What would you pay someone to do an oil painting of you, your family or your pet?

Question

I do realistic oil paintings and I have done a few for friends and family. I am thinking about doing that in my spare time, but I don't want to overcharge.

Answer 1

Pricing art is difficult because of all the variables. Finding the right the price point for your work is an individual venture. I know artists who charge and receive $10,000 for portrait work in New York City. I am sure that those same artists would not receive that amount in other parts of the country. So, demographics are to be considered in artist pricing as well. The artists experience is also a consideration for pricing. Find the price point that will bring you an income. Be careful not to overcharge yourself out of work but at the same time do not undercharge and undervalue your work. The artist determines the value of their work. Start by giving yourself a fair hourly rate between $15 - $25 (more if experienced) then add supplies to get a ball park. I ask my clients how much they are looking to spend and work around that for them. Of course if they only want to spend $1,000 they will only get a canvas with some background color on it...just kidding. Hope you see my point. When someone asks you to paint something for them try to work with them as much as possible...then everyone will benefit.

Answer 2

I am a pretty competent artist www.janedunn.co.uk and i charge 140 dollars for a pastel head of tan animal and a portrait of a child in oil 350 dollars. We are farmers so need a little extra . I paint over full time and it is very very tough ...getting tougher for my kind of work is not popular as in banksey !!!!! I have a just enough work but I never earn on average over 500 dollars a week . and I have to get the bus to get materials and pc camera scanner out of that .

Answer 3

The best thing I ever had said to me as an instruction as an artist is when someone ask you how long it took you to paint a painting you respond with how ever old you....if your thirty it took you thirty years of experience to be able to put that on canvas, if your forty...the same. IF your really confident in your work be confident in what you charge.......IF you can charge into the thousands and work demands it...be proud and charge it.
people get in this mind set that artist shouldn't charge to much....bull#$$%! IF YOU WANT BAD quality art go to a starving
artist sale....of course nothing there is really done by a real rtist....people don't understand that...so for someone to help you set a price on something like nothing over $500.00 LIKE SOMEONE DID EARLIER...they are used to shopping at k-mart and not interested in real quality.

Answer 4

I had a pet portrait painted of my corgi; a company in Australia called
Direct Art Australia paints them from your photograph. It was fast and easy; you only needed to put a deposit down and the portrait can be sent anywhere in the world. Address:

http://www.directartaustralia.com.au/portrait_display.aspx

Answer 5

depends on the customer...i have turned down work for my lovely and talented wife when they offered $1200 for a painting...i know a couple of people who had family portraits done for their new library and hearth rooms and paid over $5,000 for each canvas (there were several)...so i say don't be shy, child...put the thumb-screws to'em!

Answer 6

Whatever the artist says it's worth.

Ah! Thanks for the additional details.
Depends on your talent, the size of the work, and what your customer is willing pay. Tour around the Internet, look at other artists' sites. That'll give you a start.

Good luck and have fun!
.

Answer 7

I do not think this is the person who makes up the cost. The cost is dictated by the person doing the painting.

Answer 8

i only have $10 right now. so i wouldn't be a very good customer. If i had more monery though, i would prolly pay up to $500. but none over that.

Answer 9

How big would the painting be? Will it be just canvas or will it be framed?