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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: frankorona on May 21, 2014, 10:26:23 am
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Hi all, I have a question:
I've done some similar work in size and complexity as this: Big Cat N?2, Siberian Tiger
I have them for sale with everything and frame at $ 190 dlls.
Wonder if they are a good price, or should I sell them more cheap?
Thanks in advance for your answer, it will greatly help.
Greetings from Puebla, Mexico.
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Frank - The price to set on art work is always tricky. Most of the $$$ for art comes from the name recognition of the creator. Someone like Charlie Dearing, a published author as well as an exceptional portrait artist, can command a premium.
ETSY.com https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wooden%20portrait&ship_to=US (https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wooden%20portrait&ship_to=US) posts artsy items for sale and is a good place to look for the upper end of a reasonable price. That site shows custom portraits of people (made from a photograph, one at a time) selling for $50-$150. Portraits of celebrities (can be reproduced many times) seem to sell for $25 to $35. Generic animals (not pets) are listed for $20-$30. Your cats are complex cuttings and very attractive so a somewhat higher price might work. BUT I recall someone on this site saying he priced his work at material cost plus labor at $2.00/hour. I guess he was hoping for some good tips!
I've heard that good Intarsia pieces can sell for $3-5 per piece in the work, and that custom jigsaw puzzles (like wedding or graduation photos) can go for $2-3 per jigsaw piece.
If you don't need to sell quickly, I don't see why a higher starting price tag can't be used, but be prepared to negotiate.
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Frank - The price to set on art work is always tricky. Most of the $$$ for art comes from the name recognition of the creator. Someone like Charlie Dearing, a published author as well as an exceptional portrait artist, can command a premium.
ETSY.com https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wooden%20portrait&ship_to=US (https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wooden%20portrait&ship_to=US) posts artsy items for sale and is a good place to look for the upper end of a reasonable price. That site shows custom portraits of people (made from a photograph, one at a time) selling for $50-$150. Portraits of celebrities (can be reproduced many times) seem to sell for $25 to $35. Generic animals (not pets) are listed for $20-$30. Your cats are complex cuttings and very attractive so a somewhat higher price might work. BUT I recall someone on this site saying he priced his work at material cost plus labor at $2.00/hour. I guess he was hoping for some good tips!
I've heard that good Intarsia pieces can sell for $3-5 per piece in the work, and that custom jigsaw puzzles (like wedding or graduation photos) can go for $2-3 per jigsaw piece.
If you don't need to sell quickly, I don't see why a higher starting price tag can't be used, but be prepared to negotiate.
EIEIO:Thanks for your input, I will take it into account.
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Get your self a book called " HOW TO PRICE CRAFTS & THING YOU MAKE TO SELL" O/K it is an American book so laws and taxes are different than that of the U/K but I found it to be of help in pricing my craft pieces.
Bill Ellis (Scotland)
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Hi, Frank,
In my area, the scroll saw portraits are not nearly as sellable as Intarsia or Out-door lawn ornaments, and things like that.
Fortunately, the portraits can be stack cut so, if I am cutting anything like the tiger you described
I cut at least 3 of them which technically makes the cutting time 3 times less than one at a time
and you can sell cheaper because you don't have as much time involved.
If you use a formula like Ray (EIEIO) mentioned about
Cost of material, plus the hours it took to cut times how much you want to make per hour
you can get an estimate of your desired price because you have set an amount for how much you want to make per hour.
Good luck and God Bless! Spirithorse
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Get your self a book called " HOW TO PRICE CRAFTS & THING YOU MAKE TO SELL" O/K it is an American book so laws and taxes are different than that of the U/K but I found it to be of help in pricing my craft pieces.
Bill Ellis (Scotland)
nice tip going to look into that book.. thanks.
nice touch to this site nice look and feel seems faster then before...
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if you can sell them for that price then do it. I sell matted and framed pieces for $150 and up, depending on the complexity of the pattern. I once took a piece to a frame shop for an estimate on the cost of framing, the quoted me $250. If you frame a piece well you can ask a decent price for it.
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Frank - I had a friend tell me "if it sells right away - you priced it to low" & "if you don't sell it - the price was set to high" You'll never know.