Such great info, thank you. I had a music teacher once whose mantra was "Never work for free." I think that could be improved with "Never underestimate the value of your time and skill." And that goes for all artists and craftspeople. We can't expect the general public to value what we do unless we recognize our own value first.
Yea! And there are times when working for "free" is beneficial, as long as it's something you enjoy, doesn't cause you stress/hardship, and/or benefits you as well. I've had collaborations where I am technically not getting paid, but it brought new eyes to my work, which led to sales down the road. Sooo yea, each situation can be evaluated on it's own!
I always enjoy hearing how other artist's price their work. It can definitely be daunting at first, but once you step back and say, "OK, what do I *need*" and work from there, it gets easier. For me, my base begins with the cost of doing business (e.g. supplies, time spent doing things like accounting, etc.), and then normalizing that across all pieces. After that, my hourly/daily rate is based on my general life budget to just pay the bills (e.g. food, housing, utilities, etc.). Once that rate is established, I add an additional X% to help provide cushion for all other things in life (e.g. building savings, disposable income, unplanned emergencies, etc).
Great video Sarah. I think another thing to note is that undervaluing your work as an artist doesn't just harm you, it also impacts the art community as a whole. If we as a collective agreed to increase our (presumably undervalued) prices it would lift the whole art community. A rising tide lifts all boats etc etc.
I think its a really hard thing to talk about because it really does vary person to person and situation to situation. So I’m glad it was still helpful from my point of view!
I've heard of charging X amount per inch too. I haven't sold anything in more than a year. I've spent all of 2020 working on gaining back what I used to have as an artist. Now that I'm retired I can work on the art. and I work on it every day. I live in a re-planted wetlands/prairie preserve--what better place to practice painting landscapes and flowers! Glad I found you, Sarah. You keep it real. Don't change!
I think you did the right thing during the first year. You were starting and learning. Growing little by little and adjusting your fees is a more nartural process (in my opinion). It is interesting that you admit to not keeping a regular art supplies account at the beginning. I paint (my first love), but I also make quilts and I can’t imagine not taking into consideration how much I spend on fabric for a particular quilt. (fabric is so expensive!) It is the first thing I consider. I then adjust my hourly rate depending on whether I was free to design the quilt or it was an specific request. Because all this art escapades are a hobby for me, I sometimes give away things I create to people I appreciate, and I know they will appreciate the time and resources it goes into creating something special. Word of mouth is very valuable when you are a small artist. It would be wonderful to become a full-time artist, but I also love what I do (I am a languages teacher) so I think I will wait until I retire to spend my silver years just painting. Your videos are so inspiring.. Scotland is very beautiful but I think you are a very brave girl (the weather is truly atrocious - I visited regularly for two decades and I could only manage two or three days at a time. The wind specially… my goodness! I am paritucarly fond of Glasgow- I am a hardcore fan or the Arts and Crafts Movement and all the Mackintosh treasures in Glasgow are a real treat…I miss it so…)
Your videos relax me so much; I love the feeling of being immersed in nature. Also super interesting to hear your thoughts on pricing artwork - it can be such a tricky subject! I price mine taking into account the materials used, time taken, and what my previous work has sold for. I also make sure I raise my prices little by little each year as I become more experienced and established.
Awesome Sarah - love hearing about your journey and appreciate that you share your experiences with others. I am always inspired by your work. I have never sold any drawings or paintings, but I am often surprised that people want to pay for the charms I sculpt... every sale is astonishing to me. Loving your videos and also, of course, Vader and Floki!
Ohh wow that’s a ton of useful information to share. I have just been painting for 3 years now (self educated) and have yet to try to even sell a painting. I have done a couple of paintings for friends and family and kind of put a value price on the back of them for them of $125 USA dollars for a 9”x 12” painting, that maybe 🤔 took 6 hours. I too never seriously thought about the price. You have definitely given me some inspiration & food for thought about my pricing my Art now. Thanks for sharing this valuable information with us.
