Linda, did you ever decide to put a price on your turtle? Eileen’s response was just how I feel too. Your work is beautiful and if you decide to part with your turtle, I hope you get the price you are comfortable with.
Linda, you honor me but I do not have a website. I’m too lazy to attend to the administrative aspects of being an artist. I do show a few times a year but I just want to sculpt and create! Do you have a website?
Most of my pricing strategy was gleaned from your statements years ago! What stuck with me is what you said once about what would satisfy you more, keeping the sculpture or having the money. There are several factors that I consider- 1- respect the art and don’t undersell just to sell a piece. An art show, rather than a craft show will expect a higher price for items than a craft show, even a high end one. Some people go to art shows expecting to spend money and they don’t respect the cheaper priced items. It’s funny, I can’t afford to fill my house with art show items but I expect people to pay art show prices for my sculptures. 2-remember the medium. One cannot charge the same price as more durable mediums such as alabaster or marble. 3.- keep price attainable but high enough that you feel your work is respected. 4- if you are dissatisfied with your price, don’t sell it until ready(I always like my most recent sculptures the best…if I wait a few years, then maybe I will be fine with selling it.) 5. My price range is between $175 and $450. I will charge more for Pal Tiya to cover my costs a bit better, though I have sold paper mache for $450. 6- don’t even try to figure your time into the pricing, you can never get enough if you charge by the hours spent. The sculptures that are priced the least for me do happen to be the quicker, more simple ones in my eyes. 7. As you start getting a reputation, you can charge a bit more. 8- resist the urge to drop your price if it doesn’t sell. That is a no no in the art selling world. Lastly, it depends on your location. I may be able to charge higher prices in PA than deep in the Midwest. My area has some pretty affluent areas nearby. There are people who don’t bat an eye over a price of $350 and buy it impulsively. Hey, great for the artist but not a world I live in! So, a formula, no, but I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more if you want. Are you thinking of selling some of yours? Or was this question asked on behalf of readers questioning you?
Eileen, thank you so much for this thoughtful response! I don’t intend to try selling finished sculptures. It’s much more fun for me to teach other people how to make their own artwork (and this way, I don’t have to ship anything, which I hate). But I did get a recent question about pricing, and I couldn’t answer it. I think your response is perfect! 🙂
Linda, You are welcome and I figured it wasn’t that you were questioning my sincerity. : ) Sometimes when I try to place an emoji, it does that, because of incompatable support, or something. But, back to your sculpture, he is beautiful and I love his face.
It’s not a typo – silly WordPress can’t ‘read’ emojis, unless you just type them in like we used to do. A colon and a end para will look like this 🙂 – but we all figured out what you were trying to say. 🙂
Linda, did you ever decide to put a price on your turtle? Eileen’s response was just how I feel too. Your work is beautiful and if you decide to part with your turtle, I hope you get the price you are comfortable with.
Pat, I’m so sorry, I can’t believe that I never saw your post till now!! So very sorry.
That is amazing.
Thanks
Thanks you very much
That is one gorgeous turtle! He looks weathered, old, wise. Wonderful sculpture!
Hi Eileen
I understand you have a web sight
I would love to visit it if I could get an address
Thanks
Linda, you honor me but I do not have a website. I’m too lazy to attend to the administrative aspects of being an artist. I do show a few times a year but I just want to sculpt and create! Do you have a website?
No, no web site either lol
Eileen, do you happen to have a special formula for pricing your work? I know you sell items, but how do you decide how much to sell them for?
Most of my pricing strategy was gleaned from your statements years ago! What stuck with me is what you said once about what would satisfy you more, keeping the sculpture or having the money. There are several factors that I consider-
1- respect the art and don’t undersell just to sell a piece. An art show, rather than a craft show will expect a higher price for items than a craft show, even a high end one. Some people go to art shows expecting to spend money and they don’t respect the cheaper priced items. It’s funny, I can’t afford to fill my house with art show items but I expect people to pay art show prices for my sculptures.
2-remember the medium. One cannot charge the same price as more durable mediums such as alabaster or marble.
3.- keep price attainable but high enough that you feel your work is respected.
4- if you are dissatisfied with your price, don’t sell it until ready(I always like my most recent sculptures the best…if I wait a few years, then maybe I will be fine with selling it.)
5. My price range is between $175 and $450. I will charge more for Pal Tiya to cover my costs a bit better, though I have sold paper mache for $450.
6- don’t even try to figure your time into the pricing, you can never get enough if you charge by the hours spent. The sculptures that are priced the least for me do happen to be the quicker, more simple ones in my eyes.
7. As you start getting a reputation, you can charge a bit more.
8- resist the urge to drop your price if it doesn’t sell. That is a no no in the art selling world.
Lastly, it depends on your location. I may be able to charge higher prices in PA than deep in the Midwest. My area has some pretty affluent areas nearby. There are people who don’t bat an eye over a price of $350 and buy it impulsively. Hey, great for the artist but not a world I live in!
So, a formula, no, but I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more if you want.
Are you thinking of selling some of yours? Or was this question asked on behalf of readers questioning you?
Eileen, thank you so much for this thoughtful response! I don’t intend to try selling finished sculptures. It’s much more fun for me to teach other people how to make their own artwork (and this way, I don’t have to ship anything, which I hate). But I did get a recent question about pricing, and I couldn’t answer it. I think your response is perfect! 🙂
Linda, You are welcome and I figured it wasn’t that you were questioning my sincerity. : ) Sometimes when I try to place an emoji, it does that, because of incompatable support, or something. But, back to your sculpture, he is beautiful and I love his face.
What a beautiful turtle. I love the way you painted her/him. The glossier sealer really makes the colors pop. Great job!
Thank you very much. I like the gloss too. Looks rather wet ?
Linda Bunnell, He is absolutely Gorgeous!
Thank you ?
Sorry , the question mark at the end of my “Thank you” was a typo?
It’s not a typo – silly WordPress can’t ‘read’ emojis, unless you just type them in like we used to do. A colon and a end para will look like this 🙂 – but we all figured out what you were trying to say. 🙂
Good?
LOL IT DID IT AGAIN 🙂