Wednesday 6 May 2009

What makes a price a price?

I've updated my website with a few new images recently and decided I ought to put the prices on the paintings that are for sale on it. Because no one is going to buy them without a price on them are they? LOL Even though a lot of the artwork there is in private collections, some in distant lands across the seas, I want to display them as an example of the sort of artwork I do and am capable of. People often see something they like there and say "Can you paint me like that one there" (but not the dog pictures, I hasten to add, before I get into trouble! LOL ) If I only put the "for sale" art up, it wouldn't be half as interesting (I think, but then I'm biased!) as it currently is........but the thing that struck me as I looked at the prices on my website is the difference in some of them. How can I have some artwork at less than a £100 next to art in the high hundreds? And I wondered if others would think the same and think that the balance of prices is uneven. But it isn't. Its very fair. The low prices are due to the artwork being either a lot easier (by comparison) or older artwork that was completed some years ago, and hasn't sold yet. Newer artwork WILL be more expensive. The more famous an artist gets, the higher the prices go. Its the way of art. So I'm not planning on my art prices going down. Infact I'm working hard on them going UP.

As well as the regular art on my website, I now have a "special offers" page. Its the page where the art is *currently* under £100. Now, that's got to be affordable, hasn't it? The artwork there may be working drawings, or practice pieces, but its still art. And some of it may appeal to you.... go and take a look and see what you think......................

I've also got the Guild of Erotic Artists volume 2 book for sale there too... for anyone who wants to buy one.... its a beautiful book, in which I am featured alongside 31 of The Guild's artists, photographers and sculptors. Each person has six pages detailing their work and the background behind their skills. Approximately A4 size, this beautiful 200 page limited edition paperback has been written, produced and published by The Guild of Erotic Artists. Whether you are interested in erotica, photography, or figurative art, this book has great appeal. With a run of just 5,000 copies, the book is a Limited Edition - a collector's item and an ideal present. Copies bought from me can be signed on request.Price £22.99 plus postage and packing.

So, I think what I'm saying here is, if you see some art you like on my website, that has a price on it that you like, contact me, before it goes..........

2 comments:

Fitzy said...

Well this is certainly something to get us all thinking.

I would agree that having the prices on them are a good idea, as many people would perhaps sooner not ask for fear they might be far too expensive for them. A good example of this is when you had your blog auction and I emailed you separately about two of the pieces as I was unsure what to even offer in an auction type environment, much less as a straightforward purchase, so I am sure that prices are the way forward.

I do see your point about it perhaps looking a little odd that some pieces are for sale at under £100, yet others carry a considerably higher price tag, but I am sure anyone with a serious interest would notice things like the size and the complexity of a piece to guess why there would be such a difference, so I don't really think it should cause a problem.

Why not even include the prices for the commissioned works (along with the date), so that people can see that these are not necessarily as expensive as they might assume? Or if you feel that might upset those who commissioned the works then just give an approximate cost, which might work even better if it turned out the price you originally quoted someone wasn't really sufficient to cover the true cost, thus allowing you to substitute a higher figure.

I would have to agree that any original work of art on sale at under £100 has to be great value and what's more they are also unique as well so that has to make them affordable. I am certainly pleased with the two I purchased earlier in the year.

To anyone interested in the book, I have a copy of the Guild of Erotic Artists volume 2 book and I can confirm that it is beautifully printed and bound on high quality paper (sadly I am fussy about things like that). The Varity of the work contained within certainly makes it an interesting read with many fantastic images, although clearly Jackie's are the best ones of course! So what could be better and more collectable than your own signed copy!

Jackie Adshead said...

Fitzy - Well it got me thinking, so that's good it got you thinking too!! :)

That was exactly my thoughts, that people might be embarrased to ask, and I may be losing sales (and they might be losing artwork!) if they didn't know the prices.

As for your helpful idea of putting the sold prices on the commissioned pieces, its something I'll have to consider, thanks.

Yes, I think that the prices for the original artwork are currently very affordable, and am delighted you're so pleased with the ones you bought from me. And am delighted that you think the Guild of Erotic Artists book is such a good read too, thankyou!!