I really enjoy your videos & insight. “Specialty skill” ! An excellent way to describe what we do & free us to price accordingly! I still sometimes struggle with pricing, especially with family. Thank you for another enjoyable & informative video😊
Thank you for sharing so honestly and openly about your pricing journey! I find this very helpful and encouraging. I’m a freelancer (mostly teaching sketchnote workshops atm) and have come a long way with my pricing but any time I need to price for something new I totally panic… I am dreaming of having multiple income streams as well to take away some of the pressure - it’s even more difficult to price your work when you really want the job bc you need the money… Thank you for your videos - they always lift my spirits!
Man there’s so much advice out there. But thank you for being transparent and sharing your process. I’ve been charging by the square inch so that my paintings are consistently priced but I do wonder about charging more for commissions or specific subjects like portraits for instance. Great food for thought Sarah!
I considered the pricing per square inch as well, but it wouldn't work for me since when I paint different subjects, I use different approaches and the time spent is drastically different. But...maybe using that as a base price could be good?
@@SarahBurnsStudio I think thats totally reasonable. I know when I paint a portrait it takes much longer than a landscape. But I also wonder is that just my lack of skill set? Should I charge the buyer more because of my inability? I don't know.
@@DannySabraArt Fair point! Maybe consider the fact that they found you, want your style, want the look you are capable of achieving, so no matter how long it takes you, you can charge what you think is fair. If fair means a base price plus x amount per hour, or just a flat rate based on size is up to you
Thanks for that. That’s a great point to consider. I’m still very early on into starting my art business so I’m trying to get as much work as possible. I’ll probably adjust things as business grows. I appreciate your advice! I think this video will help a lot of people.
Wonderful video. I'm slowly going through your UA-cam postings and since I just grab one they're not in order. (that would make too much sense) I love the cat break. I am unable to have pets where I live. So my sons make up for it with 9 cats between the 2 of them. I don't know how to thank you for sharing your work and life with all us strangers . It's a privilege. You make beautiful art and beautiful videos!
Thank you for sharing your journey and process with us! It is inspiring and comforting to know that it doesn’t have to happen all at once. You took baby steps and your pricing evolved over time as did your audience and your art. Beautiful work.
Thank you, Sarah! I’m an artist who is just starting out, and this video was incredibly inspiring and helpful. Thank you for sharing so much of your process and journey. I’m here for it!
I just discovered you here and absolutely love your videos and content! As a fellow artist, nature lover, photographer enthusiast I appreciate all that you share. Looking forward to discovering and learning more here. 💖👩🎨✨
Great video, Sarah! I started painting (never having done it before) in 2018 and jumped around using different mediums. I just started offering digital pet portraits and figuring out what to charge has been tricky! I’m also an editor in the publishing industry, and given my experience (getting a BA in English, writing and editing at different publications), I’m more confident pricing myself as I go. I just started editing my first book on my own (not with a publishing house) and realized I waaaay undercharged already! 😅 Live and learn! I’m hoping to get to a point where I feel more confident charging more for my art, but also find it hard to find an audience just using social media. I hope you enjoy your upcoming trip! 💜
Sarah, you are a breath of fresh air, Your insight and honesty makes you STANDOUT 🙏🏼 I take pride in being an Authentic person and can relate with you 👍🏻 Thanks say Hi to Wolfe 🎨👋🏻
Hello Sarah, thanks for this - so helpful! I've never had a well-paid job so at times I've calculated my hourly rate at not much above minimum wage, I'm realising now thats not really doing my work justice! A wee request - a video or some info on how to get your work into galleries would be awesome and so appreciated too! I'm building up work at the moment and starting to think about how to get it out there... :D
I'm a fiction writer, and it's similar over here. The minimum professional rate of pay for tradpubbing shorter fiction (selling stories shorter than a novel to a magazine, webzine or anthology) was six cents per word until a couple of years ago. At that point, SFWA (the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) raised the minimum pro rate to eight cents per word, although that hasn't caught on in other genres. I still mentally go by six, although most of my stuff is SF/Fantasy. Anyway, if I buckle down and focus, I can write an average of about a thousand words per hour. Let's say I write a short story about 5K words long, and it takes me about five hours. If I sold that to a pro-level market for six cents per word, that's $60/hour. At eight cents per word, it's $80/hour. Which isn't bad. :) Of course, the trick is that unless you're Neil Gaiman or Nora Jemisin or someone at that level, you're not going to sell every story to a pro market. Probably less than half. Most writers who've made pro-level sales before sell a *lot* less than half. But still, when you make a sale, the per-hour rate is nice. And now we have indie publishing. That's a completely different business model, and income is generally slower there, but still, it lets us monetize those stories that didn't quite fit in at the traditional markets. I know a number of writers who don't bother with tradpubbing at all anymore. I guess that's the equivalent of putting up prints (and mugs and T-shirts and mouse mats and shower curtains) with a piece of art on them on Red Bubble or wherever. It's the same idea, though, where you're looking for a base rate of pay, ideally, and set up alternate income streams for when the ideal situation doesn't happen.
