Resources for Artists
Resources for Artists
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How do I Price My Art?
A good source on how to price art is from Matt Tommy, a sculptural basketry artists. He founded a Christian art mentoring non-profit, The Worship Studio, which provides resources for artists to help with their art business. Your beliefs do not have to align with Christianity to benefit from Matt's practical advise for artists. The advise is applicable to authors as well. For example, craftsmanship. Was the subject matter well researched and accurate? Is the writing grammatically correct and flow for the reader? It is a page turner? Etc...
This is a podcast titled Pricing Your Art with Profit in Mind.
This is from his book Created to Thrive....
Most artists who are hobbyists or emerging artists experience infrequent or non-exist sales of their work. They end up giving away lots of work to friends, family, and coworkers because they really enjoy creating their work for personal pleasure and their own spiritual processing with the Lord. It's also common for these artists to struggle when trying to place a monetary value on their work because they have no established clientele, presentation, or pricing strategy.
In general, artists who actively sell their work for top dollar on a regular basis do so within an established clientele under a standardized pricing and presentation model. They are confident in the quality and value of their work and are willing to charge a premium. They understand what their clientele responds to within their art and work to deepen that connection over time through their marketing strategies.
Realize people don't buy art because they need it, they buy because of CONNECTION. That connection might be with the artists, the process, the medium, the experience, the subject matter, or any combination of these factors, but there has to be connection.
TOP FOUR THINGS EVERY ART BUYER IS LOOKING FOR:
Uniqueness. One of the first things I hear from people considering purchasing or commissioning my work is something like, "Wow, I've never seen anything like this before. I love it." Yes, it's beautiful, and there are a lot of beautiful things out there, but I'm also the only person that does what I do. Everything I create is one of a kind, so there will never be another one exactly like it. Think about what makes your art different in a field of 5, 10, 20, or 100 artists who do essentially the same thing you do.
Craftsmanship. No matter how unique a piece of art is, people who can afford to invest $1,000, $2,000, $5000, or more on a piece of art want to be sure the the piece is constructed with quality and craftsmanship. Are you using the best materials? Do you pay attention to details? Do you sweat the little things in the piece?
Unparalleled Service. The Biltmore Estate is in Asheville, North Carolina train their staff to practice Gracious Hospitality. According to their website, thought "being genuinely warm and authentically nice - we are able to deliver a costumer service experience that far outweighs the quality of any product we sell." I've found that to be true in my own art business as well. I always offer to deliver and install my work for free. I always carry new purchases to the car. I write thank-you notes. I drop by to visit clients and partners. The long story short, I just go the extra mile. People love it, and it's one of the hallmarks of buying a piece of art from me.
Connection. One term many artists use is "collectors," as if these special art gods swoop down from the heavens, grace the doors of certain artists and swoop back into the ether. From what I have found over the years, people who buy lots of expensive, high-quality art are just people looking for connection. That connection might be with the artists, the subject matter, the artistic process, or even a special experience. Regardless, everyone loves to feel special and to genuinely connect in a way that is meaningful. Most people I encounter really enjoy the personal connection that commissioning a piece of art brings, including getting to know the artist, a personal studio visit, or a home visit to see their space and understand their preferences in interior design and art. It doesn't just happen in person either, but online too! Your websie and social media should convey an authentic idea of who you are through your videos, images, and stories that will help deepen this connection over time with potential clients. Listen intently to clients overtime and understand why people connect with you and your work and then work diligently to deepen that connection over time.
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