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Original poster

How do you know how to sell your paintings and also how to price the painting?

93 replies

LoveMyGirls · 20/02/2011 21:22

I have almost finished a painting I would like to sell, does anyone know the best way to go about selling it? How I would price it etc?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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EldonAve · 21/02/2011 07:14

not bought or sold but I do browse www.minigallery.co.uk/index.asp
might give you some idea of prices
otherwise local gallery may be helpful but commission will be high

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LoveMyGirls · 21/02/2011 07:31

Thanks, I don't think I'll get a lot for it so probably not worth asking a gallery. I will have a look on the website you linked to though. Smile

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RubberDuck · 21/02/2011 08:00

What about www.etsy.com/ ?

mrsgetonwithit · 21/02/2011 08:11

Have you a local coffee shop that will agree to put it on their wall with a price attached, that is how I sell some of my photographs.?

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LoveMyGirls · 21/02/2011 14:20

I've looked at the etsy one and also found the folksy one too so I think I'll set up an online shop at some point when I've got quite a few pieces. Thank you.

I will also try the coffee shop idea although the town I live in isn't really a coffee shop with art type place Blush but if I can find somewhere fairly local I'll give it a go. How does it work mrsgetonwithit? What happens when they sell one, do you rely on them getting in touch to tell you and pass the money on? Excuse my ignorance, this is a whole new world to me!

The one I'm working on at the moment is very bright and colourful contemporary tree but I have also recently finished a very dark effiel tower at night one and a darkish one with a fairy and moon on. Any idea's of what to do next would be great as I'm always looking for inspiration.

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mrsgetonwithit · 21/02/2011 17:04

It does not have to be a coffee shop....a hairdressers maybe....

Yes just build up a friendship and pop in every now and again........

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LoveMyGirls · 21/02/2011 17:14

ohhh my sister is a manager at a hairdressers...wonder if she would let me put one up there or in one of the beauty rooms maybe.......fab idea thanks! (just need to actually do some paintings so I can sell them!)

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LoveMyGirls · 21/02/2011 17:24

I rang her got a big fat no, if I'm going to get that from family then how will others react Confused Sad. If at first you don't suceed try, try and try again eh?!

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mrsgetonwithit · 21/02/2011 19:44

Why did she say no?

Yes keep trying hairdressers, coffee shops, librarys, doctors surgerys..........some may agree if you donate something to a charity.

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LoveMyGirls · 21/02/2011 20:31

She said no because it's a very minimalist place so they don't hang things up.

Oh well Smile I've decided to sell my very first painting so my first painting is now ready for sale, I'll start my shop on folksy in a few days once I've taken a really good picture, going to borrow my friends camera so it's the best quality and do it in daylight. Here's to selling my first of many paintings. {fingers crossed!}

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LoveMyGirls · 21/02/2011 20:39

How long have you been doing photography mrsg?

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mrsgetonwithit · 21/02/2011 20:47

I have been into photography for 10 years, got my first digital camera just before my son was born.

Took thousands of pics of him and progressed from there.

I was asked to do a couple of friends weddings [which when asked i actually felt sick lol]

I really enjoyed it and that progressed as well so much so I started a business.

After three years I hated it.

It took the fun away from the photography, and I did not like the business side of it.

I love taking and editing photos and went back to doing it for fun........

I take random pics and if people wanna buy them thats good if they don't I am not under any pressure.

I recently sold some pics of my dog to an American calender company, which came about quite by chance.

PM me if you wanna look at my website.

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LoveMyGirls · 21/02/2011 21:11

I think I've sent it Confused

Sounds like you are a true pro Smile

I hope I can make a success of this, I'll be so happy if anyone buys my paintings! I have never done any training, I started with a mural on my living room wall in February then did another one in August, then did a small art class for 5 weeks (not for any quals just for fun) that's where I did my first painting on canvass, the one I'm working on now is only my 3rd painting, I've got 2 more canvasses and then once they have gone if I haven't sold anything then I can't justify spending any more money on my hobby right now tbh. Plus we don't have the room to keep everything lol so might as well sell it.

