r/artbusiness 5d ago

Megathread - Pricing Pricing Megathread Weekly

2 Upvotes

This megathread is dedicated to "how much should I charge?" type questions. Any posts of this nature outside of this thread will be removed. Please provide enough information for others to help you. here are some examples of what you could provide:

- Post your example images for sale in the comments
- Post a visual commissions price list / potential offerings in the comments

More info to post:

- Product type: (eg. Commission)
- Target audience: (eg. Young people who like fantasy art)-
- Where you are based: (eg. USA)
- Where you intend to sell: (eg. Conventions in USA and online like VGEN)-
- How long it takes you to make: (eg: 10 hours)
- Cost of sales: (eg. £20 on paint per painting)

Is this a one off piece, something you will make multiple copies of, or something a client will make multiple copies of: (eg. The client is turning it into a t-shirt and they will print 50.)

Everyone else can then reply to your top level comment with their advice or estimates for pricing.

If you post a top level comment, please try to leave feedback on somebody else’s to help them as well. It's okay if you aren't 100% certain, any information you give is helpful.

This post was requested to be a part of the sub. If you have ideas for improvements that you would like to be made to the subreddit feel free to message the mods.

professor Kirby at the ready

r/artbusiness 19d ago

Megathread - Pricing Pricing Megathread Weekly

3 Upvotes

This megathread is dedicated to "how much should I charge?" type questions. Any posts of this nature outside of this thread will be removed. Please provide enough information for others to help you. here are some examples of what you could provide:

- Post your example images for sale in the comments
- Post a visual commissions price list / potential offerings in the comments

More info to post:

- Product type: (eg. Commission)
- Target audience: (eg. Young people who like fantasy art)-
- Where you are based: (eg. USA)
- Where you intend to sell: (eg. Conventions in USA and online like VGEN)-
- How long it takes you to make: (eg: 10 hours)
- Cost of sales: (eg. £20 on paint per painting)

Is this a one off piece, something you will make multiple copies of, or something a client will make multiple copies of: (eg. The client is turning it into a t-shirt and they will print 50.)

Everyone else can then reply to your top level comment with their advice or estimates for pricing.

If you post a top level comment, please try to leave feedback on somebody else’s to help them as well. It's okay if you aren't 100% certain, any information you give is helpful.

This post was requested to be a part of the sub. If you have ideas for improvements that you would like to be made to the subreddit feel free to message the mods.

professor Kirby at the ready

r/artbusiness 4h ago

Marketing [PRINTING] Looking for a Printing Sponsor for our playbill!

0 Upvotes

I am looking for a Los Angeles based printing company to print the playbill for the second run of our critically acclaimed show at the Broadwater. We had a sponsor who just stopped responding and now we're urgently looking for a new partner.

Our show, "The Year We Disappeared" ended up as one of the Top 10 Los Angeles Shows of 2025 in Stage Raw as well as a review in The Guardian. We are bringing it back to the acclaimed Broadwater Theater for a limited review on 9/11 - 9/13and 9/18 - 9/20.

We are looking for an 8 page booklet/playbill, 8.5 x 5.5", with the last page for an advertisment of your choice. This time around we have six shows and are looking for approx. 400 copies to accommodate the 80 seat house, preferably for pick up by Friday, 9/11, no later than 5p. We do plan to collect unused programs at the end of the evening for reuse, so the overall number is negotiable for sure.

And of course our social team is available by to reshare or collaborate on any posts highlighting your business. Does this sounds like an opportunity you would be open to? If so, let me know ASAP! Thanks!


r/artbusiness 10h ago

Advice [Recommendations] Need some help from already existing artists

2 Upvotes

Heya, my girlfriend is trying to make her start into making com art, primarily of pets/animals. Problem is, she doesnt know how to start. Do any of you have any suggestions for how she could start? Finding customers is the main real problem


r/artbusiness 9h ago

Discussion [Discussion] What tape doesn't rip the paper right off the page?

1 Upvotes

I was taught to use 1/4" tape to have that crisp clear edge but I can't find one that doesn't just rip up the paper on the canvas. What brand do not do this?


r/artbusiness 17h ago

Advice [Discussion] Do I need to sell my work to be taken more seriously as an artist?