Many thanks,Sarah!! I m a bit discouraged about this issue,it's not easy to make art for a living. I'm trying to go on,but sometimes I feel a bit down . Thanks for your advice,I'll take it into account ;)
Aww I know how it is at first. And every artist has their own path and decisions to make about pricing. That's why I feel it's so important to have multiple sources of income so you aren't obligated to rely on your art - it can very easily suck the joy out of it.
That’s so helpful and upfront. Thank you. I’m just beginning and looking at packaging and delivery. Have you covered this in a video or vlog ? Jill 🏴
Thank you for this Sarah. Your career path isn't so strange, I'm a BA (Hons) interior designer by trade, but currently work as a PA and Buyer whilst also doing UA-cam, acrylic and watercolour painting, drawing, jewellery making, cross stitch, polymer clay and so much more on the side. Because of this I feel like I "dabble" and so struggle to get over the inevitable imposter syndrome, call myself a artist and charge accordingly for my work. I frustrate myself 🙄
Kelli Folsom said that an art customer doesn't pay for the time you put into a painting but for the value a painting has for them and what the painting brings into their home. 👍
As a Licensed Massage Therapist who also owns his own office, charging per hour is totally a uncomfortable thing. Still have issues with it. Interested in doing artwork on the side! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the candor in your pricing strategy, Sarah. As an American artist now living in Portugal, it’s no surprise the local art market is tied to the economy with art prices very low. How has your move overseas affected sales, if at all? Can only imagine international shipping is a hassle but necessary. Has Brexit affected sales to the EU? Thanks again!
At first it was a challenge because I was suddenly using £ which is worth more than the $ and I think it was a bit of a shock for my buyers. But now it's normal, and it's just the way it is. Most of my sales are still international, but a few days ago we just had a new regulation go into effect due to Brexit and I'm not sure how it will affect things.
I remember when I first started my biz, I charged dirt cheap for my time just to get the client and any at that. So I started getting clients that were not hmmm what's the word. Ah penny pinchers. Then when I raised my rates, I started to get better quality business.
good for you making money from your skills.ive been painting in acrylics for 26 years and now im crazy for watercolor ,i havent sold much because i like to spend all my time creating my paintings .i paint everyday ,
Great informative video, I would like to be able to create artwork that I think people would like and would sell, but it's scary for me. I don't know if my work is good enough. How do you get over the fear of not being good enough. Sorry this is a bit off the subject.
