Fine art show prices?

[ak_powder_monkey]

I'm putting up a few images in my first showing (yay!) 4 8x8s with matts and frames and one 8x10 (matted and framed) how much would you put on the price tag? I was thinking $60 for the 8x8s and $80 for the 8x10

[liza]

I did an art exhibit last summer and priced matted and framed 8x10's at $400 each. This will vary from area to area, though, depending on prices in your local market.

[dioptic]

Liza,

Did you sell any at those prices?

Thanks.

dioptic

[SWPhotoImaging]

Is this a juried show? A street fair art-show? An art show in a mall?
Each would have a different expected audience and product pricing structure.

[SouthFla]

Wow, you have many factors to consider, as some of the previous posters mentioned. In my area, a juried "fine art show" is much different than an "arts and crafts" show. The former having considerably higher-quality work and corresponding sale prices, and customers expecting as such.

Your individual prices are influenced by many things, including (1) the quality of your work (2) your name/reputation (3) competition (4) market (5) economy (6) show location (7) your materials costs, time, and talent, blah blah blah you get the picture :D

The best way for you to figure this out IMO is to first determine your costs to make any given piece (i.e. your print costs $10 paper, $5 ink, $15 matting, $2 packaging, etc). There's a "common" multiplier in the artshow circuit which is often used as a baseline pricepoint, which is 10-15x's your costs for matted work, and 3-5x's your costs for framed work. In my experience, this can be a good reference point to start to work around.

I would go to a few shows and see what the competition is charging. Then you can make some informed decisions on appropriately pricing your work.

For illustrative purposes, you can see on my website how I price my fine art for my shows (I do ~7 fine art shows per season). These prices are on the low side (this is just my 4th season in the artshow world ). But thanks to some good fortune, sales and publicity they will be raised somewhere in the ~25% area after this summer :lol:

The art show scene is a crazy, energetic, exciting, depressing, emotionally gratifying and often lucrative rollercoaster of a world. I hope this gives you a little help, best of luck!

John

[Hawg Hanner]

It largely depends on the quality of your images and your market, but I would say your suggested retail prices seem low if your images are any good. Are you selling a limited number of each print?

[SWPhotoImaging]

Also remember that in many "art shows", you cannot sell ink-jet produced prints as photographs.

There are some excellent resources vailable, as well as a "pricing" sticky at the top of the forum.

Buy, or browse a copy of the book "Photographers Market". It is updated annually as "2007 Photographers Market", etc.

Also, check out this link to a site dedicated to art shows and art show displays, etc.
http://bermangraphics.com/contents.htm

[Sam10]

Also remember that in many "art shows", you cannot sell ink-jet produced prints as photographs.

http://bermangraphics.com/contents.htm

WHAT!!!

I have a Canon ipf5000 large format 12 pigmented ink printer that will print on a large variety of media including one of my favorites, Hahnemuhle Fine Art photo Rag. The prints are stunning, and have an archival rating well in excess of 100 years.

Now some art show wants to tell me this is unacceptable, but I could have them printed at Wal-Mart?

Am I missing something or are these folks, to be kind say, uninformed about some of the technological advances recently made, like the telephone, and electricity?

Sam

[SWPhotoImaging]

There are more and more that are coming around to the reality that today's high-quality pigment ink printers are producing images that will outlast a chemical-process photo print.

It is a long, slow road to convert an established high-brow group like the "juried art show" operators.

Personally, as soon as I can afford it, I am buying an HP Z3100, so I can print 44" canvas photo prints.

[Sam10]

There are more and more that are coming around to the reality that today's high-quality pigment ink printers are producing images that will outlast a chemical-process photo print.

It is a long, slow road to convert an established high-brow group like the "juried art show" operators.

Personally, as soon as I can afford it, I am buying an HP Z3100, so I can print 44" canvas photo prints.

Hi Steve,

It's not just the longevity, but also the look, and feel of an image printed on a medium chosen to match, and enhance the image it's self. As I am sure you know the right image printed on fine art paper will look totally different, (and if the image was carefully chosen, far superior) than the same image printed on a more traditional gloss, or semi-gloss paper.

I have a local printer who has a Canon ipf9000, 60” wide large format printer, but with the same basic ink print technology as my little one. I can proof on mine and know what it will look like if I have him print it on canvas, or just need a larger size.

I have also discovered by poking around on some art show forums, many don’t like photographers in general, and deplore the printing of photographs on canvas. Giclee is some circles is a nasty word. (Actually I have read that Giclee may have some other connotations in colloquial French than the official translation.)

I really do believe these people on a jury have an obligation to keep up with changing technologies and methods. It wouldn’t be hard for them to contact well known people in the printing, and or photography field.

Good luck with your new printer. It's a great time to buy a printer. There are so many really good choices today.

Sam

[SouthFla]

WHAT!!!

I have a Canon ipf5000 large format 12 pigmented ink printer that will print on a large variety of media including one of my favorites, Hahnemuhle Fine Art photo Rag. The prints are stunning, and have an archival rating well in excess of 100 years.

Now some art show wants to tell me this is unacceptable, but I could have them printed at Wal-Mart?

Am I missing something or are these folks, to be kind say, uninformed about some of the technological advances recently made, like the telephone, and electricity?

Sam

One of the more prestigous, largest and oldest fine art shows in the country, the "Coconut Grove Arts Festival" (traditionally ranked among top 5 of all shows), will not let a photographer enter in the "photography" category if they are producing their work digitally. You have to enter in the "digital art" category. Apparently photographers using digital cameras and ink jets to produce their art are not really "photographers" according to this show :rolleyes:

Obviously, this is a complete load of cr&p, and I refuse to apply to the show in the digital art category (which I'd never get accepted in anyway, as the digital artists who enter are generally amazing). Plus most of the artist who are in the show, even the BIG name photographers (i.e. Clyde Butcher), produce their work on ink jets. I guess if you are a well-known photog there is a "don't ask don't tell" policy going on :evil:

Either way, it's a shame as this show can be a HUGE source of income for photographers based on sales and attendance...

[themichael]

Photographers these days are the red headed step-child at the family picnic.

Cheap digital cameras, cheap prints, and tons of internet photo sites haven't helped either.

[holrd]

Im doing my first Gallery show in November, I was quoted 250-600 for framed 8x10 and 11x14's.

Good luck.