ArtCalcs.uk
Artwork Pricing Calculator — Fair Price for Your Art
Calculate a fair price for your artwork based on size, materials, time spent and experience level.
How We Calculate This
How Artwork Pricing Works
Base cost = Material cost + Labour cost + Framing cost
Labour cost is calculated as hours spent multiplied by your hourly rate. The base cost is then multiplied by your experience factor (1.5× to 5×) to give the minimum suggested price.
The mid-point and maximum prices apply two further factors to that minimum — by default 1.2× for the mid-point and 1.4× for the top of the range (both editable under Advanced Options). Price higher within the range for in-demand work, sought-after sizes or strong markets, and lower to move stock or reach new collectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
A fair price covers your material costs, labour at a reasonable hourly rate, framing, and a multiplier for your experience and reputation. Most artists undercharge at first — this calculator ensures you cover costs and value your time properly.
Beginners (1-2 years) typically use 1.5x, intermediate artists (3-5 years) use 2x, experienced artists (5-10 years) use 2.5x, established professionals use 3.5x, and renowned artists with gallery representation use 5x or more.
If you sell framed work, include framing costs. Many galleries expect unframed work and handle framing themselves. For prints and works on paper, framing adds significant perceived value and is often worth including.
Larger artworks cost more in materials and time. The price per square centimetre helps you maintain consistent pricing across different sizes. Gallery norms suggest pricing should scale with area, not linearly with dimension.
Commissions typically carry a 20-50% premium over comparable gallery work because they involve client consultations, revisions and specific requirements. Use the Commission Calculator for detailed commission pricing.
No — this is your full retail price for a direct sale (studio, fair or your own website). UK galleries commonly take 40-50% commission (50% is the usual rule of thumb, the range runs roughly 30-60%), so if you sell through a gallery you keep about half. To net the same return, agree the retail price with the gallery up front rather than absorbing the commission out of this figure — and keep your direct-sale price and gallery price consistent so collectors are not undercut.
No — the figure excludes VAT. You only charge VAT once you are VAT-registered, which is compulsory once your taxable turnover passes the UK threshold of £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period (unchanged since 1 April 2024). Most individual artists sell below this and are not registered. If you do register, you would add VAT (currently 20% standard rate) on top of this price for standard-rated sales.
Related Calculators
Material Cost Calculator
Track and total all material costs for an artwork or project. Includes canvas, paint, brushes, mediums and a waste allowance.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Calculate your effective hourly rate from artwork sales. See what you actually earn per hour after deducting materials and overheads.
Shipping Calculator
Estimate artwork packaging and shipping costs for UK and international delivery. Covers boxes, tubes, crates, insurance and handling.
Gallery Commission Calculator
Calculate your take-home amount after gallery commission, VAT and costs. Works for UK galleries with standard commission rates.
Commission Calculator
Work out art commission pricing including complexity adjustments, revision fees, rush surcharges, licensing and deposit breakdowns.
Was this calculator helpful?
Last updated: June 2026
All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.