Artists_amp_amp_Illustrators__July_2016_

COLUMNIST

r

ecently I have noticed an increase in people asking

me for a ‘best price’ when I am selling work at shows

and fairs. I put it down to television’s current love

affair with competitive shows based around selling

antiques where haggling for a price is the order of the day.

How you choose to respond to this approach is entirely

up to you. Do have a think about it before it happens,

however, so that you have a strategy in place and can

respond with polite calm rather than making a spur of the

moment decision you might regret later. I stick to my guns

and explain that, while I might give a discount for a

multiple purchase, my prices are a fair reflection of the

work involved and the current market. If pressed, I explain

that I have people who collect my work and since they

don’t demand or get a discount, it seems hardly fair to give

one to a new purchaser. It does cost me the odd sale, but I

find that more comfortable than feeling I’ve been unfair to

other customers

and to myself.

To do this, you

need to be

confident in your

own prices.

Pricing is a tricky

business,

especially when

you are starting

out, as there are

no clear rules. I

found my way by

researching my

peer group and the kind of local events where I intended

to start selling work, such as open studios and art fairs.

I then took that information and combined it with some

simple sums about costs and came up with starter prices.

I review my prices annually and keep them in line with the

market, as well as my increasing skills and reputation.

It is best to make the sale price of your work a fixed one

wherever the client buys. You may notice in gallery

contracts that the gallery asks for some discretion in

offering a discount. This often means they want your

permission to offer up to 10% to make a sale. Discuss this

with the gallery to check their approach. While I am happy

to trust a gallery that uses occasional discounting to clinch

a sale of a large print or multiples of mine, I would be

dismayed by one which discounted my work as a means to

sell several works by a mix of artists.

http://www.lauraboswell.co.uk

PRICING AN ARTWORK IS NEVER

EASY, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT NOT

TO SELL YOURSELF SHORT, SAYS

COLUMNIST LAURA BOSWELL

ARTIST

IT IS BEST TO MAKE

THE SALE PRICE OF

YOUR WORK A

FIXED ONE

WHEREVER THE

CLIENT BUYS

RIGHT Kingfisher

Splash, linocut,

24x50cm

25 Columnist.indd 25 10/05/2016 14:10