article by being aware of what I am purchasing and also by overkill - I seal my panels, apply multiple coats of a top gesso, apply a base coat of paint or affix a canvas to the panel with acrylic medium and then gesso the canvas. If the Master's paintings on poorly made panels have survived these past centuries, my panels will surely survive a great deal longer - that is if anyone appreciates what is painted on them.
The main reason I am so careful about Quality is for the consideration of those who purchase my work.
Here are my standard diagrams that I give the cutter to refer to, which I actually have on 3"x5" index cards. Please feel free to make use of these. Click on images to enlarge.
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