Frequently asked Questions.
Sometimes you simply want an answer to a question. Let's see if I can address the most frequently asked questions below.
Questions:
- Why would I buy from the artist directly versus a gallery?
- Do you ever discount, or put your paintings on sale at a lower price?
- How do you come to the price of your paintings?
- What does a painting actually cost to produce?
- Can I return a painting if I don't love it as much in person?
- Is there a penalty for returning it?
- Do you ever offer specials?
- H0w do I actually pay for a piece that I would like to purchase from you?
- How do I hang the piece once I get it home?
- What do you get out of creating your art?
Why would I buy from the artist directly versus a gallery?
I think the decision boils down to, who are you most interested in developing a relationship with? The local gallery or the artist directly.
Buying from your local gallery is a great option and if that is what you are drawn to. One benefit to purchasing from a gallery is that you will see many different artists represented. This gives you a lot of variety to choose from. You could also be drawn to them because they have been in business for a number of years, so you trust them.
For the artist, buying from a gallery means two things. First of all commission rates vary, this is the amount of the sale that the gallery retains, from 40-60%. The artist will receive the remainder. In addition, the gallery retains the contact details of the collector so the artist never gets to be included in the relationship. For some artists this is a great fit because they would rather create art than build relationships with collectors. Galleries do have overhead and staff to pay for so the commissions they retain are a necessary part of the transaction.
In recent times, many galleries have become "Pay to Play" spaces where the artist is required to pay money, upfront, in order to exhibit in the space. With any sold pieces the gallery also retains a commission on those sales. This seems to be a model that some galleries are going to.
For me, I'd like to receive the full payment for my artwork and I value developing the relationship with my collectors. What I provide is a consistency to my work, a dedication to continue growing my reputation and therefore increase the value of my work over time. I am also committed to be as professional as a gallery relationship would be, with clear terms and guidelines for working with me.
Buying from your local gallery is a great option and if that is what you are drawn to. One benefit to purchasing from a gallery is that you will see many different artists represented. This gives you a lot of variety to choose from. You could also be drawn to them because they have been in business for a number of years, so you trust them.
For the artist, buying from a gallery means two things. First of all commission rates vary, this is the amount of the sale that the gallery retains, from 40-60%. The artist will receive the remainder. In addition, the gallery retains the contact details of the collector so the artist never gets to be included in the relationship. For some artists this is a great fit because they would rather create art than build relationships with collectors. Galleries do have overhead and staff to pay for so the commissions they retain are a necessary part of the transaction.
In recent times, many galleries have become "Pay to Play" spaces where the artist is required to pay money, upfront, in order to exhibit in the space. With any sold pieces the gallery also retains a commission on those sales. This seems to be a model that some galleries are going to.
For me, I'd like to receive the full payment for my artwork and I value developing the relationship with my collectors. What I provide is a consistency to my work, a dedication to continue growing my reputation and therefore increase the value of my work over time. I am also committed to be as professional as a gallery relationship would be, with clear terms and guidelines for working with me.
Do you ever discount, or put your paintings on sale at a lower price?
The simply answer is no, I don't discount the price of my paintings and here's why.
1) My customers are really smart and I value the confidence they have put in my work.
2) For the collectors who have already purchased paintings from me, discounting would deteriorate the value of the paintings that have already sold. For example, If my painting is valued at $800 and next month I discount that to $650, I would have overcharged the first customer by $150. That's not respectful.
3) You will often see discounts of 50% or 70% on items. If you keep in mind that a business exists to make money what those deep discounts are telling you is that at 50% off, that store is still making money. Does that mean on the days they are not offering the discount they are overcharging you by 50-70%? This doesn't feel good from a consumers point of view.
4) My paintings are not a commodity that can be easily produced in mass quantities. These are one of a kind paintings therefore each one holds its rarity and value. Holding the price ensures that the value will continue, safeguarding your investment.
1) My customers are really smart and I value the confidence they have put in my work.
2) For the collectors who have already purchased paintings from me, discounting would deteriorate the value of the paintings that have already sold. For example, If my painting is valued at $800 and next month I discount that to $650, I would have overcharged the first customer by $150. That's not respectful.
3) You will often see discounts of 50% or 70% on items. If you keep in mind that a business exists to make money what those deep discounts are telling you is that at 50% off, that store is still making money. Does that mean on the days they are not offering the discount they are overcharging you by 50-70%? This doesn't feel good from a consumers point of view.
4) My paintings are not a commodity that can be easily produced in mass quantities. These are one of a kind paintings therefore each one holds its rarity and value. Holding the price ensures that the value will continue, safeguarding your investment.
