How should I price prints when the artist already sells expensive originals through galleries?

Start with a 250% markup over your wholesale cost across the board—don’t overthink it initially. This gives you room to run sales and marketing campaigns without destroying your margins, and it accounts for the reality that more art is negotiated on than sold at full price. Create a natural cost ladder: lower-priced merchandise and small prints under $100, then larger prints on paper, then premium formats like canvas, metal, and acrylic stepping up into the multiple-thousand range, then top it with the originals. This range helps customers understand why a $5,000 or $20,000 original costs what it does, because they can see the basis of comparison. If they’re uncomfortable at that price point, they can step down to a $2,500 limited edition print or an $800 paper print. You can adjust prices up or down anytime—nobody will remember or care, and if they do, honor the original price for that person.

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Asked by an artist selling established originals · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-07-24