Price a painting or work on paper two ways, by the linear-inch (size) method or by time and materials, and see the suggested retail price, the price per square inch that keeps your whole body of work consistent, and your take-home after the gallery commission. Built for artists by Nakada Design.
Emerging $2-6 · mid-career $6-15 · established $15+.
Doubles cost to cover studio, overhead & profit.
Price the same work identically everywhere and absorb the commission, so a collector never finds it cheaper by going around the gallery. This is a starting figure. Your market, medium and demand set the final number.
Cómo to Price Your Artwork
Two methods, and most artists use both as a cross-check. The linear-inch method keeps price proportional to size: add height and width, multiply by a per-inch rate you set from your market and track record. It is fast and it makes a 48-inch canvas cost predictably more than a 24-inch one. Time and materials starts from the floor (what the work actually cost you in hours and supplies) and multiplies up to cover overhead and profit, which protects you on labor-intensive pieces the size method would underprice.
Then do the thing that separates professionals from amateurs: convert to a price per square inch and hold it steady across a body of work. Collectors notice when a small piece is wildly more expensive per inch than a large one, and consistency reads as confidence.
The Gallery Commission and Por qué You Absorb It
A gallery typically takes 50% of the retail price on consignment. The instinct is to add the commission on top for gallery sales and keep a lower “studio price”. Resist it. If a collector discovers your work is cheaper directly from you, you have undercut your own gallery and taught the market to distrust your prices. Set one retail price, use it everywhere, and absorb the commission. Build your per-inch rate or hourly wage high enough that your take-home after 50% is still worth your time, which is exactly what the calculator shows you above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cómo do you price artwork?
Two methods dominate. The linear-inch method multiplies the sum of the height and width in inches by a dollar rate you set from your market and experience, then adds framing and materials. The time-and-materials method adds your studio hours at an hourly wage to the cost of materials, then applies an overhead-and-profit multiplier. Whichever you use, convert the result to a price per square inch and keep it consistent across your body of work.
Qué hacemos is the linear inch method?
Add the height and width of the painting in inches and multiply by a per-inch rate. A 24 × 36 in painting is 60 linear inches; at $10 per inch that is a $600 base price, before framing. Emerging artists often use $2-$6 per inch, mid-career artists $6-$15, and established artists more. It is a fast way to keep pricing proportional to size.
Qué hacemos percentage does a gallery take?
The standard gallery commission is 50% of the retail price on consignment, though it ranges from about 30% to 60%. Crucially, price the same work identically everywhere (your studio, your website and the gallery) and simply absorb the commission, so a collector never finds a cheaper price by going around the gallery. This calculator shows both the retail price and your take-home after commission.
Should I raise prices as I sell?
Yes, but gradually and only from a position of demand. A common guideline is a modest increase once you are consistently selling out a body of work or have a waiting list. Raise your per-inch rate or hourly wage, apply it across all new work, and never lower published prices, which damages the confidence of collectors who already bought.
Is it free?
Yes. The tool is free to use in your browser with no signup required. Nothing is installed, and you can run as many calculations as you need for planning. Confirm critical figures with product data or a licensed professional before construction.
Have clients discover you before your competitors do
This tool is built by Nakada Design, a Los Angeles marketing agency that specializes in galleries and artists. The same care that went into it goes into your visibility: the search presence and advertising that brings collectors to your gallery first. Tell us about your gallery below.
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