Pricing Artwork Guide

How artists can think about pricing, editions, commissions, materials, time and market context.

Pricing artwork is a balance between consistency, market context, costs, career stage, medium, scale, demand and confidence. Prices should be explainable, repeatable and sustainable, not invented differently for every buyer.

Best audience	Artists selling work directly, through galleries, online or at art fairs
Location focus	Australia-wide
Use this guide when	How artists can think about pricing, editions, commissions, materials, time and market context.

Quick summary

Create a price structure by size and medium.
Track sales history and avoid random discounts.
Include commission and framing when relevant.
Be clear about GST and payment terms.
Use written commission agreements.
Keep edition pricing consistent.
Record prices in your catalogue.
Review pricing annually, not weekly.

Start with consistency

Collectors and galleries lose confidence when similar works have wildly inconsistent prices. Create a structure based on size, medium, complexity, edition status and exhibition context.

For artists represented by a gallery, pricing should be coordinated with the gallery. Undercutting your own gallery can damage relationships and collector trust.

Costs and time

Material cost alone is not the price. Consider studio overheads, framing, photography, commission, GST if applicable, packaging, freight support, website fees and years of practice.

Time-based pricing can help, but it should not punish efficient artists or overprice slow experiments. Use it as one input, not the only formula.

Editions and commissions

Editioned works need clear edition size, artist proofs, printing method and consistency. Commissions should include deposit, scope, timeline, revisions, copyright, delivery and cancellation terms.

A commission quote should be written. The larger the work, the more important written terms become.

Practical checklist

1. Create a price structure by size and medium.

Create a price structure by size and medium.

2. Track sales history and avoid random discounts.

Track sales history and avoid random discounts.

3. Include commission and framing when relevant.

Include commission and framing when relevant.

4. Be clear about GST and payment terms.

Be clear about GST and payment terms.

5. Use written commission agreements.

Use written commission agreements.

6. Keep edition pricing consistent.

Keep edition pricing consistent.

7. Record prices in your catalogue.

Record prices in your catalogue.

8. Review pricing annually, not weekly.

Review pricing annually, not weekly.

Common mistakes to avoid

Pricing only by emotion

Personal attachment does not always match market context.

Discounting too quickly

Frequent discounts train buyers to wait.

Ignoring gallery commission

If a gallery takes commission, your pricing structure must account for it.

No commission terms

Custom work without written terms can become difficult quickly.

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