I could relate to everything you said. Thank you for sharing.I do what I can afford which is sometimes painting over a painting bought from the thrift store and using dollar store acrylics .I do buy professional uv protector spray and give them several coats but I still don’t feel I can charge a lot for them although I’m happy with the outcome.I’m caught in a viscous cycle.Don’t sell because I’m not proud of the supplies I use and then no money .Is this crazy to think this way.Are dollar stores paints really that bad!,
It's very fair to be compensated for your materials and any buyer should understand that (if not you can inform them that it is part of the cost in addition to your artist fee). The reason I say it's a fluid idea is because it can take some educating and negotiation but don't like the client devalue you
Hi Sarah! Thank you for this great video. It is very helpful as I am on the verge of selling my own artwork. I had a question. At the 10:50 mark of this video you are working on a large piece and you are using a study from a sketch book. I was just curious what types of studies are you referencing? Do you have video about how you use your sketchbooks? I have sketchbooks I use for practice but have never referred back to them for reference on larger pieces. I don't know of why I didn't think of that lol. Thanks for your great videos!
Hi! Maybe this is a dumb question but... In the track of timing... The "dead minutes" (I call this to the time between layers to dry, on watercolor or acrylics for example), are included in the price of time? Or just the time you spend actually painting. There are also paintings that can come really good in less time than others, is it fair to price them for work-hours? Or can have a higher price based on the quality of the final result? Thanks for the information. ❤️
I don't count drying time, no. For fast paintings, you still need to get paid. Your expertise is what led that painting to being completed quickly. For subjects in which you are an expert you can have a higher price per hour.
Yes thank you! Pressing it still counts 😁 I just turned off the numbers because there's not really any point and I was sick of people commenting things like "why would anyone dislike this video" or "why are there three dislikes" 🤷🏻♀️ 🤦🏻♀️ it just puts the focus where it doesn't belong
As always, thank you so much for this incredibly valuable information! Totally off topic but I found out recently that my family goes back to Scotland, and more specifically Isle of Skye and were legit Scottish royalty!! It blew my mind (I’m from the states) and made me think of you!! Take care and have a great day! 💚💚💚
![Behind the scenes Etsy print shop // packing Patreon postcards ✶ [Artist Studio VLOG #12]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7Yzt9gEN4Iw/mqdefault.jpg)
![The cost of doing business ✶ [Artist Studio VLOG #24]](/img/n.gif)
Such great info, thank you. I had a music teacher once whose mantra was "Never work for free." I think that could be improved with "Never underestimate the value of your time and skill." And that goes for all artists and craftspeople. We can't expect the general public to value what we do unless we recognize our own value first.
Yea! And there are times when working for "free" is beneficial, as long as it's something you enjoy, doesn't cause you stress/hardship, and/or benefits you as well. I've had collaborations where I am technically not getting paid, but it brought new eyes to my work, which led to sales down the road. Sooo yea, each situation can be evaluated on it's own!
I always enjoy hearing how other artist's price their work. It can definitely be daunting at first, but once you step back and say, "OK, what do I *need*" and work from there, it gets easier. For me, my base begins with the cost of doing business (e.g. supplies, time spent doing things like accounting, etc.), and then normalizing that across all pieces. After that, my hourly/daily rate is based on my general life budget to just pay the bills (e.g. food, housing, utilities, etc.). Once that rate is established, I add an additional X% to help provide cushion for all other things in life (e.g. building savings, disposable income, unplanned emergencies, etc).
Great video Sarah.
I think another thing to note is that undervaluing your work as an artist doesn't just harm you, it also impacts the art community as a whole. If we as a collective agreed to increase our (presumably undervalued) prices it would lift the whole art community. A rising tide lifts all boats etc etc.
That’s true!
Love this Sarah, there aren't enough honest videos about this. ❤️
I think its a really hard thing to talk about because it really does vary person to person and situation to situation. So I’m glad it was still helpful from my point of view!
I've heard of charging X amount per inch too. I haven't sold anything in more than a year. I've spent all of 2020 working on gaining back what I used to have as an artist. Now that I'm retired I can work on the art. and I work on it every day. I live in a re-planted wetlands/prairie preserve--what better place to practice painting landscapes and flowers! Glad I found you, Sarah. You keep it real. Don't change!
Finding your happy place is the most important!
