How do I price my artwork fairly?

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.

What experience multiplier should I use?

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.

Should I include framing in my price?

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.

How does artwork size affect pricing?

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.

Should I charge differently for commissions?

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.

Does this price account for gallery commission?

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.

Does the suggested price include VAT?

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.

Artwork Pricing Calculator — Fair Price for Your Art

Calculate a fair price for your artwork based on size, materials, time spent and experience level.

Artwork Width

The widest finished dimension of the piece (image area, not the frame)

Artwork Height

The tallest finished dimension of the piece (image area, not the frame)

Material Cost

Canvas, paint, brushes etc.

Framing Cost

Leave 0 if selling unframed

Hours Spent

Total studio time — sketching, prep, painting, drying checks and varnishing

Hourly Rate

Pay yourself a fair studio rate — UK Real Living Wage is £13.45/hr (2025/26), raise it as you gain experience

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

Related Calculators

Commission Calculator

Work out art commission pricing including complexity adjustments, revision fees, rush surcharges, licensing and deposit breakdowns.

Gallery Commission Calculator

Calculate your take-home amount after gallery commission, VAT and costs. Works for UK galleries with standard commission rates.

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.

Last updated: June 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.