Wednesday, December 16, 2009

How can I find out what my oil paintings are worth?

I do oil paintings, mostly landscapes. I was recently laid off my job and think maybe I should try to sell some of my paintings for profit. How can I find out what they should sell for?How can I find out what my oil paintings are worth?
I paint also and sell. Just ask a price you concider decent. Concider your time and how much you want for a wage (example $12.00per hr.), also how much resourses you put into it (example $30.00 worth of paint, $20 worth of canvas), and what profit you want to make, like $70 profit.





6 hours to complete @ $12.00 = $72.00


14 x 17 canvas %26amp; three tubes of paint = $65.00


Profit =$70.00


Total: $207.00





It is common for beginner artists to sell alittle lower. It insurse your name gets well known. After you sell a few paintings and you find they are selling faster than what you can paint, it means your selling to low. The opisite if your pricing to high, if your not selling much. It is kind of a trial %26amp; error thing, you need to ';feel'; what best soutes you. Of course when you get well known, you can ask alot.





When you start making larger profits you can begin to make prints, artist proofs, and G-clays of your originals so your won't have to spend so much time on painting originals. Prints are a cash cow and help provide everyday living expenses. Also as you live off profits from prints, you can be painting for shows and exhibitions.





As for galleries, their are consignment galleries that alow you to sell year round in a Gallery. They usually charge 60%/40% split. If your selling to people dirrectly, your price should be lower than the price in the Gallery. You both benifit more if you and the costumer do business directly.





Good LuckHow can I find out what my oil paintings are worth?
You need to research what other paintings that are similar in style , subject and quality are selling for in your area .Talk to dealers , curators of galleries.Find out what if anything is actually being sold and for how much.Keep looking for work though it can take a long time to sell a painting.Good luck!!!
Decide first how much time you put into your paintings. Consider also your materials, and how much of it you're using, and the ware and tair on it. Add that into the price. Research to see what similar oil paintings are going for on the market. You can look on ebay, look at art galleries and kind of get an estimate. Hope this helps.
befriend marketing people for your paintings to be advertised. im sure it'll help a lot. not only you get your paintings advertised, you get to know a lot of people. ok, so what's the first step? there are only 2 ways. 1. talk to a lot of people. 2. talk to a lot of people.
The only sure way is taking them to a reputable Art Gallery.
you can send a pic to an auction house and they can give you an estimate at no charge. If you want it appraised, they charge a fee. A few to check out: www.christies.com


www.sothebys.com


www.bonhams.com
one way, and fair one ,is to charge a painting by time of labor. [there is others ways like by size of the artwork,and competition prize: what your fellow sellers are selling for, with similiar landscapes like yours around your city.]

No comments:

Post a Comment