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Hi guys- as always you know we never have a problem with topics going.. well, off topic! But this has veered dangerously into the “two individuals bickering” lane, and that’s a bad place to be. I respect you both have opinions but perhaps this conversation should be moved to a PM or email. Thanks! 🙂
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comApologies. It’s a little hard to remember to stop and respond privately to something that’s been said publically. I’m removing my comments, just to avoid any potential offense.
It’s okay guys! I wasn’t trying to stifle anyone. 🙂 I know that these things happen, I hope all is well now. 🙂
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.com*snickers* Now reading through this it sounds really really weird. I’m having to stifle the urge to re-edit all my posts to say something ridiculous.
Or maybe to have pictures of bug porn.
For real! I was confused! 😆
I feel for you guys. I feel bad for good artists that cant make money. At the same time, we get artists over here selling their paintings, (which, in my opinion, are not very good) right outside the PX. New soldiers see them and get lured in to buy them. These are brand new privates being persuaded to buy a $2500 painting from an unknown artist. I am kinda turned off by it. Some are good, but I am one that cant see spending $2500 for a painting that may never increase in value. I would never tell the artist that, but thats how I feel. $40 for the loonakits is great, I think. I also think that artists should charge what they are worth. Of course… if I dont like it, I am free to not buy it.
Yeah, that’s my main philosophy with my pricing. I price it how I feel. If it’s too much, people won’t buy it. So when something isn’t selling, I’ll drop the price. But if it is selling, then obviously it’s not priced too high!
I’ve always been the kind of person who I am honest with myself but if I decide I like it and if I don’t have the money all at once I will try to negotiate a payment plan with someone 🙂 But good art that I like is worth the price I pay!
I’m always unsure what to charge for my stuff. Most of what I’ve done art wise I’ve either kept, or given away as gifts (I have about 4 paintings out there in the world – two dragons, a cat and a little monkey). Now that I’m getting back into the art mode again (and will have time starting in May), I’m trying to figure out what is reasonable vs. what is too much/not enough for my taking commissions or to do art stuff.
I remember someone asking me to buy a tiger I painted once for $100. I’ll never part with it (it’s the one painting I have to keep because of the back story and meaning for me personally… and I adore the eyes – they glow and follow you) for one, but it also cost me about $45 for the framing alone!
Considering the cost of the fabric, especially some of the speciality faux fur, prices, $40 for a loonakit is pretty reasonable (I have a steiff and priced them here in the states and in Austria. I know!). Handmade stuff always costs more to produce than mass produced stuff made by machines that comes out of a sweatshop factory some place overseas! You also pay for the quality too!
Most people are idiots….one must remember that in todays society. (I don’t think anyone on here is an idiot at all, I think you all are rather inteligent *if misguided ;)* people) They are so used to mass production that they have forgotten what “QUALITY” means….They see all the cheap crap from china that sells for so little, and they think….well EVERYTHING should be that cheap….But that’s what it is CHEAP!!! Or like buying a can of tomato sauce in the grocery for $3.59 If someone had to buy all the tomatoes, vegetables, seasonings and other ingredients it would cost them maybe $20.00 (spice isn’t cheap ;)) and then there is all the hours of labor to make it themselves…..People opt for cheap convenience.
I don’t think artists should sell themselves short, it is their product. The consumer does have the right to say something like “I would buy your product if it was $x less expensive” or “I really can’t see myself spending that much”. An artist will find out if their art is too highly priced…They won’t sell anything.Also, and this is IMHO, if you have to say “I don’t mean to be rude, but…” or something like that, it most likely will sound rude or someone will take offense. I had to learn that lesson the hard way (long sad story) and have had to severely curb my curiosity because of it.
I guess I was always lucky, I only once got a very cool comment many many years ago. That was when i started with sculpture and mainly did CATS musical sculptures (for eyeball fun: http://www.mingvase.de/images/zoom/KTDXKD/viewsize/figur10.jpg ) and someone asked me if I could make a “I saw a cat sculpture for 10$ at a garage sale and wondered if you could do me a Mistoffelees for the same price” commissions. I kindly told him that with that he had not even paid for material and kilning yet.
People like that do not even deserve a reply really.
What i get more is people hitting me for trades. I like to do trades but a trade has to remain something fair. For quite a while and even until now many people think its cool to “once get my charactere as a sculpture”. The point is, there are actualy people who show up and say: I would soooo much like my spotted wolf chihuaua charactere XY as a sculpture, would you trade with me? Oh, but I only do canine forms and I only do pencils.
me: meet my characteres (http://cathuman.com/2007/joeaky.jpg)I have/had a rough guideline whereto I send people wanting a commission to check the fees: http://cathuman.com/comission/comission/comissionakeyla.html
They can find out roughly what they have to expect and I have a guideline to stick to. Depending on the orders and the persons I would also go down with the prices.
I base my commiss prices on what I believe to be realistic in long term view of my own sales. Its much higher than what I’d get working normal terms in Switzerland. Plus its fun. I base this on what i see averagly sold, but you all know there are pieces/works that end very cheap and others that jump into spheres of highmoneyfication. Its okay with me and I dont support madechina.
Its also only the people who are really serious with their money and what they want that will also end getting a commission from me. I do not take launching payment at the moment the commission comes, but I warn that I may take up to a year. Kills out 50% of the applicants but it is fine with me. I enjoy free art more, because I do not have to depend on someone’s guidelines which can be very hard and killing a lot of the artworks life.
I am told to be underselling my direct sales. But you must know that with the exception of big pieces or delicate medias (skin color polymer, oils) I do my works at school (illegally *g*), on trainrides, infront of the tube. I hardly erase, I use reference rarely, I hardly plan. I use more or less quality medias but I buy when its on sale and stock it or I drag it with me from school *cough illegal cough*.
and I am a speedy artist. I am about a 2x factor faster than an average(my works work better scetchy stile).I feel its fully your right to stick to whatever price you want to. It is your creation, your time. If people dont want it tell them to do better. I do not think your prices are “crazed high”, they are just right (for the right audience) and they are lovely.
I know that specifically in the furry fandom people are used to low prices. Dont let them have that if you feel its not right for you. Even if they put you on the “havenojobotherartistscheaper” story. People have to accept they cannot buy something if they dont have the money. YOu dont know how much I’d love a plasma screen tv on the ceiling of my room. But I know I cant afford it. I bought myself an MP3 player though because I finally earned a nice bunch with my freelance. And I didnt bargain with the salesman at MediaMarkt. Bad comparison, but you get the idea 🙂 just think of that if someone like that shows up again.And just to have it said: there is a truthful “I really dont have the money right now but I really would like* for which I will lower my prices if its a good customer, and there is a “I think I could save more money” which doesnt even deserve attention.
okay, end blabbering. I hope there is no repetitions here, went to hang wash somewhere in the middle 😉
greets
Aky
Now now Nirvanna. Don’t call people idiots (even if that is what they are). The politically correct term is “woefully ignorant.” or was that willfully ignorant? 😕
While hiding somewhere in my head I'm on the lookout for white oriental dragons! Please let me know if you know of any available. Thank you!
Keplilly wrote:Now now Nirvanna. Don’t call people idiots (even if that is what they are). The politically correct term is “woefully ignorant.” or was that willfully ignorant? 😕
Meh…..Idiots 😉
Actualy, the best definition of the term I’ve ever heard was this.
An idiot is one who will walk into a brick wall time after time and expect a different result each time.
fits pretty well…the only drawback is when I find myself doing just that from time to time! LoL 😆
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