PRICING PAINTINGS

Unlike items in our weekly shopping trolley, paintings are luxury items. Most of us ’fall in love’ with a picture or something about it is interesting and it strikes a chord within us. We buy it to look at, and to display in our homes. A painting is a statement of personal taste.

The Decision to Buy

However most purchasers of pictures still apply their usual shopping skills. They are more likely to buy in a pleasant, friendly environment. They carefully examine the quality and workmanship of the item, together with the reputation and popularity of the artist. Wanting to get the best value for money, they also compare the prices of similar pictures.

The Shopping Environment

Our art society has made huge efforts to create a professional, congenial environment for our Summer Exhibitions, and public expectations have risen as a result. When we are ‘sitting-in’ the more attentive and welcoming we are, the more likely we are to sell paintings. Quality We artists are responsible for the quality of our materials and for framing, which is very important. Nothing says “I am cheap, I am tasteless!” as much as a picture with a very narrow mount in an inadequate frame. We could take a lesson from large shops, such as John Lewis and many art galleries, where the frame may actually cost more than the contents.

Value for Money

Our visitors look at the prices of our paintings on display and compare prices. The cheapest painting selling at no profit to the artist, makes all the other paintings then look ’dear’. Our society charges little commission, whereas some galleries charge 41% commission including V.A.T. When speaking at this year’s A.G.M., our Chairman urged members to value each painting as a unique work of art and if in doubt what to charge when exhibiting at the Summer Exhibition, to ask an experienced member for advice.

IDEAS FOR CALCULATING THE SELLING PRICE

1. Final price to be treble the cost of the mount and frame. [Member’s Suggestion]

2. Add up all your costs and expenses (e.g. all materials used, travel costs, cost of mount, backing, framing, hanging fees), then add on 10p per square inch. [“Painting For Your Living” Book]

3. Add up all costs and expenses, then add on £5 for every hour. [The UK Minimum wage will be £5.05 in October 2005]

4. Calculate 20p per sq. cm. and then adjust price according to the overall quality of the painting. [Simon Francis, Birmingham artist] N.B. Long-lasting oil and acrylic paintings usually cost at least 30% more than watercolour paintings of the same size.

Finally, the Committee would love to hear your suggestions on how we can assist members to price paintings.

Di Alexander T.A.S. Editor

November One Day Sale

Photos: Di Alexander

COPYRIGHT

Most of us own the copyright of our artwork as soon as it is created. We and our heirs, automatically have the exclusive rights to use that image while we live and for 70 years afterwards. That is why the year is included in copyright statements (as in most books). Copyright protects our work—provided that it is sufficiently skilful to be recognised as a work of art. Your doodles do not count - unless you are David Hockney! Should you produce artwork for your employer, he/she will own the copyright, but rest assured - this does not apply to one-off commissions.

Photographing or copying someone else’s work infringes their rights; so when we copy an artist’s demonstration painting at a workshop, it is on the understanding that we do not sell it.

Painting a picture from a photograph may infringe copyright. The treatment of the subject-matter, similarity to the original, distribution and profit would be taken into account by a court of law. Many people are sued each year. Local artist Siriol Sherlock threated legal action against someone in January 2004. Some of her floral paintings had been used to make decoupage kits. The good news is that even after selling a painting, we still have the right to use that image in any way we choose.

Di Alexander

Di Alexander at T.A.S. 2004 Exhibition

Photo June Green