I think you did the right thing during the first year. You were starting and learning. Growing little by little and adjusting your fees is a more nartural process (in my opinion). It is interesting that you admit to not keeping a regular art supplies account at the beginning. I paint (my first love), but I also make quilts and I can’t imagine not taking into consideration how much I spend on fabric for a particular quilt. (fabric is so expensive!) It is the first thing I consider. I then adjust my hourly rate depending on whether I was free to design the quilt or it was an specific request. Because all this art escapades are a hobby for me, I sometimes give away things I create to people I appreciate, and I know they will appreciate the time and resources it goes into creating something special. Word of mouth is very valuable when you are a small artist. It would be wonderful to become a full-time artist, but I also love what I do (I am a languages teacher) so I think I will wait until I retire to spend my silver years just painting. Your videos are so inspiring.. Scotland is very beautiful but I think you are a very brave girl (the weather is truly atrocious - I visited regularly for two decades and I could only manage two or three days at a time. The wind specially… my goodness! I am paritucarly fond of Glasgow- I am a hardcore fan or the Arts and Crafts Movement and all the Mackintosh treasures in Glasgow are a real treat…I miss it so…)
I'm not a numbers person. I always find a way to make it work. As long as I can do what I love, I'm happy.
I like your other painting by seaside. I like your colors now.
Your videos relax me so much; I love the feeling of being immersed in nature. Also super interesting to hear your thoughts on pricing artwork - it can be such a tricky subject! I price mine taking into account the materials used, time taken, and what my previous work has sold for. I also make sure I raise my prices little by little each year as I become more experienced and established.
Its so much of a "trial and error" type thing where you learn from each sale!
This was so informative and instead of cheesy commercials there were beautiful videos of Scotland. Win/win! Thank you Sarah.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great info. Thanks Sarah. 😊🌺
I wish my kitties loved each other the way Floki and Vader love each other.
mine are like Sarah's...wonderful to watch...maybe get another...and something will click...good luck
Awesome Sarah - love hearing about your journey and appreciate that you share your experiences with others. I am always inspired by your work. I have never sold any drawings or paintings, but I am often surprised that people want to pay for the charms I sculpt... every sale is astonishing to me. Loving your videos and also, of course, Vader and Floki!
I STILL get butterflies every time I make a sell or get requests 🤩
Ohh wow that’s a ton of useful information to share. I have just been painting for 3 years now (self educated) and have yet to try to even sell a painting. I have done a couple of paintings for friends and family and kind of put a value price on the back of them for them of $125 USA dollars for a 9”x 12” painting, that maybe 🤔 took 6 hours. I too never seriously thought about the price. You have definitely given me some inspiration & food for thought about my pricing my Art now. Thanks for sharing this valuable information with us.
I enjoy your talent and for this diary, the music and nature sounds stroke an exquisite balance.
Thank you for being you
I really enjoy your videos & insight. “Specialty skill” ! An excellent way to describe what we do & free us to price accordingly! I still sometimes struggle with pricing, especially with family. Thank you for another enjoyable & informative video😊
Oof...I just avoid doing stuff for family now unless it's a surprise gift!
Thank you Sarah for sharing your story
Thanks for listening :)
This is such a useful and beautifully produced video, Sarah ^-^ xo
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing so honestly and openly about your pricing journey! I find this very helpful and encouraging.
I’m a freelancer (mostly teaching sketchnote workshops atm) and have come a long way with my pricing but any time I need to price for something new I totally panic…
I am dreaming of having multiple income streams as well to take away some of the pressure - it’s even more difficult to price your work when you really want the job bc you need the money…
Thank you for your videos - they always lift my spirits!
Yes, when we are in a position of *need* we have to make different decisions about which projects we take
Man there’s so much advice out there. But thank you for being transparent and sharing your process. I’ve been charging by the square inch so that my paintings are consistently priced but I do wonder about charging more for commissions or specific subjects like portraits for instance. Great food for thought Sarah!
