How to price work for show?

Alexandra Tyng · 08-26-2005, 09:30 AM

Next month some of my portraits will be in a show of portraits and figurative work. There are three other artists in the show, all of whom will have figurative work for sale, but almost all of my work is NFS (either previously commissioned pieces borrowed back, or portraits of family).

I'm wondering how to price the one portrait that is for sale. Should I price it the same as I would charge for a commissioned portrait? This seems too high. A portrait is such a personal thing. I'm not even thinking someone would actually want to buy it, since the people going to the show would not know the person in the portrait. But I'm pricing on the assumption that there is that one-in-amillion chance that someone would buy it.

I should explain that I also paint landscapes, though there will be no landscapes in this show. My landscape work is handled by galleries and the price for a painting of the same size would be $8,000-9,000. A commissioned portrait would be higher, about $15,000.

I don't want to "come down" because I am afraid no one will buy it at the higher price. I am not desperate to sell. But I would price it lower because it was not considered a commissioned portrait and therefore not subject to that price scale.

I want to price it fairly and would appreciate any thoughts you have.

Thanks!

Alex

Margaret Suddeth · 08-26-2005, 05:29 PM

Alex,

For work I put into shows where I must put a price on, I usually put the amount I would charge to commission a similar portrait. I do that because I consider the piece more as advertising than a painting someone would buy. I want a potential customer to know about how much it would cost if they did commission such a portrait. Hope that helps.

Alexandra Tyng · 08-27-2005, 08:20 AM

Thank you, Margaret. That's a really good point. I hadn't thought of it that way. Since I am really not expecting to sell anything, the show is more an opportunity to show my latest work and get the word out there. So your suggestion hits the mark.

Linda Brandon · 08-27-2005, 11:12 AM

Alex, I had a solo show last May where I displayed work similar to what you're describing here: landscapes, non-portrait figurative work and portraits marked NFS. Your situation is complicated by the fact you have regular gallery representation so I don't know how to advise you on the financial end of things. I will say that it was enormously helpful as a marketing move for me to have a big show with great lighting on my portraits in particular. I'd never seen them so grandly presented and of course I put them in my best frames.

I paint a variety of subjects and I generally price my non-portrait paintings by size. They turn out to be less expensive than commissioned portraits but I don't think this is an unreasonalble thing to do.

Linda Brandon · 08-27-2005, 11:19 AM

Sorry if I'm hijacking your thread! I can't resist posting this.

Allan Rahbek · 08-27-2005, 11:53 AM

Nice show Linda

Someone said : "Never go below your pricing". That seems to be a fair rule. Better rise the prices at a certain pace and keep it there.

I don

Leslie Ficcaglia · 08-27-2005, 02:57 PM

Pricing the portrait downwards could give the impression that you didn't view it as representative of your best work. It also suggests that your commissioned portraits are overpriced for some reason. I'd go with the same price, as others have recommended.

Around here it's hard to find a venue for NFS paintings. Galleries want a cut to stay afloat, so they insist that it all be for sale. Hard with commissioned portraits!

Alexandra Tyng · 08-27-2005, 06:35 PM

I have been worrying about this for some time, then finally I got the idea of posting the question on the forum. Duh!

Your responses have helped me tremendously. After all, my main objective is not to sell the one portrait that is "for sale," but to show my work and generate commissions.

I agree that it is very hard to find a place that would be willing to have a portraits-only show, but the fact that I'm showing with others who have many figurative pieces for sale helps! The show came about because we were discussing, or bemoaning, the fact that there were so few opportunities to show portraits and figurative work. Our galleries are interested mainly in our landscape and still life because they sell better. The other more philosophical reason for the show is the exploration of the "space" between portrait and figure, which is stated in the announcement.

LInda, music is a great idea! Thanks so much for pointing that out. You are not hijacking the thread, only enhancing it. My daughter played the harp for many years but gave it up when she was a senior in high school--sigh! It is such a beautiful instrument but not easy to carry around.

Alexandra Tyng · 08-27-2005, 06:40 PM

I forgot to add that my galleries, since they are only interested in my landscape work, give me free reign on what I do with portraits. I hardly do any figurative work, but so far my NY gallery is not interested in figurative work either. So I do not have to give 50% to them from this show.