Undercharging, Not Undervaluing: A Guide to Cheaply Priced Artwork (Thread)

I am a HUGE advocate for appropriately priced artwork. However, many artists reasonably rebut that they are unable to charge fairly for their art - and there aren’t a lot of good solutions.

Firstly - I DO THINK ALL ARTISTS NEED TO CHARGE APPROPRIATELY. But I understand concerns with regards to fair pricing, fear of loss of customers and the need for money, etc.

Here’s some ideas on how to charge cheap while not undervaluing your art. /2

1. Pick a style and workflow that is QUICK and relatively EASY in line with your pricing. EG: sketches, lineart only, flat colour pieces, headshots would all work well for ‘cheap’. I would NOT be offering fully rendered pieces for 10 bucks, or anything taking more than 45 minutes

2. LIMIT the service you offer to clients. I liken cheap art to fast food versus a Michelin star. Both kinds of food are still satisfying but your expectations of service will differ.

Ensure your commission SERVICE is streamlined to work well for you.

2 (a). I would not offer (at least for FREE) for example, any revisions (unless there is something incorrect) on cheaper pieces. I would not offer sketch approval. You would either allow complete freedom OR posing/ideas etc from the client depending on what makes you work best.

2 (b). The whole point is to ensure you (as an artist) are getting a stress free and quick experience for what you’re charging. Let me tell you - from experience it is not fun slaving over a piece and juggling client communication for ten bucks.

2 (c). It’s absolutely fine to deliver a product (in this case, art) for cheap but that is why we need to make some adjustments for WHAT we are offering and the level of service we are providing to adjust for the lower price.

3. I know a lot of artists are scared to charge appropriately but you can WORK towards it by using your cheap base model. So you’ve decided, for example, to offer only an unshaded headshot for x amount of money. You ask for payment upfront, complete freedom, and no revisions.

3 (a). You can add on more levels of service or product for an extra fee. For example, shading is + x amount. Revisions + x amount. For extras I would recommend charging what you FEEL is right (ie not undercharging) as these are BONUSES.

3 (b). Using this model will hopefully guide you to a place where you’ll be charging appropriately for your work and level of service and will no longer have to rely on your cheap model.

3 (c). Even if it doesn’t, or it takes a long time, you’ll still be able to make profit without undervaluing your art, or the art and service of your peers. I know and I recognise for many artists that it’s important to make SOME money somehow, and I think this is a happy medium.

I hope this is helpful! Any other ideas or feedback that you might have, please feel free to reply in the thread as I’m sure fellow artists would adore the help.