I considered the pricing per square inch as well, but it wouldn't work for me since when I paint different subjects, I use different approaches and the time spent is drastically different. But...maybe using that as a base price could be good?
@@SarahBurnsStudio I think thats totally reasonable. I know when I paint a portrait it takes much longer than a landscape. But I also wonder is that just my lack of skill set? Should I charge the buyer more because of my inability? I don't know.
@@DannySabraArt Fair point! Maybe consider the fact that they found you, want your style, want the look you are capable of achieving, so no matter how long it takes you, you can charge what you think is fair. If fair means a base price plus x amount per hour, or just a flat rate based on size is up to you
Thanks for that. That’s a great point to consider. I’m still very early on into starting my art business so I’m trying to get as much work as possible. I’ll probably adjust things as business grows. I appreciate your advice! I think this video will help a lot of people.
Wonderful video. I'm slowly going through your UA-cam postings and since I just grab one they're not in order. (that would make too much sense) I love the cat break. I am unable to have pets where I live. So my sons make up for it with 9 cats between the 2 of them. I don't know how to thank you for sharing your work and life with all us strangers . It's a privilege. You make beautiful art and beautiful videos!
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoy them!
Super good info Sarah!
Very helpful information, and thank you for sharing your thoughts on your journey as an artist.
Thank you for sharing your journey and process with us! It is inspiring and comforting to know that it doesn’t have to happen all at once. You took baby steps and your pricing evolved over time as did your audience and your art. Beautiful work.
Absolutely right! I think it's best to have an organic growth in that way. At least in my experience it means I'm comfortable scaling my pricing.
Thank you, Sarah! I’m an artist who is just starting out, and this video was incredibly inspiring and helpful. Thank you for sharing so much of your process and journey. I’m here for it!
Glad it was helpful!
OMG soooooo cute. Look how big Floke has gotten. Both your cats are adorable.
He's growing way too fast 😭
I just discovered you here and absolutely love your videos and content! As a fellow artist, nature lover, photographer enthusiast I appreciate all that you share. Looking forward to discovering and learning more here. 💖👩🎨✨
Sounds like you are a kindred spirit!
That's a really good topic for a video, thank you!
Loved your vlog with the cat break
Great video, Sarah! I started painting (never having done it before) in 2018 and jumped around using different mediums. I just started offering digital pet portraits and figuring out what to charge has been tricky!
I’m also an editor in the publishing industry, and given my experience (getting a BA in English, writing and editing at different publications), I’m more confident pricing myself as I go. I just started editing my first book on my own (not with a publishing house) and realized I waaaay undercharged already! 😅 Live and learn! I’m hoping to get to a point where I feel more confident charging more for my art, but also find it hard to find an audience just using social media.
I hope you enjoy your upcoming trip! 💜
It’s such a hard thing to navigate…we learn from each experience!
I sold three of my paintings in July and I was floored and so excited!
That's amazing!
Amazing video! Thank you for sharing all this juicy info with us
I'm happy you enjoyed it Leslie!!
Sarah, you are a breath of fresh air, Your insight and honesty makes you STANDOUT 🙏🏼
I take pride in being an Authentic person and can relate with you 👍🏻
Thanks say Hi to Wolfe 🎨👋🏻
I like your artwork and I think you are a very good artist
What an amazing journey and talent!! Know your value. You've worked hard, given of yourself, and you should be rewarded:) Kudos Sarah!!
Thank you so much!
Hello Sarah, thanks for this - so helpful! I've never had a well-paid job so at times I've calculated my hourly rate at not much above minimum wage, I'm realising now thats not really doing my work justice! A wee request - a video or some info on how to get your work into galleries would be awesome and so appreciated too! I'm building up work at the moment and starting to think about how to get it out there... :D
It's OK to go at your own pace! It took me quite a while to get comfortable charging more 💙
I love your vids...they inspire me ..thank u Sarah
I'm so glad!
