Blue Table Painting

Ah haha I feel as if I should be in this discussion and yet I don't consider myself to be fantastic in anyway at painting. I started doing some commission stuff down here in College Station recently because I've been on kind of a painting crave and extra money is always nice. I feel as if I'm always undercharging myself when I try to base per hour also, but its a hard sell for me to charge much more because my work isn't SUPER FANTASTIC nor do I do this as anything more than an enjoyable side thing. Also I'm half afraid I'd drive anyone away.

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Originally Posted by RealGenius

You guys need to start conspiring to drive prices up.

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I doubt anyone will pay me or Brandon fair market because BTP-style sweatshops and Thomas's mutant-power painting speed undercuts us. Most high quality jobs start at about 30-40 hours of work. Thomas has stated $20-$25 is roughly fair market. I know no-one that will pay $600-$800 for a single model. So we do what we can and pay for our hobby instead.

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Originally Posted by Psyberwolfe

I doubt anyone will pay me or Brandon fair market

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Do you have a website promoting your service? Have you won any nationally recognized awards?

I'd say you have to at least answer those two.

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Originally Posted by RealGenius

Do you have a website promoting your service? Have you won any nationally recognized awards?

I'd say you have to at least answer those two.

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Reaper is using my painted Models as their painted example. :p

http://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStor...tail/IG_1988_1

http://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStor...tail/IG_1626_3

[QUOTE=Psyberwolfe;35501]I doubt anyone will pay me what I think I deserve [QUOTE]

Actually you do get paid fair market value for your painting commissions. You and your customer negotiate your fee and come to an agreement. You are a willing seller and your customer is a willing buyer. That is fair market value at its essence.

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Originally Posted by whill4

Actually you do get paid fair market value for your painting commissions. You and your customer negotiate your fee and come to an agreement. You are a willing seller and your customer is a willing buyer. That is fair market value at its essence.

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At it's core you are right. However as an artist what I feel is a fair price for my goods is the fair market. The Austin market is flooded with cheapskates and people willing to work for a dime. (Don't believe me try getting a reasonable price on an army you want to sell.) It is what it is. I was just replying to RG's comment on driving the prices up in Austin. It's not ever going to happen until the cheap labor dries up.

You're certainly not going to get any business if people don't know you're in that business. Website? Or even a blog saying you take commissions?

Thomas' business works because he works at his business: articles, frequent blogs and progress updates, hitting events to promote himself.

I'm saying you can go after higher end customers if you widen your market and promote yourself.

...or you can wait for people to find you so that they can lowball you.j/k

Seriously, most of us just enjoy the hobby and don't want to make the effort to make it a job.

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Originally Posted by Psyberwolfe

At it's core you are right. However as an artist what I feel is a fair price for my goods is the fair market.

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So $600 for a single model is a fair price to you?

The sculptors are the artists, we just color it in.

Jim, I'm aware how it works. I take a few comissions a year, and have done well for myself. I'm not really interested in making a go of painting as my job because I'm working on my writing career.