How do you come to the price of your paintings?
My paintings are priced by the square inch on a sliding scale. The larger pieces are price less per square inch than the smaller pieces.
Here's a typical calculation. 6x8" painting is 48 square inches. Under 100 square inches I charge $7 per square inch which makes this painting $336. For a large painting, say 36x36" = 1296 square inches. Over 1000 square inches I charge $2 per square inch, which means this painting is $2592. If I were to charge a standard rate per square inch I would be in danger of underpricing the small pieces and over pricing the larger pieces.
Here's a typical calculation. 6x8" painting is 48 square inches. Under 100 square inches I charge $7 per square inch which makes this painting $336. For a large painting, say 36x36" = 1296 square inches. Over 1000 square inches I charge $2 per square inch, which means this painting is $2592. If I were to charge a standard rate per square inch I would be in danger of underpricing the small pieces and over pricing the larger pieces.
What does a painting actually cost to produce?
The cost per painting varies depending on the size.
1) The cost of the initial canvas. Let's work with the 36 x 36" size. Currently the canvas is $95.00. To purchase this canvas, it requires a trip to the art store which is 35 minutes away. So just over an hour round trip.
2) With a new canvas I apply acrylic gesso to be sure the surface is well sealed. With raw canvas I also apply a 'sizing', which prepares the canvas to receive the gesso. This would typically take between an hour and 1.5 hours to complete.
3)Transfer the image to the canvas. For this size, 2 hours of time to transfer that image.
4) Currently I'm painting a single square inch in about 4.69 minutes. This varies somewhat by the complexity of the image. 1296 sq/in x 4.69 = 6078 minutes or 101 hours.
5) Generally each painting needs two, or possibly more passes, to refine the shape and colouring. This 1296 square inch canvas with the two passes in mind would take 200-250 hours to complete.
6) Once the piece is fully cured I like to apply a layer of varnish to aid in the longevity and cleaning of the painting. Half and hour to 45 minutes should be sufficient for that.
7) If the piece needs framing, then there is the cost of that. For this size, a frame would be $300-500 depending on the style.
Total time for this painting is:
Purchase the canvas: 1 hour
Gessoing: 1-1.5 hours.
Transferring the image: 2 hours
Painting time: 200-250 hours
Varnishing: 45 minutes
Total time = 205 - 256 hours.
In order for my online fine art business to survive, I spend 50% of my time creating work and 50% of my time promoting my business. While it's hard to say how much of the promotion time is specifically used for this painting, for this measurement let's say 100 hours. This includes emailing my V.I.P. list, writing blog posts, posting content on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and about 20 different groups on Facebook.
This 36x36" painting took 300 hours of my time to bring it to market. With a regular 40 hour work week that's 7.5 weeks. With a value of $2592 and 300 hours my hourly wage is just under $9 per hour. If I don't factor in the marketing time, I'm making about $25 per hour.
So when you see the price tag of $2592 your first thought might be "That's expensive." When you see the details of how this all breaks down, I hope you see things differently. This breakdown is meant to inform you of the back end process that is involved in bring my beautiful work to you.
How do I make money then? One of the things I do is I track my numbers pretty carefully and see where I can improve. Either master my craft so I'm quicker at finishing a piece, or cutting cost so my expenses are reduced. For example, when I started tracking my per square inch timing I was at 6.79 minutes per square inch. My skills are now at a lever that the 4.69 minutes is my timing. I suspect this will be changing again as I become more adept at seeing and mixing colours as well more efficient with my mark making. Super exciting.
1) The cost of the initial canvas. Let's work with the 36 x 36" size. Currently the canvas is $95.00. To purchase this canvas, it requires a trip to the art store which is 35 minutes away. So just over an hour round trip.
2) With a new canvas I apply acrylic gesso to be sure the surface is well sealed. With raw canvas I also apply a 'sizing', which prepares the canvas to receive the gesso. This would typically take between an hour and 1.5 hours to complete.
3)Transfer the image to the canvas. For this size, 2 hours of time to transfer that image.
4) Currently I'm painting a single square inch in about 4.69 minutes. This varies somewhat by the complexity of the image. 1296 sq/in x 4.69 = 6078 minutes or 101 hours.
5) Generally each painting needs two, or possibly more passes, to refine the shape and colouring. This 1296 square inch canvas with the two passes in mind would take 200-250 hours to complete.
6) Once the piece is fully cured I like to apply a layer of varnish to aid in the longevity and cleaning of the painting. Half and hour to 45 minutes should be sufficient for that.
