Attention grabber pic. I'm shameless. I know half of you will see this in your little thumbnail thingy on the side of your blog page, and I need a lot of feedback on this one. :D
Alright, I'm not deaf, just dubious. I post artwork, like 90% of other cyber moms, because it's fun to show what I've worked on instead of filing it away, or publishing it into a book that will sit on a shelf. And well-meaning friends and family remind me (continually) I could be a productive member of society making money doing it. I agree, there is that ten percent of moms who don't already know how to do it themselves, or who just don't feel like it, and about five percent of those who still would like it done and would pay someone else to. There is a market, even if it's practically non-existant.
I'm going to do a little poll. And, I'd really appreciate a dirt-honest answer, so posting anonymously might be a good idea on this one, if you think it would help you to be honest-er.
What would you personally be willing to pay for a personalized calendar- all 12 months, a cover and end page, holidays marked, family members' pics on their B-days. You would be able to choose which pics went on each page, and the color and theme of each month. Or you could give me a bunch of pics and say, "make it pretty."
Now- putting your personal budget aside- what would you expect the first copy of something like that to cost? If additional copies were $20?
What about a pencil portrait?
You personally would spend ___?
You would expect it to cost___?
Pointless, why would someone spend money on something like that?
I hope my Pay it Forward gals don't mind me using these- I didn't use names!... ;D
And last, but not least. What would it be worth to you to learn how to do a calendar yourself? Photoshop lessons- 60 minutes a week.
Yes, I'm using you. You will not be reimbursed for your time... ;D
14 comments:
For the calendar with all that lovely work you put into it I would not sell it less than $30.
Portrait images can go as high as $45.
I would pay probably around $25 for the first calendar and additional ones for $20. (I am the worlds largest cheepskate..)
I don't know how to do photoshop. It is something that I want to learn, Chip knows it in and out and upside down, and I think we have some upgrade version? I donno...
anyways, I would probably pay like $15-20 per lesson. Although, You'd make a fortune off of me... I'd come back like 100+ times before I got it! lol.
pencil portraits: are they done by a computer program? or do you physically draw them with a pencil and paper?
That would determine the cost that I'd be willing to pay.
I know that Chip has gotten over $500 for some head shot drawings that he's done in the past. (16X20). But if they are computerized, all you need to do is run it through filters and what not, and companies charge like $25 for the basic and $100 for the absolute best quality (paper/framed/etc...)
Hope that helps?
Summer, I love your art and I think it should be worth a whole load of cash, however, with my current situation (and I don't know that I am alone) I wouldn't be able to afford any art. I am just praying these shoes make it through the winter! I hope there is a market and it pays big! I'm pulling for you!
I WANT PHOTOSHOP LESSONS! I've been trying to figure it out but I'm stupid. So I'm trying to find classes to go to but again...I'm stupid and haven't had time to look into it. Let me know what you're offering them for when you figure it out. Does that help? :-) Honestly, I probably would pay for a lesson about what I might charge for violin lessons which really wouldn't be too much. Sorry. $15 or $20 per lesson? And those pencil portraits are incredible! I'm sure you could easily charge >$100 for each one. Especially if you advertise to people other than myself or others in my financial position. And the calendars...maybe up to $40 for the first one? But this one's trickier because calendars are really only display-able for a year so I wouldn't be able to feel like I got as much use out of them as I could.
Interesting points, thanks you guys.
Breezi, yes they are just pencil and paper. And that's very interesting that someone wanted a 16x20 headshot. I honestly would never have thought of that!
Thanks for your input on the calendars, too! I've always thought of them as somethin gthat could last for longer than a year- we're collecting ours and trying to keep them as art instead of planner calendars, but I can see how just the fact that I call it a calendar instead of a scrapbook album would decrease it's value.
If I was doing the same artwork and time, but left out the calendar, rotated it horizontally like a book... Freak my freak, I think you guys just gave me a great idea. Yay for thinking out loud.
you are a supa' talented chick!
is there anything you can't do?
i would probably pay $45 for a calendar and then $20 for additional copies. I would love to learn how to do them myself but im not sure how much i would pay for it, depending on how long it takes...a 6 week coarse for $15 bucks a week, thats probably what i would pay!
