How to Price Your Paintings for Sale

Artist/art teacher Dianne Mize shares her method on how to price paintings and feel good about the outcome.

[ME-fosi]

During the lockup time, I started to paint because a few friends got together and said, let’s have a 2 weakly competition. We did this for about 8-10mths. It go us through a long and for some lonely time. We were all over sixty and had not painted since we were in school as young teens. We hadn’t got a clue but we did it and it was so much fun. Every 2 weeks we’d send our paintings via WhatsApp to a friend or a family member, not telling who’s was who’s. The buildup to the finals every couple of weeks was intense and so much fun. We don’t all live in the same country so it was especially heartwarming to have the camaraderie across the world. I’ve carried on with the painting, I haven’t sold anything but I have given paintings to my grandchildren and my children and they have all wanted different ones sometimes wanting the same 😊 so my paintings are all over the world right now and I’m still painting. I have no idea at the moment what my style is, it’s quite iritic and I love painting whatever I see in the canvas but I also paint landscape and tigers and pelicans 😃😃I’m just finishing the second of 3 paintings for my daughter which are kind of caricature, there called “ painting you better” . I’m lucky as I don’t need to sell anything, I wish you all the very best along your paths of art.

[tinastreet]

I just love you! I love watching your videos, your voice, your personality, your wisdom, your work, & I could go on and on. Thanks so much for taking the time to make these videos and share your gift to those of us who can’t afford classes. You share such a wealth of knowledge.
You are a such a blessing and an inspiration🙏

[atroutflycrazy]

Thankyou so much Dianne for so much great advice on a difficult area for artists.
Totally agree with you on painting solely as artistic creative expression and not compromising just to sell.
Im def going to make a pricing chart.

[dianebaresich]

I like your method. It makes sense to ask a different price for a painting I am more attached to that's the same size as another that didn't turn out as well but is still nice. I recently felt "off" when I priced two paintings the same . I am new to selling and used the length + width x 10 method. So my two 8 x10" paintings were recently priced at US$185, adding only $5, a fraction of the cost of frames which were required. It was a juried show done by a local environmental group, their yearly fundraising. Neither sold; I would not have minded letting go of one but was very happy to take home the other. The latter got a ribbon, "honorable mention". Made me happy. Luckily, I'm not relying yet on sales to eat. This whole process is new to me. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Love your quick tips.

[mrsnrub]

I'd never accept commissions. In fact, I think I've managed to successfully swerve each and every single request on the basis that (and these are my exact words): "it REALLY doesn't interest me. I'll 100% procrastinate, and the chances are, you'll never see it materialise".

Though sensitive to the things that interest me, I'm BRUTALLY honest and as tough as overcooked steak when I'm staring down the barrel of my passion becoming a chore. I respect the process THAT much that I absolutely refuse to squander time on something that doesn't turn me on, in order to please someone else. I work full time so that I'm never forced into that situation in the first place. My time, my pigments, my paints, my materials, all deserve nothing less than my full devotion. A commissioned piece is never going to allow for that.

Some days, I want to paint an ambitious London scene, whilst other days, I'm content to settle on some basic peaches. And that to me, is the entire point. The freedom of expression.

Great video Dianne. The pricing system you drew up is probably the way I'll go. I'm even tempted to create another row, labelled "donate to the charity shop."

[kevinjones]

Thanks for good sound level headed advice, I am still enjoying the journey.

[BJones-ywdd]

As a professional singer, I agree on not viewing your work as a product, but as a form of expertise that comes with a vast amount of practice and training, which cannot be discounted, nor will it be offered for free simply because it is also something I love to do or somebody wants "proof" of my skills. People often simply expect me to "sing something" for them because they ask. They sing as a hobby, but I don't. I joke with them and ask if they'd ask a secretary to pull out a laptop and type something for them for free. "No!" Exactly.... (Besides, I can't stand the egotists who will launch into a mini-concert to show off & try to impress people.) ;-D

ANYWAY ... thanks for this Dianne. I was taught the $X/square inch method and raise my prices incrementally every year or two -- but I'll definitely take your method into consideration. Since I'm far more dedicated to learning to paint well than into selling "my babies", it frankly doesn't matter all that much. HAHA🙂

[MikeTrainormusic]

I think a major problem with artists selling their work is their brain isn't wired to do the business side. I don't think it comes naturally for most creative types, and really has to be practiced. People who are not so srtistic are very creative with networking and business management; so an opportunity for both parties would be to find a partner who will help expose/push your work. A problem I struggle with is I really avoid social media for my health and well-being, so spending hours online would be grind. I'm constantly focused on creating and ust horrible at the business side of it

[mountainsno]

I came back and listened again. I am ready to sell. I needed all your advice thank you.

[heidil]

Thank you. That was so helpful. I do sell my paintings, but some of them I keep. I was told by a mentor to “not get emotionally attached to your paintings” ( in regards to keeping vs selling).

[karenfletcher]

Exactly the message I needed to hear today!

[snakehooks]

This is timely for me. I had the opportunity to exhibit my work locally. I actually sold a few. It was an education.
I wanted to know what the public, people I don't know thought of my work.
What I wasn't prepared for was the effect that selling some work had on my brain.
I didn't touch a brush for a month.
I can't explain it well.
I think a person has to experience it.

[InLawsAttic]

This is great! I am glad others ask the questions, since I wouldn’t have even thought of them! Thank you!

[sallysmiles]

Wonderful! that is the way I was looking at pricing, I just had not moved it to a chart from in my head. Thank you teacher, and your teacher.

[andreah.]

Thank you, just in the nick of time. I am showing my oils for the first time in gallery. This helped immensely. Cheers.

[cherylbutler]

So glad I tuned in. Great info! Thank you so much. ❤️

[aekorfker]

This is a completely new (and better) way for me for looking at pricing.

[thomassutrina]

I am an inventor for hire and have been well paid, now retired. I have patents that I have spend less then an hour and other 7 months every work day and thinking about the problem at home also. The value to the employer is totally dependent of the time you spent. I look at it this way. It took me many years to decades to develop the skill and back ground knowledge. That is what is the measure I use not the actual time.
My comment to someone wanting a solution to a problem. Essentially I start with a faint alone that I will find a solution. I would tell them that I will find a solution and I have no idea right not what the end result will be or how long it will take for me to find a solution that I and hopefully you will be happy with.

[sacoyle]

I have dozens of paintings from when I taught classes with the paint along method. These were done in acrylics on 9x12 panels. I have reused quite a few of these panels, but still have dozens for sales at very reasonable prices.Often times I will go back in and work on some of these paintings just for the sake of painting or trying some out on them. Great thing about acrylics is that you can gesso over them and paint something new.
Anyway with pricing do you price differently for a canvas panel opposed to a stretched canvas? Also do you prices mediums differently, be it water color, oil etc.?
I am in my 70s so I would really like to unload my art work before I croak. Hopefully what's left will get donated and not end up in the dump.

[elenamagnoli]

I am so happy to have met you ! Thank you so much!