7) If the piece needs framing, then there is the cost of that. For this size, a frame would be $300-500 depending on the style.
Total time for this painting is:
Purchase the canvas: 1 hour
Gessoing: 1-1.5 hours.
Transferring the image: 2 hours
Painting time: 200-250 hours
Varnishing: 45 minutes
Total time = 205 - 256 hours.
In order for my online fine art business to survive, I spend 50% of my time creating work and 50% of my time promoting my business. While it's hard to say how much of the promotion time is specifically used for this painting, for this measurement let's say 100 hours. This includes emailing my V.I.P. list, writing blog posts, posting content on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and about 20 different groups on Facebook.
This 36x36" painting took 300 hours of my time to bring it to market. With a regular 40 hour work week that's 7.5 weeks. With a value of $2592 and 300 hours my hourly wage is just under $9 per hour. If I don't factor in the marketing time, I'm making about $25 per hour.
So when you see the price tag of $2592 your first thought might be "That's expensive." When you see the details of how this all breaks down, I hope you see things differently. This breakdown is meant to inform you of the back end process that is involved in bring my beautiful work to you.
How do I make money then? One of the things I do is I track my numbers pretty carefully and see where I can improve. Either master my craft so I'm quicker at finishing a piece, or cutting cost so my expenses are reduced. For example, when I started tracking my per square inch timing I was at 6.79 minutes per square inch. My skills are now at a lever that the 4.69 minutes is my timing. I suspect this will be changing again as I become more adept at seeing and mixing colours as well more efficient with my mark making. Super exciting.
Can I return a painting if I don't love it as much in person?
Yes. Within 30 days you can return a painting to me for a full refund, no questions asked. This is my guarantee to you. If you don't love it as much as you thought, or it doesn't fit in with your space, it is your privilege to return it. I respect that you are capable of making great decisions about what you love and sometimes you need to see it in person to make that decision. The caveat is that the painting needs to return in the same condition it was received in. So hold on to the packaging that I used, just in case you would like to return it.
Is there a penalty for returning it?
No. There is no penalty. I will refund your full investment to you once I receive the painting back in the studio. The only cost to you is the return shipping.
Do you ever offer specials?
Yes. There are several specials that I offer. You will see free shipping, or perhaps the addition of a set of notecards with your purchase. I also love to spoil my collectors by sending them treats throughout the year.
How do I actually pay for a piece that I would like to purchase from you?
I have two options for purchasing a piece.
1) Full payment can be made by all major credit cards through a secure gateway that is handled by Square, a trusted online credit card processing service. These purchases can be made directly on my website. E-transfer is also an option if that is your preference.
2) My payment plan option is another way to go. All that is required is for me to create an invoice for you that spreads your payments out over the agreed upon time frame. Typically this could be 6-12 payments. Payment plans also use the Square platform for all major credit cards, or e-transfer is available also.
There is no interest charged on payments that are spread out over a period of time.
My return policy remains whether you pay in full of with the payment plan.
1) Full payment can be made by all major credit cards through a secure gateway that is handled by Square, a trusted online credit card processing service. These purchases can be made directly on my website. E-transfer is also an option if that is your preference.
2) My payment plan option is another way to go. All that is required is for me to create an invoice for you that spreads your payments out over the agreed upon time frame. Typically this could be 6-12 payments. Payment plans also use the Square platform for all major credit cards, or e-transfer is available also.
There is no interest charged on payments that are spread out over a period of time.
My return policy remains whether you pay in full of with the payment plan.
How do I hang the piece once I get it home?
Great questions. It will depend on where you are hanging the piece. Either as a stand alone statement on one wall, or within a group of existing paintings. To help you with this process, I've put together a hanging guide that will give you some guidelines for both circumstance. Click the link below to download your copy.
| hanging_guide.pdf |
What do you get out of creating your art?
There are a couple of things I get out of it.
1) I get to sustain my lifestyle, which is an obvious result.
2) I get to impact people in a profound way. Such as when my client came to see her painting for the first time and this was her reaction.
1) I get to sustain my lifestyle, which is an obvious result.
2) I get to impact people in a profound way. Such as when my client came to see her painting for the first time and this was her reaction.
3) Creating these beautiful paintings moves me, it makes me feel more alive. I also get to revel in unbelievable beauty.
I love my life and I love my career.
Having this experience for yourself, is something you will never forget. Come take a look at the pieces I have available and those that I'm working on. Click Here.
I love my life and I love my career.
Having this experience for yourself, is something you will never forget. Come take a look at the pieces I have available and those that I'm working on. Click Here.