art-business

name: art-business description: >- Running an independent art business: pricing prints, licensing, consignment vs direct sales, Patreon and membership models, commission workflows, invoicing, limited editions, certificates of authenticity, record keeping, tax basics for artists. Triggers: pricing art, print pricing, licensing, consignment, commission, limited edition, certificate of authenticity, Patreon, art income, artist taxes, selling art.

art-business

The business side of making art — pricing, selling, licensing, and keeping records. This covers the practical decisions that come up when you're selling work independently.

Pricing prints

Print pricing starts with your costs and ends with what the market supports. Don't start with what feels comfortable and work backward — that usually means underpricing.

The floor: cost-based pricing

Cost per unit (print + materials + shipping supplies)
+ Your time (prep, packing, customer service — even 15 minutes matters at volume)
+ Platform fees (Fotomoto, Etsy, etc. — typically 9–20%)
+ Payment processing (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
= Your floor

Price below the floor and you're paying to sell work.

Setting the actual price

Factors that push price up:

• Original or limited edition (vs open edition)
• Large format
• Your reputation and following
• Specialty media (metal, canvas, fine art paper)
• Signed and numbered

Common structures:

• Open edition prints: $40–$200 depending on size and medium
• Limited edition prints (numbered, signed): 2–5× open edition price for the same size
• Canvas or metal: 1.5–3× paper equivalent

Don't apologize for your prices. Pricing low signals low value and attracts buyers who'll haggle.

Limited editions

A limited edition print has a defined maximum number of copies. You commit to never printing more at that size/medium combination.

What to decide before releasing an edition:

• Edition size — smaller = more exclusive = higher price. 10, 25, 50, 100 are common.
• Size and medium — the edition is specific to these. A different size is a different edition.
• Numbering — "3/25" means print 3 of 25 total.
• What happens when it sells out — you retire the image at that size, or you can offer a different format as a separate edition.

Track every edition in a ledger: image name, edition size, buyer for each number, date sold, price.

Certificates of authenticity

A certificate of authenticity (COA) documents that a print is genuine and part of a stated edition.

What to include:

• Artist name
• Title of the work
• Year created
• Edition number and size (e.g., 7 of 25)
• Medium and substrate (e.g., archival pigment ink on Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308gsm)
• Dimensions
• Date of sale
• Artist signature

Keep a copy for your records. A COA can be a printed card, a letter, or a digital document with a signature — the format matters less than the information it contains.

Licensing vs. selling

Selling a print: the buyer owns that physical object. You keep the copyright.

Licensing: you grant someone the right to use the image for a specific purpose (product, publication, exhibit) without transferring copyright.

License terms to define:

• Exclusivity — exclusive (they're the only one using it for that purpose) or non-exclusive
• Territory — where they can use it (worldwide, US only, etc.)
• Duration — one-time use, one year, perpetual
• Medium — print only, digital only, product reproduction, etc.
• Modifications — can they crop or alter the image?

Licensing rates vary widely — $150–$500 for small editorial use, $500–$5,000+ for product licensing or large campaigns. Research comparables and don't undercharge; you can always negotiate down.

Always get licensing agreements in writing, even simple ones.

Consignment

Consignment means a gallery or shop holds your work and pays you when it sells — they don't buy it from you upfront.

Standard consignment split: 40–60% to the artist, 40–60% to the gallery. 50/50 is common; 60/40 in your favor is possible with established galleries where you bring the audience.

What to document before leaving work:

• Consignment agreement signed by both parties
• List of works: title, dimensions, edition info, retail price, your share
• Agreement on how long they'll hold unsold work
• Insurance — who covers the work while it's in their possession?

Check in on consigned work every 3 months. Collect your pieces or get paid.

Direct sales vs. platforms

Direct sales take more work to set up but keep far more revenue per sale. Platform sales are easier but you don't own the customer relationship.

Commission workflow

Taking commissions means creating work to a client's specifications. Set expectations clearly upfront to avoid scope creep and non-payment.

A basic commission process:

1. Intake — collect reference images, size, medium, deadline, intended use
2. Quote — price it, put it in writing
3. Deposit — collect 50% upfront (non-refundable if they cancel after you've started)
4. Work in progress check-in — show a draft before finishing; catch direction problems early
5. Approval — client signs off in writing before final delivery
6. Final payment — collect remaining 50% before or on delivery
7. Delivery — digital file or physical piece, plus COA if applicable

Never deliver the final full-resolution file before payment clears.

Patreon and membership models

Patreon and similar platforms let supporters pay you a monthly amount in exchange for access, content, or perks.

Tier design principles:

• Each tier should offer something genuinely different, not just "more of the same"
• Keep tiers simple — 3–4 tiers is plenty; more than that creates confusion
• Digital rewards (process videos, wallpapers, high-res downloads) scale well; physical rewards don't

Common tiers:

• $3–5/month: community access, behind-the-scenes posts
• $10–15/month: early access, WIP updates, digital downloads
• $25–50/month: discounts on prints, name in credits
• $100+/month: annual print, personal message, early access to commissions

Patreon takes 8–12% of revenue depending on plan. Factor that in when setting tiers.

Invoicing and record keeping

Send an invoice for every sale over ~$50. It protects both parties.

Invoice should include:

• Your name and contact info
• Invoice number (sequential — makes accounting easier)
• Date
• Client name and address
• Description of work or product sold
• Price per item, quantity, subtotal
• Sales tax (if applicable in your jurisdiction)
• Total due
• Payment terms (due on receipt, net 30, etc.)
• Payment methods accepted

Keep records of:

• All sales (date, amount, buyer, item)
• All expenses (materials, shipping, platform fees, software, equipment)
• Consignment ledger
• Edition tracking

A simple spreadsheet works fine. Back it up.

Tax basics for artists (US, general — not tax advice)

Art income is self-employment income. You pay income tax plus self-employment tax (~15.3%) on net profit.

Key concepts:

• Schedule C — where you report business income and expenses on your federal return
• Quarterly estimated taxes — if you expect to owe more than $1,000, pay estimated taxes quarterly (due mid-April, June, September, January)
• Deductible expenses — materials, equipment, studio space (home office deduction if applicable), software subscriptions, shipping, platform fees, professional development
• Hobby vs. business — the IRS expects a legitimate business to turn a profit in 3 of 5 years; keep records that show you're operating professionally

Consult a tax professional if your income is meaningful and growing. The cost of a good accountant is deductible and usually pays for itself.

Related

• Writing about your work and artist statements: docs-clear-writing
• SEO for finding buyers online: seo-for-artists
• Nonprofit structure for art organizations: nonprofit-comms