Value it!

I swear, if you can't afford an original Painting, don't ask for one. It is long and hard freaking work. Insult a good artist by asking for less then what he'll qoute you for a painting. $1000-2,000 Is NOT Over-priced for a painting of your snotty nose kid, that took 8-20 hours to make. People never throw away old photos, who is throwing away a original painting?

A painting of you will be passed down from generation to generation. When you're dead that painting will live forever. What's the worth of that? less then $500? Get the heck out of here.

I hate nothing more then a Customer who doesn't appreciate my time, effort, and masterpiece, I'll give them. Period! They will say "Omg, you're the Greatest", but when you tell them the price, "OMG, that's crazy". Shake my head!

A Artist shouldn't ever over-value himself. The artist WAK's, aka Kevin William, commission is $10,000. Why? because people like Oprah knows his value. When you get to a certain level ,reputation, and skill level you can ask for whatever you want. But if your work isn't up to par with a Wak, Gilbert Young, Fabian Williams, or Dubelyoo, to name a few, you just deal with your market value.

A Artist should never devalue his Art-work and neither should the Customer. A Artist should never say, "because they wont pay me XYZ, I will take what I can get". Like poor hungry Crackhead, you'd sell your kid for a little spare change. This causes a ripple effect which devalues every other Artists doing the same thing. If the majority of artist asks for $200 per painting, then the customer's feel every artist should cost the same. Why should I stoop down to $200 for work I put my effort in?
BMW never stoop down to Kia Car prices for a reason: BMW knows its value. For $200 just costs supplies, you IDIOT!!

Here's the pricing rule I've learned:
1. Charge $75-100 per hour of work time.
2. Charge for supplies(canvas, frame, paints, etc) plus $15 extra.
3. if you're selling the original, multiply 400% of 1 and 2 costs. We live in the age of technology. Your work is more then likey to get reproduced and sold once in the wrong hands.

If you're a Artist that needs money to keep the lights on, there's nothing wrong with having a 9-5 job. I would suggest also to do Quick-Art money. Quick Art Money, is any type of Artwork you can do quick and that is in demand: Photography, Websites, Sketches, Fliers, Mixtape, Invitations, Logos, etc. Use the QAM, to live off.

Customers, please know that "Good" Art is a purchase of a lifetime, treat it as such. Reward those for their value.

Artists, don't cheat yourself or cheat customers with work you're not good enough to make at the price you want. Get your skills up.

Artists, dont settle for cheap customers. Go find the customers that will appreciate your work!!

CP the Artist.