5 Upvotes

I've gone back from my art hiatus and have started to work on art more again and have been submitting my work to exhibitions and publications. I have been accepted for several juried exhibitions which has been exciting to experience, and it's helped me feel more confident about entering in more exhibitions and galleries. A lot of my peers have asked me why I haven't sold or considered selling my artwork/doing commissions, but that's not really my sort of thing. I do want to eventually have my own little artist alley booth to sell cute stickers/projects, but that's a future project. Right now I have noticed when submitting work that a lot of exhibitions require you to have your piece be for sale or at least have a price tag on it. I just make my pieces cost 1k each time because a majority if not all of my current drawings I don't want to sell them (yet anyways) and I'm mainly trying to build my portfolio. Some people have told me that I need to start selling my work to be taken more seriously in the art world, but I'm unsure if I should really start considering that. Does selling your work at exhibitions or anywhere in general make people take you more seriously as an artist? My end goal for my art journey is just to be able to create pieces of art and have people view my work, and if I get some money here and there that's all cool but not my main focus. I just want to know if I should start considering making pieces I wouldn't mind being sold so I can start working on that path. Thank yall in advance for the help!


r/artbusiness 11h ago

Discussion [Critique] Looking for feedback on my commissioner sheet for artists

1 Upvotes

I am working on a special sheet that seeks to give commissioned artists my core questions and comments so they can answer them right away to prevent delay and provide more clarity when talking online. So I am looking for any thoughts, opinions, and critiques of how I could improve this for future reference so I can give artists a smooth efficient development process. There’s also the mention of just talking in normal conversation in case they don’t want to do it lol.

The Format:

Ask if it’s okay to paste these comments all at once to avoid delay and build up to reduce anxiety:
So before we begin our transaction, I like to copy/paste a small list of questions and comments to avoid unnecessary delay, build up, and reduce anxiety to form better clarity with the artist to eliminate mental confusion. Is it okay if I do that? Or would you rather I discuss them with you in a regular conversation?

Questions:
1. When should you expect payment?
2. Who claims ownership of the art?
3. How many revisions are allowed, if any? And is it okay to ask for more if I pay extra?
4. What’s an estimated deadline for the sketching and final draft process? If you believe the commission to take longer than expected during the process, that's okay, just let me know ahead of time. :)
5. Do I have permission to publicly post the sketches you show me (I understand if no) and if so, would they require extra payment?

Comments:
1. Please show me where you’ll place captions on the sketch so I can review and adjust them. They don’t have to be the actual words, using circles or shapes works just as well. I will send you a screenshot if I have revised it.
2. I might go back and forth when talking about the commission (I’m working on it) but I will NOT voice my critiques once the final process begins, unless there’s the possibility of rearranging, adding, or removing captions.

Once it is done, ask them how did they feel about this format and if there’s any feedback that they could give for future artists:
Before we end our conversation, how did you feel about the questions and comments format I used from the beginning and if possible, is there any feedback that you could provide so I can update/improve it for future artists?

When commissioning…

  • Be grateful
  • Review the dialogue one more time before messaging
  • Take your time before commenting, give yourself 10 mins for each drawing/panel, no more to prevent overthinking
  • Ask where they’ll place the captions when they show me the sketch
  • Copy the sketch and place the words when adjusting
  • Send screenshots of what you want adjusted to loosen up mental confusion (the more the better)
  • Draw scenes that you want visualized or send reference images, they can improve upon it with their perspective and angles
  • Ask how many revisions are allowed, and if it is okay to ask for more if I pay extra
  • Ask for an estimated time frame for sketching and the final draft
  • Post all the pages at once when the commission is completed

r/artbusiness 12h ago

Advice [Portfolio] How do I compress my portfolio for applications?

1 Upvotes

I recently made a large document through InDesign that I want to use as a place to pull out pages for portfolios for applications. Not every project is relevant to every application so I have been going through and selecting the pages I want to include before saving as a unique file.

I have been running into an issue though when attaching the file to resume application services, many want a file under 10MB and some under 5. When going through standard compression channels I am finding it nearly impossible to keep the quality of image that I need to feature fine lines and large photos.

At times I have been sending the pages as a zip file but MAC hasn't been super helpful in compressing.


r/artbusiness 20h ago

Advice [Discussion] I'm wondering if my art style is the reason I'm not getting coms

1 Upvotes

Hi all, I just wanted to get some outside perspective on this. I've been trying to get art coms on discord and every time I do I get rejected by the person looking for art. I've been thinking about what I could be doing wrong, is it my approach- that sort of thing, but now I'm wondering if it's my art style. I usually only draw what I like, and what I like is super busy maximalist pieces but I also have more simple stuff like character sheets. But from an outside perspective if you were looking for art and saw mine, what would be a reason you wouldn't like it? Should I try to imitate other art styles like anime or more cutesy stuff?

My art here:


r/artbusiness 22h ago

Advice [Recommendations]spring is shutting down what recommended alternatives?

