How to Use the Pricing Calculator

The calculator runs three pricing methods at once and shows you where they land. Here's what each field is asking for.

Dimensions

Enter your piece's height and width in inches. If you work in centimeters, convert first. The calculator uses inches throughout.

Medium

Select your primary medium. This affects some of the formula inputs, since different mediums have different typical materials costs.

Materials cost

This is what you actually spent on physical supplies for the piece: canvas or paper, paint, mediums, any specialty materials.

A rough estimate is fine. If you track your materials closely, use that number. If you don't, think about what a typical piece in this size and medium costs you in supplies and use that. See Understanding Pricing Methods for more on what counts as materials versus overhead.

Time

Enter how many hours the piece took. This means actual working time from blank surface to ready-to-ship: setup, painting, cleanup, any drying visits where you came back and made decisions.

If you don't time your pieces, estimate based on a representative piece in this size and medium. A rough honest number is more useful than a precise anxious one.

Hourly rate

Art Price Lab pulls wage data based on your location and suggests a rate that reflects your cost of living. You can use the suggestion or set your own.

Your hourly rate should reflect what your time is actually worth, not what feels safe. The suggested rate is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Run the calculation

Hit Calculate. You'll see three numbers and the range they define.

See How to Read Your Results for what to do with those numbers.