Wow, very helpful. Thank you for sharing your talent. A new friend here and stay connected 🙂😃 💕 😃🙂
Thanks and welcome!
Thanks for sharing 🍀 👍 🌹
snap I love cats too, lovely video!!
I'm a fiction writer, and it's similar over here. The minimum professional rate of pay for tradpubbing shorter fiction (selling stories shorter than a novel to a magazine, webzine or anthology) was six cents per word until a couple of years ago. At that point, SFWA (the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) raised the minimum pro rate to eight cents per word, although that hasn't caught on in other genres. I still mentally go by six, although most of my stuff is SF/Fantasy.
Anyway, if I buckle down and focus, I can write an average of about a thousand words per hour. Let's say I write a short story about 5K words long, and it takes me about five hours. If I sold that to a pro-level market for six cents per word, that's $60/hour. At eight cents per word, it's $80/hour. Which isn't bad. :) Of course, the trick is that unless you're Neil Gaiman or Nora Jemisin or someone at that level, you're not going to sell every story to a pro market. Probably less than half. Most writers who've made pro-level sales before sell a *lot* less than half. But still, when you make a sale, the per-hour rate is nice.
And now we have indie publishing. That's a completely different business model, and income is generally slower there, but still, it lets us monetize those stories that didn't quite fit in at the traditional markets. I know a number of writers who don't bother with tradpubbing at all anymore. I guess that's the equivalent of putting up prints (and mugs and T-shirts and mouse mats and shower curtains) with a piece of art on them on Red Bubble or wherever.
It's the same idea, though, where you're looking for a base rate of pay, ideally, and set up alternate income streams for when the ideal situation doesn't happen.
Wow that's fascinating! I never knew the writing industry was like that. Thank you for the insight.
Many thanks,Sarah!! I m a bit discouraged about this issue,it's not easy to make art for a living. I'm trying to go on,but sometimes I feel a bit down . Thanks for your advice,I'll take it into account ;)
Aww I know how it is at first. And every artist has their own path and decisions to make about pricing. That's why I feel it's so important to have multiple sources of income so you aren't obligated to rely on your art - it can very easily suck the joy out of it.
Sarah, thank you.
Welcome!
Thanks for sharing Sarah your kitties are adorable and beautiful I have a cat too I love sniffing him in he smells of cozy blankets🐾🌺
Deep kitty breaths ☺
loveee...
That’s so helpful and upfront. Thank you. I’m just beginning and looking at packaging and delivery. Have you covered this in a video or vlog ?
Jill 🏴
Oh that's a great idea..I've shown a bit of my packing/shipping throughout other vlogs but I don't think I've gone into detail. I'll make a note!
Kitty break 🐈🐈⬛😻😻
The best break!
Thank you for this Sarah. Your career path isn't so strange, I'm a BA (Hons) interior designer by trade, but currently work as a PA and Buyer whilst also doing UA-cam, acrylic and watercolour painting, drawing, jewellery making, cross stitch, polymer clay and so much more on the side. Because of this I feel like I "dabble" and so struggle to get over the inevitable imposter syndrome, call myself a artist and charge accordingly for my work. I frustrate myself 🙄
Sometimes our paths deviate from the main road..but we’re always artists within
@@SarahBurnsStudio thank you, wise words indeed 😊xx
Kelli Folsom said that an art customer doesn't pay for the time you put into a painting but for the value a painting has for them and what the painting brings into their home. 👍
As a Licensed Massage Therapist who also owns his own office, charging per hour is totally a uncomfortable thing. Still have issues with it. Interested in doing artwork on the side! Thanks for sharing.
I think each person has to find what they are comfortable with!
Thanks for the candor in your pricing strategy, Sarah. As an American artist now living in Portugal, it’s no surprise the local art market is tied to the economy with art prices very low. How has your move overseas affected sales, if at all? Can only imagine international shipping is a hassle but necessary. Has Brexit affected sales to the EU? Thanks again!
