Pricing your art can be tricky at best. Many of our customers struggle to find their place in the market, and not price themselves out of business before they even get started.

Until you are a well-known photographer with celebrity clientele, like Peter Lik, commanding and actually selling your work for a hefty price may be hard to achieve. That doesn’t mean you have to sell your work at rock-bottom Costco prices either. So, where do you fall in between?

Most artists price their art using the square-inch method or a hybrid between the square-inch method and market factors. We’ll cover those approaches and discuss which might be the right fit for you.

Several art prints displayed

Square Inch Pricing Method

This method involves calculating the price based almost solely on the size of the artwork applied to a formula that you develop. It’s a straightforward way to price your art that provides a clear price structure and scalability for your artwork.

  • A formula to price art is used by multiplying the length by the width to get the total square inches, then multiplying by a set rate per square inch
  • For example, a 16×20 inch painting at $0.25 per square inch would be priced at $80 (16 x 20 x $0.25)
  • Typically uses a tiered approach, with higher rates for smaller works and lower rates for larger pieces

This method is a good choice if your artwork is uniform (similar sizes, mediums, time spent, etc.) and you’re looking for an easy way to price out your prints.

Setting Your Rate

The rate you use to make this calculation is determined by several factors:

  • Your experience/recognition
  • Market price for similar works of art
  • Your cost of materials and time for the artwork

It should also be noted, that using trial and error to find this rate is a perfectly fine method for discovering your rate. Most artists start with rates per square inch that range between $.10 and $3, while more established artists can charge much more.

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Man pricing his art and showcasing it to woman

Hybrid Pricing Method

The price per square inch method works fine for most art prints, however, extra large or extra small prints don’t get priced correctly. For example, a 3×3 (9 square inches) and a 40×50 (2,000 inches) at a dollar an inch would have a price difference of $1,991 – which doesn’t make sense on either end of that spectrum.

The hybrid pricing method starts with the fixed square inch pricing but then includes other elements:

  • Base price – A base price per square inch is established and used for comparisons and calculations.
  • Fixed minimum prices – Regardless of size, there’s a price floor for every piece of art.
  • Discount per inch – A percentage discount is applied per size available with larger pieces getting large discounts.
  • Optional add-ons – With a more flexible price, you can add other offers with your print such as digital files or usage rights.

Hybrid Pricing Advantages

Most artists will eventually switch to a hybrid pricing model because it’s more practical with how the art market works. This includes advantages like:

  • Flexibility – Can accommodate various customers and art styles.
  • Complexity – Can handle more complex works of art or art markets.
  • Scalability – Can scale based on multiple factors, not just the size.
Man with a Camera posing for a cover for a guide for photographers

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Which Art Pricing Formula Should You Use?

In comparing the square-inch and hybrid pricing models for artwork, artists face a choice between simplicity and flexibility.

The square-inch method offers a straightforward calculation based solely on size, ensuring consistency across similar works.

The hybrid model, while more complex, provides greater adaptability to various artwork sizes and can better reflect additional factors like materials and artist effort. It potentially aligns more closely with market value and the diverse nature of an artist’s portfolio.

Ultimately, the decision between these models depends on an artist’s specific needs, market, and body of work. Whichever method is chosen, artists should prioritize consistency, gradual price increases as their career progresses, and clear communication of their pricing structure to potential buyers and galleries.

Every artist deserves a partner they can trust. ArtisanHD is here to provide expert guidance and premium printing solutions tailored to your professional needs. Let’s work together on your next masterpiece!