Pricing for Art Show

<p>I am putting two photos in a local art show. My cost for each photo was $140.00. The print size is 8X12. I had them professionally matted and framed. What should my mark up be? I will thinking of charging 250 each. The show is going to be a nice show with alot of original paintings from local artists, etc... Any advice?</p>

<p>Your cost sounds way too high. You should learn to frame on your own and you can buy custom-cut mats. My cost for an 11x14 print with 16x20 frame including archival mat runs around $35.<br /> <br /> What type of print in it and what is the subject matter? What is the local market for art? These days, without name recognition, prices are fairly low and dropping, but maybe you have something special?<br>

<br /> What will you do with the prints if they don't sell? If putting them in storage is the answer, consider selling at a price that makes it easier to sell and cover your costs.</p>

<p>Your pricing in terms of your investment isn't high, but the real question is what kind of a market this is. Will there be other photographers? If so, what do they usually charge? Is your community willing to take photography seriously as an art medium, or are only painters and people who draw considered to be "real artists"? What kind of prints are they? Did you make them yourself, or are they inexpensive machine prints from a lab? Are they from a limited edition, or will you continue to make more of them as long as people are buying? This may seem to be a lot of questions, but the answers will tell you a lot about what you should do. </p>

<p>Wow, that cost is pretty high. I did a local art festival recently and displayed 5 8x10 photographs in wooden black frames with matting. My cost for photos/frames/mat was about $60 total. I did, however get my frames at a steal price b/c they were on super sale. But like Andrew pointed out, we don't know exactly what your crowd is and how you processed your prints... But $250 for an 8x12 seems extraordinarily pricey....</p>

<p>I agree. I frame 12 X 18's in 18 X 24 frames with a 3" mat for under $50. (Frame $30, print $10, mat $5 and linen hinging tape @ $12 roll does about 10 frames).<br>

Hit some local arts and craft stores and do some research. It's going to be hard to just break even at your cost.<br>

Good luck.</p>

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<p>Ric hit the numbers right on the money... (the print cost seems a bit high at $10)...This month I have sold 7 prints (13x19) so far...framed and matted almost exactly to Rics specs for $259 each less 25% commission...that leaves 194.00 to me...</p>

<p>I agree with the other responses. Frame and mat your own pieces. You can buy frames that match 8x12s. You can even get them from time to time at Michael' s with their frequent 40-50% coupons. You may need custom cut mats unless you want to place an 8x12 print in an 11x14 frame. I don't like the pre-cuts for that size frame as the right and left ends look and are very narrow. You can buy a mat cutter and make you own custom cut sizes cheaper anyway. Michaels sells cutters too incidentally. (Use the coupon). You will probably have to order uncut mats. You could make larger prints with an an 8x12 image with a large border which gives a mat like effect and place it (custom trimmed if needed) in whatever frames you choose. This will save you money if the larger print does not cost more than the equivilent mat size.</p>

<p>There are also backboarding or other mounts to choose but the pros will also charge you top dollar for that as well. Once you get past the initial equipment cost, your productions costs will be slashed.</p>

<p>$250 per quality print is not unreasonable, unless you spent bottom $$ in producing it.<br>

I've had good eperience with Ikea frames (as long as you get the real wood ones, not pressed fibre), cut your own mats, back then with acid free mounting and paper the back of the whole thing.<br>

I've been selling matted 16x20 prints for $45 and will be moving that price upwards. My club counterparts have, on occassion, sold small unmatted prints for as little as $12 and it drives me crazy. Next show I plan to have a matted print on display for over $100, just to prove a point. Even if it won't sell (limited $$ demographic), it's worth making the point to not undersell quality work.</p>

<p>I wholly agree not to undersell your work...but you also have to into account demographics and what type of retail outlet you are using...and what you are trying to accomplish. Volume selling or limited edition..etc.....</p>

<p>This is a one time show at a <strong>high end frame shop (should have mentioned that before)</strong>. I had to frame it nicely or it would not get into the show. I have not sold at high end places before which is why I have the question of price. These had to be framed in quality frames and I plan to keep them and use them in my home if they do not sell. I know that $140 is alot but I love the matts and the frames and could not have gotten such a great look going cheap. So I went expensive and am now wondering.... Can I charge $250... Guess I will and be happy either way because if they don't sell I will use them! I have good luck with cheap frames at ac moore and have heard from a framer that ikea frames work well. I will let you all know if they sell! Wish me luck and thank you for all your advise. I will keep it all in mind when doing larger volumes of framing. I do have my first one woman show this year and am already stressing over the frames. I have bought metal frames from light impressions and done them myself years ago but I don't think that look works well with my prints nor do I care for that look anymore. I will keep up the research. Thanks again.</p>

I don't need to sell prints, but am willing to sell them at the prices that I specify when I enter shows. A lot of work goes into matting, framing, delivering or shipping, etc. There's no reason to sell yourself short.

<p>Is the print going to be a limited edition? Is it signed by you (and numbered if an edition)? How your cost got up to $140 for an 8x12 is beyond me. Anyway, regardless I would ask for a minimum of $250 if it is an open edition and a minimum of $400 if it is limited.</p>

<p>If you are planning on doing this longer term, make the investments in a quality printer - minimum width of 13", and find a good bulk outlet for matting & backing. As for the framing, if you like wood frames start looking for a local woodworker/hobbyist that would be able to make custom frames - all they would need is a few basic power tools and some custom clamps. Keep it simple. There's no reason putting a pricey frame on something if it is highly stylized and actually deters a sale. If you start simple your customers can always go buy their own more outlandish frame to match their paisley sofa. Then find a good glass supplier too.</p>

<p>For myself, I print and mat an 8 x 12 (matted to 12 x 16) using an epson 3800 and redimat.com for a grand total of $6.00 - not including built in cost of equipment and my time. I sell my 8 x 12's unframed, but matted and backed in a polysleeve for $30 and they are limted edition runs of 50.</p>

<p>Who cares about the frame. You can buy one for 15 dollarrs or 500 dollars. Take everything you put into the picture and a rule of thumb is to double it, so your price is right their.</p>