Portrait Artist Forum - View Single Post

Mary Sparrow · 03-28-2002, 11:32 AM

I'm curious, and if noone wants to answer my rude question, (my mother would faint if she knew I was asking people how much they make) that is fine.

But I am curious as to the range of money per hour people actually make painting portraits?

I have found it varies a whole lot for me. A portrait I struggle through could end up being $15/hour, then one I find particularly easy could end up ten times that since I charge obvioulsy by piece. Usually it falls somewhere in the middle.

When you are pricing your work, do you figure in your mind what the minimum dollar per hour is you hope to make and go from there? Or do you figure another way?

Pricing is a very hard thing for me. There is so little information on how to do it right! I don't want to undersell myself or back myself in the corner. I do think I could go higher, noone ever complains about my prices being too high, especially after they have gone through the brochures of Portraits South, Portraits Inc. etc.
If anything they think they are stealing it after that. I think that because I am so much less expensive is why I stay busy, though I am quite sure these people would go with a more expensive artist if they didn't like my work.

However, because I don't have to compensate anyone forty percent, I am a WHOLE lot less. Is this a bad or good thing?

OOOOOOOH..I HATE the money part of this. (Love making it, but hate asking for it).

03-28-2002, 11:32 AM	#23
Mary Sparrow EDUCATIONAL MODERATOR Juried Member Joined: Jul 2001 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,120	Speaking of dollars per hour I'm curious, and if noone wants to answer my rude question, (my mother would faint if she knew I was asking people how much they make) that is fine. But I am curious as to the range of money per hour people actually make painting portraits? I have found it varies a whole lot for me. A portrait I struggle through could end up being $15/hour, then one I find particularly easy could end up ten times that since I charge obvioulsy by piece. Usually it falls somewhere in the middle. When you are pricing your work, do you figure in your mind what the minimum dollar per hour is you hope to make and go from there? Or do you figure another way? Pricing is a very hard thing for me. There is so little information on how to do it right! I don't want to undersell myself or back myself in the corner. I do think I could go higher, noone ever complains about my prices being too high, especially after they have gone through the brochures of Portraits South, Portraits Inc. etc. If anything they think they are stealing it after that. I think that because I am so much less expensive is why I stay busy, though I am quite sure these people would go with a more expensive artist if they didn't like my work. However, because I don't have to compensate anyone forty percent, I am a WHOLE lot less. Is this a bad or good thing? OOOOOOOH..I HATE the money part of this. (Love making it, but hate asking for it).