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MosaicTree · 22/02/2011 12:37

Try www.folksy.com - This is the UK version of the U.S. based Etsy. Always worth posting a thread in their forums asking for advice. I'm active in the forums (www.folksy.com/shops/MosaicTree) and they're friendly.

MosaicTree · 22/02/2011 12:40

Further to my post above, a work colleague has done some painting din her spare time - she did a straw poll of friends, family and work colleagues to get some honest feedback about which of her paintings seemed to appeal (I know that different things always appeal to different people so its impossible to generalise). It may be worth taking digital pics of your paintings so that they can be uploaded on to Flickr so that more people can see them?

cheesesarnie · 22/02/2011 12:46

i take mine to a friends gallery.he takes ten percent.he also laughed when i told him how much i wanted for them.he put them up by another £100!his advice about price was,if you dont think anyone will pay a decent amount and dont believe in yourself,they wont!
another friend has his on a facebook page and takes commisions.also theres pubs,cafes,libraries,gp surgeries etc.

mrsgetonwithit · 22/02/2011 15:41

Mosaictree thanks you for the folksy link, I have now opened a shop

It is called funkychicken and sells photographs.

I only have one photo up at the mo, still working my way around it.

Could I ask a question Do you get an email if you have sold a pic or do I have to keep logging into the site?

Thanks in advance.

Did'nt mean to hyjackm the thread.....

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LoveMyGirls · 22/02/2011 16:56

Feel free to hyjack, I need all the help and tips I can get!

Love your photo's mrsg.

Cheese talk to me more! What kind of pics do you do, how much do they sell for, do you ever think you will just be an artist (it's my dream, where I have a studio and spend my days painting, drinking tea, litening to music and finding inspiration!) I think I might be able to do it in another 15yrs maybe, when dc's ahev left home!

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LoveMyGirls · 22/02/2011 16:58

I've given myself the name ArtWithAheart, won't get anything on it til the weekend though and then I'm only putting a few pieces on.

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LoveMyGirls · 22/02/2011 19:23

Mosaictree - I have taken pics but they are not great quality (only taken on my phone) and posted them on fb to get an ideea of who likes what, it is good to know what people like but then you never know if they are just being polite etc.

Just having a break after finishing work, putting dc's to bed then I'm going to try and get my painting finished Smile

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mrsgetonwithit · 23/02/2011 19:03

Any progress on the paintings?

I am loving my shop.......

Just have to pick out some more photos now and up load them..

And how exciting to get 41 veiws on my first photo.

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LoveMyGirls · 23/02/2011 19:07

Hey that's brilliant, 41 viewings!

I've had someone on fb ask if I'm selling the painting I'm currently working on, as I'd put a half finished pic of it on there so hoping to have a buyer for that once it's done! I'm thinking of selling for £25, does that sound fair for and amateur 24x24inch acrylic painting?

My friend came today but we took so many pics of her baby while we were out the battery had died by the itme we got back to mine but she said she'll come over and take pics as soon as I'm ready Grin
So looks like my first painting for sale will be a sky with a pink fairy and a moon.

I've got my eye on the next thing I would like to paint, just wondering where I stand with copy write though, does anyone know?

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mrsgetonwithit · 23/02/2011 19:54

£25 SOUNDS CHEAP.

A trick I learnt when I started selling photos [weddings] was give them a good price and say you are offering reduced prices at the moment, for a limited time only.

Then when you get established and wish to put your prices up and somebody says ''so and so only paid so much'' you can then say

''but she had the limited offer''

I would say £50. BUT go with my above trick to start.

mrsgetonwithit · 23/02/2011 19:55

What do you mean by copewrite? It is a painting is'nt it.....A one off.

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LoveMyGirls · 23/02/2011 21:02

My shop! I just opened it, so excited!

Copyright - I mean I've seen something I'd like to paint so as long as I've painted it even if I copied the original idea does it still count as my work? I'm not talking about copying famous works because tbh I don't want to waste my time and effort painting something that has already been done but I have seen something that is a computer image that I'd like to paint so wondered if that is ok to do and then sell iyswim? (been a long day!)

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