What is a good hourly rate for an artist?

In the UK, most professional artists aim for at least £15-25/hour effective rate. Established artists often achieve £30-50/hour. If your rate falls below minimum wage (£11.44 in 2024), you need to raise prices or work more efficiently.

Why is my effective rate so low?

Common reasons include underpricing artwork, spending too long on pieces, high material costs, or not accounting for preparation and admin time. Track all your time including sketching, setup, cleanup and client communication.

What should I include in overhead costs?

Studio rent, utilities, insurance, website hosting, marketing costs, professional memberships and equipment depreciation. Divide your monthly overheads by working hours to get a per-hour figure.

How do I improve my hourly rate?

Raise prices gradually, work in series (reduces setup time), use materials efficiently, develop faster techniques without sacrificing quality, and focus on your most profitable work types.

Should I include unpaid time?

Include all time directly spent on the artwork — sketching, painting, drying time management, varnishing. Do not include general admin, social media or studio maintenance in per-piece calculations.

ArtCalcs

Hourly Rate Calculator — Your Effective Earning Rate

Calculate your effective hourly rate based on artwork price and time spent.

Selling Price

Material Costs

Hours Spent

Include all time on this piece

Overhead per Hour

Studio rent, utilities etc. per hour

How We Calculate This

How the Hourly Rate Calculation Works

Effective rate = (Selling price - Materials - Overheads) / Hours spent

The calculator subtracts material costs and overhead allocation from the selling price to get net profit, then divides by total hours to find your effective hourly rate. Daily and annual equivalents assume 7-hour days and 230 working days per year.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

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