How to Price your Art as a Beginner Artist
A Simple, Logical Pricing Model for Artists (Without Overthinking)

Pricing original artwork is one of the hardest things for beginning artists.
If you price too low, you undervalue your work.
If you price too high, you might feel insecure and it's not a good idea to lower prices once you've set them up.

When I needed to put a price on my work I searched to find a formula that could give me the confidence of reasonable pricing towards customers, even if I would run into people would disagree and critique- which will happen- because these are simply not your customers (and that's okay).

And at the same time I wanted the trust that I was giving myself enough credit towards my own work and value, since I've always made it a habit to put other's wants and needs before myself in life and thereby undervalueing myself. It's something I am learning to move away from, to reach a more healthy balance. Plus, in art and business, that is not going to work. 

And so I did some research to what is the norm in the industry and double checked with ChatGPT, who gave me the same formula and helped me to create this model to share with you. So that you can price your art with confidence based on industry standards.

This model is designed to be clear, fair, and scalable, without complicated formulas or guesswork.

Step 1: Calculate Your Base Cost (Your Non-Negotiable Minimum)

Your base cost is the absolute minimum price your artwork should ever sell for.

Use this formula:
Base Cost = (Hourly Rate × Hours Spent) + Material Costs

Example:
Hourly rate: €20
Time spent: 4 hours
Materials: €10
Base cost = (20 × 4) + 10 = €90

This base cost represents:
your time
your labor
your expenses
You should never price below this amount.

Step 2: Apply a Value Multiplier (This Is Where Art Becomes Art)

Art is not only labor. If that was the case art could be made in a factory. But the beauty and value of art is the soul. That is what art collectors are in for.

Because art also includes:
creative skill
artistic development
uniqueness
emotional and visual impact

Instead of using complicated “price per square centimeter” calculations - which would be more suitable if you are a more established artist - apply a value multiplier to your base cost.

Recommended multipliers:

×2.0 → Older work, early collections, entry-level pricing
×2.5 → More developed work, clearer style
×3.0 → Current work, strongest skill level
Selling Price = Base Cost × Multiplier

Example:
Base cost: €90
Multiplier: ×2.5
Selling price = €225

Step 3: Use Collections or Years as Value Layers
If you work in collections or by year, you can use this to structure your prices clearly.

I decided to price my all my artwork up to 2025 more or less the same, even though they were 3 different collections from 3 years, but you can definitely use this structure towards yearly collections if that feels right for you.

For example:
2023 collection → ×2.0
2024 collection → ×2.5
2025 collection → ×3.0

This approach:

keeps your pricing consistent
rewards artistic growth
avoids constant recalculations
gives collectors a clear entry point

You do not need to change your painting sizes or formulas when your work evolves.
Only the multiplier changes.

Why This Model Works:

It is easy to explain to buyers
It respects your time and materials
It grows with you as an artist
It avoids emotional or random pricing
It removes the urge to “average” different calculators

Most importantly, it helps you price with confidence instead of doubt.

Final Thought

Your base cost is about fairness.
Your multiplier is about value.

When you separate the two, pricing stops feeling confusing and insecure. If you want, you can adapt the multipliers to your own stage as an artist. The structure stays the same.

Let me know in the comments if you've struggled with pricing your art. You can comment and like by creating a free membership account,

Hope this helped!

Much love,

Denise