Calendars are so cute. I'm a cheepy and probably wouldn't pay more than like $25 $30 max for it. I don't do the portrait thing so I can't answer that question for you. Photoshop lessons are a good idea too. I know it has my mind boggled.
The calendar IS gorgeous. I think it would be probably be tough to get more than $25 to $30 for them, though (I'm a Mac girl and iPhoto helps you put together a calendar for $19.99. Yours are much cuter and I wouldn't have to do it myself, but still, it'd be hard for me to justify paying much more than that). Your scrapbook idea is a good one, but again, there are lots of sites out there that help you do it yourself for pretty cheap. Again, yours are MUCH nicer. But those are the things I think about when I'm making purchases.
I think the lessons are a great idea. I'd probably pay up to $45-$50/hour (especially if you could promise I'd have a certain skill by the end of it and the class didn't feel intimidating).
Your pencil drawings are gorgeous! I've never paid for anything like that, so I have no idea what I'd pay!
Because I know how good you are, how much experience you have, and how valuable your time is..
Calendar original: $40, copies $20 (to cover time to make duplicates and cost of material)
Portraits: (I charge $100 for the photo, and an additional $50 per head...but that includes high end copies in any size they want...since I don't give away my originals and they get art that doesn't smudge or go yellow)....so...I'm partial on this one, and since I think you are better than I am... :) Funny you posted this though, because I just finished a wedding photo for a friend. I was actually about to post it on my blog :) haha
Lessons: $60 hour. It makes it easy if you or your client is unable to do a full 60 min lesson...because it's just $1/min. I guess I'm partial on that also just because I charge $60/hr for my profession.
However....with all that said. That is how much I think the value of service is worth on a regular level. Unfortunately, with the times....you have to figure other things out. For example, if you are teaching someone how to do photoshop, don't charge them for the calendar or materials. Or, since Breezi does such amazing gift baskets, maybe you two can trade services. Or if someone refers someone to you, give them a discount. Or if they want a large family portrait done, offer to take the photo for free, and then charge for the art. (that way you know you have a good picture to work with and you don't have to develop the pictures unless they want copies also...and no infringement crap either)
haha anyway...as you can see, I have much to say on the subject :)
The recent photo that I did of my friend and her husband, I ended up only charging $20 because I know they are in financial trouble and I hadn't done a piece in a year...so it was fun for me too.
Hope that helps :)
Ignorance is bliss for you my dear! All of the rest of the world with only an inkling of the artistic ability that you have would pay dearly for your artwork. I'd say people would pay up to $40 for a calender (how much are those edible candy bouquets?) And for drawing portraits I have no clue. You are amazing though. My sister, who got all the artistic ability in my family, enters in shows occasionally (local free ones) and people buy her stuff. And these people pay dearly for it too.
Lessons for photoshop $40/hr. Just set up a booth at a fair and say hey multitalented anything you want $50! Sing a song $50, 8x10 sketch $50, photoshop calender $50 basic, $60 each add on. Whammo!...now your touring the country and seeing the sights all in the name of art. Zac can quit going to school and do all the home schooling. Ha! I did enjoy your musical number on Sunday it was great.
The calendars are fabulous, very darling!! But I am a cheap o too and probably wouldn't pay over $25, but I know some people would. You are a very talented chicka!
You KNOW I would already pay good money for those calendars but completely luck out at Christmas! I paid about $15.00 a piece for a bare-bones calendar on My Publisher (that was because I was buying a bunch and there was a coupon). And your's are much cooler. I would say $30-40 for the first wouldn't be too much to ask, then maybe $15-20 for each thereafter?
I love the pencil portraits, too. As for the cost of a pencil portrait, I have no idea...
I would pay at least $40-$50 for a personalized calendar like that.
I would pay at least $50 for the portrait. (which is awesome, BTW! and I'm so glad I joined your pay it forward post!!)
But I would pay the big bucks for Photoshop lessons, to learn to do what you do with it.
I'm sorry if I've insulted your talents though with my estimates. Honestly, I really have no idea either. And I don't think my hubby would pay for any of these things, so we're going on the assumption that I'm not married and consequently had the luxury (choice?) of paying for things like these....
I liked that book idea too - I would pay for that!
Good luck with all this. :)
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