At first it was a challenge because I was suddenly using £ which is worth more than the $ and I think it was a bit of a shock for my buyers. But now it's normal, and it's just the way it is. Most of my sales are still international, but a few days ago we just had a new regulation go into effect due to Brexit and I'm not sure how it will affect things.
I remember when I first started my biz, I charged dirt cheap for my time just to get the client and any at that. So I started getting clients that were not hmmm what's the word. Ah penny pinchers. Then when I raised my rates, I started to get better quality business.
good for you making money from your skills.ive been painting in acrylics for 26 years and now im crazy for watercolor ,i havent sold much because i like to spend all my time creating my paintings .i paint everyday ,
Sounds like a great way to spend your day!
Very interesting video! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. :)
Great informative video, I would like to be able to create artwork that I think people would like and would sell, but it's scary for me. I don't know if my work is good enough. How do you get over the fear of not being good enough. Sorry this is a bit off the subject.
I could relate to everything you said. Thank you for sharing.I do what I can afford which is sometimes painting over a painting bought from the thrift store and using dollar store acrylics .I do buy professional uv protector spray and give them several coats but I still don’t feel I can charge a lot for them although I’m happy with the outcome.I’m caught in a viscous cycle.Don’t sell because I’m not proud of the supplies I use and then no money .Is this crazy to think this way.Are dollar stores paints really that bad!,
It's very fair to be compensated for your materials and any buyer should understand that (if not you can inform them that it is part of the cost in addition to your artist fee). The reason I say it's a fluid idea is because it can take some educating and negotiation but don't like the client devalue you
Great video Sarah, thanks for sharing all that great information. Can I ask where you found a mechanical pencil with blue lead?
Thanks! It's pentel blue lead
Hi Sarah! Thank you for this great video. It is very helpful as I am on the verge of selling my own artwork. I had a question. At the 10:50 mark of this video you are working on a large piece and you are using a study from a sketch book. I was just curious what types of studies are you referencing? Do you have video about how you use your sketchbooks? I have sketchbooks I use for practice but have never referred back to them for reference on larger pieces. I don't know of why I didn't think of that lol. Thanks for your great videos!
If you watch my most recent video about my Pathways series it will make more sense :)
@@SarahBurnsStudio Thank you I will check out that video! I Love your work. Thank you for the awesome videos :)
Oh, kitty!
Hi! Maybe this is a dumb question but... In the track of timing... The "dead minutes" (I call this to the time between layers to dry, on watercolor or acrylics for example), are included in the price of time? Or just the time you spend actually painting.
There are also paintings that can come really good in less time than others, is it fair to price them for work-hours? Or can have a higher price based on the quality of the final result? Thanks for the information. ❤️
I don't count drying time, no.
For fast paintings, you still need to get paid. Your expertise is what led that painting to being completed quickly.
For subjects in which you are an expert you can have a higher price per hour.
@@SarahBurnsStudio thank you! Your information and video are priceless! Love your work ❤️
5:45 Sarah your LIKES are disabled darling so I'm not too sure if you actually see the thumbs up but I still pressed it lol! Back to the video lol...
Yes thank you! Pressing it still counts 😁 I just turned off the numbers because there's not really any point and I was sick of people commenting things like "why would anyone dislike this video" or "why are there three dislikes" 🤷🏻♀️ 🤦🏻♀️ it just puts the focus where it doesn't belong
How do you actually price your artwork now? I don’t think you’ve mentioned it. Thank you 🙏🏻
I said I start with the base price and then it goes up depending on how many hours. And the price her hour is $40/hour and up.
As always, thank you so much for this incredibly valuable information! Totally off topic but I found out recently that my family goes back to Scotland, and more specifically Isle of Skye and were legit Scottish royalty!! It blew my mind (I’m from the states) and made me think of you!! Take care and have a great day! 💚💚💚
Aww what a cool discovery!! That means you have to visit Skye!
@@SarahBurnsStudio definitely!! ☺️
now I have to sell a painting