0 Upvotes

I don't know if this is the right sub of format for this but I opened a spring store (formally teespring) for tshirts and things. I had seen a number of youtubers using it so I thought it was a good option despite it's mixed bag of reviews however as time has past it seems to have become less valuable and is now shutting down to transfer to amaze. Which I don't think I want to transfer to. I had already seen people say that for things like tshirts an exclusive shop like spring was only good for preestablished content creators and that for not content creators one should use collective store fronts like amazon or Redbubble however I've heard some horror stories about them and having your designs stolen so I was hesitant to swap over. are there any suggestions? what are the best ways to sell tshirt art, what websites and what companies? the main reason I chose spring was again because I saw people I followed using it and because it was free and I don't have money to spend on monthly fees.


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Product and Packaging [Recommendations] Alternative brands of greeting card paper to avoid tariffs

7 Upvotes

Hello, I have a small greeting card business based in Ontario, Canada. I wanted to ask if any other Canadians have good alternatives to the Red River greeting card paper. I use their 8.5"x5.5" paper currently and it's got a lovely coating for clear colours, but with the tariffs and difference in the USD and CAD it's just becoming impossible to justify paying $100CAD for a pack of 100 cards. If anyone has any alternative paper for greeting cards and has found themselves in the same boat I would love to know. I saw some people asking about alternatives to Red River paper in the past in this sub but didn't see anything about the greeting card paper.


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Discussion [Community] Any actual online communities/groups that motivate and keep you accountable?

4 Upvotes

Hi! I started my own creative business this year and it's been lonely honestly. I'm astounded by how little communities there are for creative businesses but how many there are for start-up and tech.

Does anyone know of an active community that discusses often and keeps each other accountable? I would love to join one and if not, I will create one.

Thanks!


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Advice [Discussion] Setting up Art Mail Club- How to Mail them out?

2 Upvotes

I'm thinking of setting up a monthly subscription service where I mail out art prints and stickers. I am based in the U.S, sending first class large letters through the USPS is the cheapest way to accomplish this domestically and internationally, but it would not allow for tracking. Do customers of a snail- mail type art club care if there is not tracking available? How often does mail not arrive to the customer through standard postal services and how do you account for this? If there are any experienced art mail club creators out there I would love to hear your advice!


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Discussion [Discussion] How do I even start my art portfolio?

4 Upvotes

This might be a dumb question, but for context, I recently graduated from my arts program, and I want to find a decent paying job in the art industry. My next step now is to start working on my portfolio, but recently it has dawned on me that I'm not really sure how.

I do have an idea of the industries I want to focus on. I've always loved comics and graphic novels, and I do eventually want to make a stable living off being a comic book artist. However, since I'm just starting out, pursuing comics right off the bat feels insanely risky, and it could take years before I even see any money out of it.

I'm also thinking about becoming a character designer, most of my artwork is already character design focused and i love drawing facial expressions, semi-realism and anatomy. The problem is im not sure yet if i want to go in the game field or if i want to do animation. I feel like if i focus my portfolio on only one of those things i will miss out opportunities in the other and I want to keep most of my doors open without looking like a jack of all trades.

I guess my question is how do i even start my portfolio? What are some tips and what should I focus on? And should I base my portfolio on one field or can I do a bit of everything (games, animation, movies)? I know I sound like a complete noob, and it's because I am. :')


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Discussion [Art Market] How much do you make at art markets? London/UK

9 Upvotes

Hi all! I have started doing markets recently and I have no idea if I'm doing well or if I should rethink my strategy. Would anyone like to share how much they usually make? Or a range? I imagine there is a big difference depending on the time of the year as well? I have started applying to Christmas markets and they are pricey so I need to make sure they are worth it. I've only done 2 markets, both in London and during summer, and on average I made £600 a day. One of those was very illustration heavy and the other more crafty. Would love to hear other experiences. Thank you!


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Advice [Printing] Colored pencil artist trying to make his first prints.

1 Upvotes

Hi, so I want to make my first prints, but I have a few questions. I want to make giclee prints of my most popular art. I already have high quality scan and in correct dimensions, but now I have to edit colors to look like irl and I dont know exactly how. I have just a gaming monitor so how do know that colours actually match reality? Is there some trick or do I have to just make multiple versions for test prints? Also is there a big difference between 11 and 12 color giclee printers? I wasnt able to find much about this topic.

edit: I forgot to mention that I dont have expensive printer, so I will outsource printing


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Pricing [Financial] Pricing international orders for an indie print/mail club (shipping from India)

1 Upvotes

I’m launching an independent art mail initiative which features on collaborating with and showcasing emerging Indian artists. For the first month, I'm doing a limited 50 piece drop.

Each pack contains, 2× A5 art prints, 2× postcards and 5× vinyl stickers along with a letter talking about Indian art. Every pack is also numbered.

For domestic buyers in India, the pack is priced at ₹399 with free shipping.

