I am an artist who has been requested to paint a mural of a lake. what price should I charge for the creation?

Question

I estimate the mural to be in a size of 3feet by 5 feet. I generally get about $40 per hour for my paintings, (see www.michiganwildlifeartist.com), but that may scare off the potential client. How do I estimate a reasonable price without cheating the customer or myself.

Answer 1

You charge him whatever you are worth and if they don't like the price negotiate. also make shure you tell them how long it will take. I think the price you are quoting is very reasonable.

Answer 2

Three x five feet is not large for a mural (wall painting). Depending on the detail and "finish," I 'd suggest askiing if they have a budget. Likely they do not, so I would come back with "I can provide an OK painting, a good painting, or a great painting, depending on how much you want to spend. It's like buying a car...there's a base price, and then there's a price for all the add ons. You need to agree on an upper limit, especially important if the painting unfolds as you go, or if you work from an approved sketch or photo. If you work all over instead of top down, you can do a "stage" pricing. $150 to get to stage one, which could exist as is....another $150 to take up to stage two, an even better, more detailed point, then another amount to really finish the work. $150 upwards to $700 (signed and dated)

Answer 3

Your artwork is lovely! I do caution you about charging your normal $40 p/h for the mural, however. If you have never done a mural before, you will be working with a learning curve. You will possibly run into issues that you didn't expect, and your project may go longer than you expected. I would charge less for your first mural, and if you become a working mural artist with experience under your belt, then you can charge a mastery level price. You have achieved a certain level of mastery with your paintings, and can command that level of pricing for them. If this is your first mural, then I would not expect mastery level compensation for it. Don't charge an entry level artist price, as you have a name built up already. It sure is a fine line, this pricing thing! Good luck, and I look forward to seeing your finished mural on your website!

Answer 4

Hey Gordon,
I'm in a similar position myself - just starting to do mural work in the Detroit Metro area. There are two schools of thought as far as pricing goes..the hourly rate, of which you are well aware...and by the square foot. Prices I found on the web ranged from 35 a sq ft to 65-70 for murals under 10 feet in height. Scaffolding or ladder work was at a premium above that.
Good luck.

Answer 5

You can tell them what your normal hourly rate is and then say that you are flexible with that rate.

Estimate the time it would take you to do the whole thing.

For example, if you think it would take you 1 month working full time 5 days a week at $40/hr, then you would tell them it would cost them $6,400 total, and stick with that. You may or may not want to include cost of supplies, so that they feel comfortable not having to worry about that.

I can't immagine that a 3x5 ft would take a month, but this is just an example.

I would be ready to negotiate, taking into consideration what your lowest rate acceptable would be. If you are ok with charging $20/hr, that would cut the cost to $3,200 which may seem more acceptable to them... and maybe you will want to meet somewhere in the middle.

You can always bid high, say, $50/hr, in hopes that your 'compromise' at $40/hr will make them happy.

Don't forget about taxes and prep time!!

:)

Answer 6

first of all, you sound like you are not valuing your own work. They obviously have seen your work and like it enough to want it on their wall.

secondly, $40 /hour is VERY reasonable for mural work, but they are probably going to want a full estimate. figure out how long it will take you, multiply by 40.

show them the detailed sketch and the estimate and let them decide. Don't sell your self short.

Answer 7

If this is not for charity - don't sell yourself short. I saw the art on your link and it is very good and I can tell it is very time consuming for you to get that kind of detail. People need to remember 'you get what you pay for'. And if they want your quality of artwork you need to charge them what you normally make. I'm an artist too and i know how much work is involved and artist are constantly being ripped off, as far as that goes. If you want you could tell them you normally get 40 an hour and tell them you'll give them a specail price of 35 per hour and that might be enough for them to realise they are getting a really good deal.
Good luck.

Answer 8

You never mentioned what kind of paint you will be using or what is your level of expertise. $40.00 an hour is very reasonable. It doesn't sound to me as if you are cheating the customer. If you go any lower, you will be cheating yourself. You have to factor in that you will need brushes and paint and that stuff costs money. What about mileage and the time it will take you to get to your project site? Do not shortchange yourself. If you do, you will hate yourself forever more.

Answer 9

first tell them that you generally charge 40 an hour, then ask them what they think a fair price would be, and tell them you will work with them once you start the project and they see your work. try charging them somewhere in between what you normally charge and what they think would be a fair price.

Answer 10

Just tell the client you normally get about $40.00/hour...if he does not flinch, sign a contract at that rate...if he does the two of you can enter into negotiations