Careers: Arts/selling my art

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Expert: - 3/3/2010


Question

"7 seconds"
I am a pencil artist, and would like to turn my talent into more of a career. I have been asked to draw pictures for people and have sold them. I am conflicted on how to price my art; Do I charge by the hour, the size, the detail;? whether to sell the original or print. I need to get started and I'll take all the advice I can get. How do I put a copywrite on my work?

Answer
Hello Anita!

Congratulations on already having sold some work and thank you for including a picture! You have a beautiful touch with light and shadow.

When it comes to pricing your work, you need to take into consideration everything you mentioned: the hours, the size, the detail, etc. Estimating with an hourly rate is a good way to start. Assign yourself a reasonable hourly salary and multiply that times the amount of hours it took to finish the piece. For example, $20/hr for a five hour drawing is $100. Now, you also want to take into account the cost of materials you are using (or the cost of producing a print). You want to make sure that the cost of all it takes to make a piece of art (materials and labor, framing if you choose) is worked into the actual price of the drawing, plus a little bit of a mark-up. To be successful, an artist needs to make a profit, not break even.

Generally, original work is priced higher than a print, but you can sell prints of one piece of work over and over and over. The number of prints also changes the price. A limited run means a higher price than a print that is mass produced. Larger pieces should be more expensive than smaller ones. More detailed pieces should be more expensive than less detailed artwork. It's up to you to sell prints or originals. Be versatile and offer both as an option (unless you have an original you just don't want to give up). Additionally, how much an artist produces also affects price. An artist that pumps out work after work will charge less than an artist who does just four, large, exclusive paintings a year.

Do some research. Look at local artists and galleries and see what's being charged for similar work (or any artwork) in your area. You don't want to price yourself too low or too high out of the normal range.

If it seems like this is a really variable pricing system, it is. That's just part of the essence of art. Take a look at the type of work you do and see if you can notice a pattern. If you tend to work at certain sizes, pick the smallest size and calculate the hours and materials for that piece (plus a little mark-up) and go from there.

Don't be afraid to ask the opinions of close family and friends. You may also have to test out prices to feel what works. If you quote a price to someone and they give you a "are you trying to rob me?" expression, offer negotiating for something affordable. On the flip side, don't sell yourself short; you can negotiate a little, but don't go overboard or make it a habit. You deserve to be paid for the work you have created.

Last but not least, United States Copyright Law protects you automatically the very minute your pencil hits your paper. You already own the copyrights to your work and will always do so unless you sign them over to someone else through the use of a written and signed contract. You don't have to do anything - but I do recommend signing and dating your artwork.

Hope this helps! Best of luck, fellow artist!!
Sincerely,
Gianina

Gianina L.

Expertise

I can answer questions concerning most traditional mediums such as acrylics, watercolor, colored pencils, collage/cut paper, graphite, charcoal, and pen and ink. I also have strong, advanced knowledge of Photoshop, Powerpoint and Publisher; and beginner to immediate level knowledge in Illustrator, Freehand, After Effects, and Flash. In addition, I can cover miscellaneous subjects such as portfolio preparation, applying to art schools, art school study skills, color theory, basic design and drawing principles, basic animation techniques, working on personal art styles and exploring new artistic techniques. Topics such as the detailed legal aspects of art, web programming and Flash action scripting do not fall under my area of expertise.

Experience

Experience in the Area
I graduated summa cum laude with a double BFA in Illustration and Computer Art (specializing in 2-dimensional animation) from the Savannah College of Art and Design, where as a student, I happily tutored fellow peers in all aspects of art and created numerous illustrations for the school newspaper. For the past several years, I have been illustrating seminar books, designing numerous graphics, and creating short animation sequences for use in video. In addition, I work as a private tutor and am co-director / co-owner of a company that focuses on and promotes the local music industry. I assist with all the day-to-day operations of this company as well as manage all art direction and design.

Education/Credentials
Savannah College of Art and Design
BFA Computer Art, Illustration
Summa Cum Laude
Dean's List, GPA 4.0

Awards and Honors
Induction into Alpha Pi Beta honor society for art and design, 2002
Outstanding Achievement in Computer Art, 2002
Outstanding Student for the academic year 2001-2002
Awarded "Most Dependable" for District, the student newspaper, 2002
Who's Who Among American Colleges and Universities, May 2001
Better Business Bureau Honesty in Advertising Essay Competition, Merit Award, November 1998
Mary Renee Whelan Scholarship, Savannah College of Art and Design

Exhibitions and Festivals:
Embodiement; Myths in Animal Form, www.postpicasso.com, December 10 - January 10, 2005
SCAD Alumni Show, Stardust Café, Orlando, FL; December 2004
Finalist, International Juried Online Symbolist Art Show, www.dracoblu.com, May 2004 - April 2005
Finalist, International Juried Online Symbolist Art Show, www.dracoblu.com, May 2003 - April 2004
Senior Showcase, SCAD Pei Ling Chan Gallery, Savannah, GA; May 2002
2D or not 2D, SCAD Trustees Theatre, Savannah, GA; April 2002
Small Works, SCAD Exhibit A Gallery, Savannah, GA; November 7 - December 31, 2001; art was purchased
Magnanimata Animation Festival, May 1999

Publications
Quoted briefly in Animation World Magazine, "Predicting the Future of Futurama" (April 1999) and "Ed, Edd, n Eddy: A Unique Approach" (June 1999)

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