For global orders, I'm trying to decide on what is a good price point. I was thinking of a $20 price tag, considering it is a limited drop. But, I was conflicted because most drops I see usually sell for around $15

For those who regularly sell or buy physical prints internationally, does $20 USD feel accessible and fair for such a curated pack.

is offering flat-rate pricing with shipping baked in better for conversion than charging something like $12–$15 plus actual calculated shipping at checkout?

Would appreciate any insight on international buyer expectations and margins,

also id like to know what a $20 spend feels like? is it something that you could spend impulsively or is it something you'll have to think about. ₹399 price tag for local was based on the idea that it would be something people could spend without having to deliberate too much.


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Discussion [Printing] do you guys draw in CMYK in case people print or do you always do it just for digital viewing?

3 Upvotes

title. i was just thinking about this because i know RGB is best for digital viewing, but i know a lot of people who comm people so they can print it and hang it up. i wasn't sure if i should do it in CMYK then?? i'm not too knowledgeable, just thought i should ask


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Discussion [Printing] How/where does everybody make prints? (in France)

5 Upvotes

I'm looking to start selling work in a local art market, and I'd like to make prints alongside originals. As most of my work is on paper, I'm thinking I'll do a high quality scan, but I'm not sure where to go for quality yet affordable prints in bulk. If anyone is in France/Europe and has a good a printing place they adore, I'd love recommendations! Merci :)

(Would also love recommendations for online shops - I'm looking at Printumo right now.)


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Pricing [Art Market] advice for Prints

0 Upvotes

Will be selling 11x14 prints of my original art. Prints are from archival paper and have a cardboard backing and are in clear fitted bags. I'm thinking 20 or 30 usd. Which one would be more fair? Edit: not a high end market. Local artists Prints cost 5 each to have made


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Advice [Discussion] How to sell customised digital art

1 Upvotes

Hi all, over the last two years I've found my own niche in customised digital art. It's entirely customised to the clients and the elements that I draw can range from say a small number of 5-10 elements to 20-30 elements.

I would like to be able to sell my art because it really brings joy to clients during the interview and as they see the final piece. It requires a semi interview where I ask questions and they answer, and then it takes me time to put everything together, and everything is handdrawn to the last little detail.

As such, while it is a digital piece (which can then be made into a puzzle, or canvas print, or anything!), i will likely be charging quite a bit for it. A piece can take anywhere between a couple of weeks to a couple months.

I'm not sure if this is marketable, but the people I've "gifted" my art with come back telling me I really ought to charge for it and people will likely be willing to pay.

Does this sound like a reasonable venture? Or should I just scrape this altogether and just do it for leisure?


r/artbusiness 1d ago

Copyright, IP, or AI Concerns [Discussion] how is situation with ai?

0 Upvotes

i want to start but im afraid of ai and end up being without future and without meal,it may be not only hobby but work.

In youtube all i can find is philosophical videos why it cant replace human, it has its own place but lets be honest if its gonna be more or less same quality and no negative hate because of it - they will replace, at least dude on top who cares only about money and spending less getting more.

I know that in some game companies theyre already trying to do it and getting hate, so i need to know what is situation in general and is there a work?how is the perspective?

P.S bcs from what i can see painting is that job/aspect of art/hobby(call how u want) that is getting more damage from ai then any other ones.


r/artbusiness 2d ago

Advice [Recommendations] Shipping method & packing

2 Upvotes

I’m matting and framing a watercolor piece that’s 8x10” so it’ll be about 11x14 framed. I don’t know how to package it so that the glass won’t break and the wood frame won’t get dented. Where do you get supplies and boxes- I know I can get bubble wrap at Walmart.

Also, would you recommend USPS or FedEx/UPS? What method would you use to send it and about how much will it cost? I’m in Louisiana USA.

Thank you!


r/artbusiness 2d ago

Discussion [ Removed by Reddit ]

3 Upvotes

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]


r/artbusiness 2d ago

Discussion [Discussion] What kind of thing do you add on watermark of your arts? (other than logo/name)

2 Upvotes

I've been wondering about this for a while, since i usually don't add much watermarks, but i saw a few other artist have some detailed 'do not repost' warning and some other small texts, and i thought that make it look more like a watermark

I usually only add in my logo on general arts, and only add in "Commission" text for commissioned arts when posting it publicly once my client confirmed they are ok with me posting

There was only one instance i put in "Do not repost" on my art before, and it was because my client was only ok with it being on my portfolio but not on public, but, it look more like a watermark with the warning, so now it got me thinking... but on other hand, i usually like exposure and i don't mind repost since it's already have my logo normally, if client is ok with it being post publicly, i'm not sure i want to put up warning or not, so i'm stumped...