Linear Inch Pricing Explained

Linear inch pricing adds height and width instead of multiplying them.

Formula: (Width + Height) × Multiplier = Price

A 12x16 canvas has a linear span of 28 inches. Multiply that by your linear rate.

This method is gentler on very large pieces. A 48x60 canvas is 2,880 square inches... at even a modest square inch rate, that price climbs fast. A 48x60 has a linear span of 108 inches. The linear span price scales more slowly.

That smoothing effect also works in reverse for very small pieces. Linear inch tends to price small work a bit higher than square inch does, which can be useful if small pieces feel undervalued by the area-based method.

Use linear inch as a cross-check, not your primary method. When its result diverges significantly from square inch, that gap is worth looking at before you set the price. If you are pricing primarily by square inch and the linear span number is meaningfully higher, that may signal your square inch rate is running low for your current career stage.