[browtm7]

Hi Everyone,

I need some advice. I saw a drawing done by a friend of a friend and I asked her how much for an 11X17. She said she didn't know as she has never sold any of her drawings before.

Long story short, she recreated the drawing for me on an 11 X 17 poster board and actually did it in acrylic.

I asked her if she decided on pricing and she said after speaking to a couple people she has decided to accept whatever I want to pay her for it. (Totally crazy, I know) Nevertheless she has completed the piece, and I do love it and want it; however, I have no idea how much to pay her for it.

Originally I was expecting a print of the original drawing, not an original which has taken her time to produce. I asked her how much time she spent on it and how much her supplies were. Her supplies were $16.00 and she has spent a total of 8 hours on it so far and said she will have it complete as soon as she gets some white to highlight some of the darker areas, so I am guessing maybe an hour more.

My one concern is that she painted it on poster board and am worried about it holding up over time, although I do plan to frame it.

I want to be fair to both her and myself and I just don't know what a fair price is in this situation.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much,

TBrown

 

[Mel_Robertson]

Hi brow could we see the painting ?

 

[browtm7]

Thank you for your response Meli Here is a picture of it.

 

[browtm7]

It's not quite finished as she is going to add some highlighting to the darkest areas.

 

[Mel_Robertson]

Okay she told you to give her what it's worth to you, so tell me the price you have in your head then I'll tell you how much it's worth

 

[Susan Mulno]

I appreciate you coming here and asking, it is a great move! A lot of people will rob her of her work but if you set a fair price maybe she will learn what her art is worth. I have difficulty with pricing my pieces so I am curious for the answer myself. :biggrin:

 

[dickhutchings]

Okay she told you to give her what it's worth to you, so tell me the price you have in your head then I'll tell you how much it's worth

This is the best answer you're going to get. It's worth whatever you think it's worth. If the artist excepts it then that's it, at least until someone comes along and offers you more for it and you decide to sell it. Then it's worth more.:biggrin:

 

[Mel_Robertson]

what ever price you have in your head double it.

 

[dickhutchings]

Well if your going to go there, you can't afford what it's really worth to the artist. What is the artists acceptable hourly wage? Minimum wage is what, 15 hr? That's $120. Add in the cost of materials and your at $136 but no matter how many hours are in it, it still needs to be judged by it's quality and what it means to you. It may only be worth $30 to you. The artist may be just starting out and not have an established name agree on that price just to get the work out there. If you own it and like it then you will proudly show it to your friends and send them her way. When her request list goes up so will the prices.

 

[bbbaldie]

Well, here's my two cents'. All my own stupid opinion, your own mileage might vary.

Art is priced by demand. As demand goes up, so does price.

Artists start out selling things for less than they'd like, in anticipation of the price someday being where they would like it.

Early on, I created a requested 11 x 14 portrait of a guy's dogs and sent it to him (a thousand miles away) in a tube. He loved it. He asked how much, I did the same thing. Pay me what you think it was worth.

He sent me a check for 60 bucks. I was quite pleased. I would also have been pleased with 25 bucks. I had no preconceived notions about what I might get.

Since then, I've sold around 15-20 works, and my standard asking price for a custom 11 x 14 ink piece is 100 bucks. If it's a friend, I explain my asking price and then offer it for 75. I do offer satisfaction guaranteed. So far, my customers have been 100% satisfied. But that's all based on the fact that that first commissioned piece by a rookie netted me 60 bucks.

The main point is that an artist's hours are going to be compensated in a range from richly to miserably. But every creation hones the artist's skills, so pure wages aren't the only benefit.

I would pay 75 bucks, myself. Now, she has a benchmark. And if the picture turns brown over time because of the medium, that might only add to its charm. I drew a compilation of steam trains in the 80's on posterboard, and I swear that its browned look now makes it a better picture.

 

[Susan Mulno]

I must agree an artist cannot consider an hourly wage. One reason as Bbbaldie pointed out, each piece improves our skill. Another reason, for me anyway, I am having fun doing my art so how much do you charge to have fun? If I am not having fun the price will go up! :biggrin: What should definitely be considered in my opinion, is materials and details.

 

[browtm7]

I cannot thank EACH of you enough for your responses!!!

I have lost sleep over this. This young lady is just starting out and the very last thing I want to do is put any kind of damper on her dreams.

I do love the piece and it will actually be my very first "original"!

After thinking about what you guys have said, I feel that if I saw the piece in a retail setting, knowing nothing of the artists, I would probably pay up to $40 for it; however, because of the young lady herself and her enthusiasm to do it, I feel that it's worth much more.

All of that being said, I now feel like $80.00 would be fair to both her and I. I hope she feels the same.

Thank you all again, so so much.

Gratefully,
TBrown

 

[abt2k15]

i think you did good paying her a good sum for it. karma shall be with you

the face reminds me of this :

http://cdn.animeherald.com/aniheral...sassination-Classroom-Header-001-20150122.jpg

 

[browtm7]

i think you did good paying her a good sum for it. karma shall be with you

the face reminds me of this :

http://cdn.animeherald.com/aniheral...sassination-Classroom-Header-001-20150122.jpg

Thank you abt! I hope she feels the same :smile:

In her original drawing the only color was the yellow happy face!! It's one of the things I love so much about the piece. I smile A LOT and I am pretty happy most of the time... but like everyone else, I also have my demons. It's a great piece and I will be lucky to have it.

Thank you all again.

 

[Mel_Robertson]

All of that being said, I now feel like $80.00 would be fair to both her and I. I hope she feels the same.

you've made the right decision.
do you paint at all ?

 

[browtm7]

you've made the right decision.
do you paint at all ?

Thank you Meli! I appreciate your input so much.

No, I do not paint or draw. I write.

 

[Mel_Robertson]

writings a great art... what do you write?

 

[Oregon Artist]

I have sold 8 watercolors matted and framed 18X24" I get about $100 after commission, unframed and unmatted I would say maybe $75

 

[browtm7]

writings a great art... what do you write?

I write poetry and expressive prose. Here is a piece I am actually thinking about looking into having an artist try to illustrate (if that's the right word to use)

Mom

Abruptly she erupted from the core.

Broken atoms ferociously
exploded into dust
and lingered for long moments,
before imploding back together
with a brutal pummel.

Within those moments
an incompleteness,
a piercing emptiness
so vast was born.

Falling to her knees, head thrown back,
she burst forth a primal keen
from a depth not known to even exist
within one's very own being.

This, when your father's face
revealed to her your death.

Tammy Brown in loving memory of Larry Brown

 

[browtm7]

I have sold 8 watercolors matted and framed 18X24" I get about $100 after commission, unframed and unmatted I would say maybe $75

Thank you so much for your input Oregon. It is appreciated very much!