Presenting Your Work
Art Westport is Kansas City's largest and longest-running local art show, taking place annually in the historic Westport neighborhood.
Art Isn’t a Commodity
While artists must navigate a market where their work is bought and sold, an art practice is not a manufacturing process. Pricing isn’t about justifying the hours spent on a piece — it’s about understanding your market value within the context of your career stage, technical skill, and exhibition record.
To set fair and sustainable prices, look at what other artists at a similar stage are achieving and consider whether your audience can support price increases. Ideally, prices should allow you to move a body of work consistently rather than placing individual pieces in a bracket that is too high for your collectors. Raising prices should be gradual, reflecting career growth and protecting collectors’ investments.
Art collecting is similar to investing: collectors often follow artists they are committed to supporting, watching their careers evolve and the value of their work grow over time. By approaching pricing thoughtfully, artists can maintain both the integrity of their practice and the trust of those who collect their work.
Price with Confidence
Once you’ve made your first sale, you can use that piece as a guide to price other works consistently. This method helps avoid “romantic” pricing, i.e. pricing based on how you feel about a piece rather than its size, materials, or time.
Step-by-Step Formula for 2D /3D Work
Add the dimensions of your first sold piece
Example: 30” x 40” → 30 + 40 = 70
Example: 12” x 12” x 6” → 12 + 12 + 6 = 30
Divide the sale price by the total dimensions to find the “denominator”
$325 ÷ 70 = 4.64
Use this “denominator” for other works
Example: New painting is 24” x 24” → 24 + 24 = 48
Multiply 48 × 4.64 = 222.72 → Round to $225
Tip: This keeps your prices consistent across a body of work and makes it easier to adjust as your experience and demand grow.
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Consistency in pricing helps build trust with collectors, galleries, and your audience. Use a clear method, like the “price per inch” formula, to ensure similar works are valued fairly across your portfolio. Decide in advance if certain works are not-for-sale, whether for exhibitions, competitions, or personal reasons, and communicate that clearly. For limited editions, consider how many copies you will produce and price accordingly, ensuring each piece reflects its rarity and your effort. Ethical pricing isn’t just about numbers — it’s about respecting your work, your time, and the relationships you cultivate in your artistic community.
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When selling through galleries, dealers, or agents, commissions are a normal part of the process. However, the presence of a commission should not change the market value of your work. Set your retail price so that your artwork’s value remains consistent across all sales channels — the commission is a business cost, not a reason to discount your work.
Consistency builds trust with collectors and galleries, helps maintain your professional reputation, and ensures your pricing reflects the effort, materials, and creativity invested in each piece. This approach also works for limited editions: decide the edition size in advance, price each piece fairly, and communicate the edition clearly. By managing commissions thoughtfully, you protect both your income and the integrity of your practice.
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Put your pricing skills into action! Choose 3 pieces of your artwork and complete the worksheet below. Consider materials, time, concept, and market research to arrive at a price that feels fair and sustainable. Reflect on your choices and how you might adjust them in the future.
Reminders for Confident Pricing
Base your pricing on materials, time, concept, experience, and market research.
Revisit your numbers as your practice evolves.
Keep your archive updated for all new artworks you create.