How commissions inform the value of art within the community

By: Cally

Hiya! I’m Cally. I’m an Illustration student at Sheridan and I’ve been doing freelance commissions for about seven years now. Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t be scared to price your commissions higher!  

1. It took time!

Your time is important and has value. When you do commissions, you are doing a job! Everyone deserves to be compensated for the time spent working, just as you would for any other profession. Not only does it take time to do the actual commission, but the time spent practising and honing your skills over the years is also important to consider when pricing your work. 

2. It has a material cost!

Regardless of your medium of choice, it will have a material cost. This can include physical materials, software subscriptions, technology, communication to the client, space for storage, or even fees from previous art tutorship/education. Regardless of how big or small your commission is, you deserve to be compensated for what you spent to create it.

3. Art has value!

Creativity is a deeply undervalued practice in today’s quick-paced society. As an artist, you should acknowledge your contribution to the growing world of culture, design, and community! It encourages you and other artists to reflect on what art is worth to themselves and their social groups and builds a better understanding for everyone on what is considered fair pricing. Everyone benefits from artists getting proper compensation for their work!  

4. It’s good practice!

Pricing your art can be confusing, and there is no such thing as the “perfect price,” but pricing higher will build your confidence as a creator. You have experience and you’ve made something that people want to buy, so you shouldn’t be charging the bare minimum for it! It also never hurts to ask your audience and peers about prices either, as it builds a good relationship with you and them—and also strengthens your ability to communicate. 

5. There will always be an audience!

One of the questions artists often face when raising their prices is, “Would anyone still want to buy this?” The answer is: Yes! There will always be someone interested in supporting your style of work. It might not be a guarantee they’ll find it right away, and you might have to poke around a bit, but the creative field is so vast that you just need to find the right person. It’s not about how many people you find—it’s about finding a select group who will support your craft and prices! Don’t be afraid to ask your past clients about raising your prices either, it’s a good way to know their budgets and if that works with you!

There isn’t one right answer to how you should price your work. The most you can do is evaluate your own practice, your time, effort, and audience, and then figure out what you’re comfortable with!  

Craving more creative blogs?

Learn more about how passion and creativity come together in the Artist Talks blogs below! With tips, tricks, and advice from fellow student leaders, you’ll find some hidden gems that come from real, lived experience.