How do I handle price increases when moving to higher-end work?

Calculate your pricing based on your established average sale metrics. If your previous pieces at a certain size sold consistently at one price point (establishing a per-square-inch value), use that same calculation for larger or more ambitious pieces. For example, if 40x60 inch pieces sold well at $3,200 and your average sale was $185 per square inch equivalent, a larger piece should be priced at $5,000 based on that same formula. Test the market with a small batch first - make four pieces at the new price point and see how they perform. If you sell three out of four (with one going to a gallery), that’s a strong validation you’re moving in the right direction. Always build negotiation room into your pricing since roughly half of buyers will ask for a discount.

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Asked by an artist raising prices · Answered by Mays Mayhew (artist interviewee sharing her experience) · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-03-12