Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Art Price Lab give me three numbers instead of one?

Because the three pricing methods answer different questions. Square inch and linear span tell you what similar-sized work is worth based on your formula rate. Time plus materials tells you what the piece actually cost to make. Running all three and seeing where they converge gives you a price you can defend from multiple angles. One method alone is one angle. Three together are a picture.

Why is my suggested hourly rate so high?

Because your time is worth what it costs to live where you live. Art Price Lab pulls location-based wage data, not what feels modest or what other artists charge. The suggested rate is a starting point anchored to your real cost of living. It's usually higher than what artists set on their own, and that gap is often exactly why they're undercharging.

What if the number seems too high for my market?

Use it as information. If the formula says $680 and your market context says $400, that gap is telling you something. Either your formula rate is set higher than your current career stage supports and needs adjusting, or you're in the wrong context for this price and your context needs adjusting, or you've been undercharging and a gradual raise is worth considering.

The formula is a reference point, not a prescription. What you charge is always your call.

Should I use all three methods or just pick one?

Use all three. The point is the convergence. Picking one method and committing to it means you're ignoring what the other two are telling you.

What is the multiplier?

The multiplier is your per-square-inch or per-linear-inch rate. It's the number that scales with your career stage. Emerging artists use a lower rate. As your track record builds, the rate goes up. See How to Set Your Multiplier for specifics.

Can I use Art Price Lab for prints?

Yes. Art Price Lab includes a separate print calculator at artpricelab.com/prints. Print pricing follows different logic than originals: edition size, production cost, and the relationship to your original prices all factor in. The print calculator handles all of this.

My piece took much longer than usual. Should I price it at the time plus materials number?

That's your call, and it depends on your market. The time plus materials number reflects your actual cost. If the piece took 60 hours, that's what it cost you to make. Whether the market will support that price is a separate question.

If the market isn't there yet, you have two options: accept a lower return on that specific piece, or use the divergence as a signal to raise your overall rate. Both are legitimate. The formula gives you the honest number. What you charge is always your judgment.

What's the difference between materials and overhead?

Materials are the physical supplies that went into this specific piece: canvas, paint, mediums, tools worn out in the process. Overhead is the cost of having a practice at all: studio rent, insurance, art fair fees, website, subscriptions. Art Price Lab handles both separately in the time plus materials method.

Why does pricing feel so loaded?

Because when you name a price for your own work, you're implicitly saying something about what you believe it's worth. That's not a math problem, it's a confidence one.

The formula separates the structural question (what should I charge?) from the emotional one (am I worth it?). You can answer the structural question right now. The emotional piece takes longer. You don't have to wait on it.

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