First Commission !

[Premiershipman]

Well we had the biggest agricultural show of the year this weekend (fri/sat) and due to some of the welding rod sculptures I had on display, I have been asked to make a shoal of fish sculpture about 75cms x 50 cms.

The biggest problem is always a price that the customer will pay and be worth your time !

As my existing welding rod sculptures are about £30 - £90 I suppose I have kind of set my ball park figure but the fish are made from copper sheet and need to be formed so will obviously be more complex than simple welding rod sculptures.

I wondered if it's a better idea to ask the customer what their budget is so I can make it tailored to their budget.

What do people reckon ?

 

[brightspark]

why not just make one fish up . time how long to make . price of materials then x it by how many fish and add your labour cost and a bit extra profit

 

[chunkolini]

I always ask people what sort of budget they have in mind. Some run a mile.
Some are happy to talk about it, I find I can make most things fit within a budget. it is a difficult game pricing etc.
if you are just starting out it might be worth under pricing a bit to get the work in your portfolio.
I would say talk to them about budgets; Brightspark's idea is a good one as well, get one made to get an idea of what is involved and to show them.
They will go all gooey eyed over it.
Have a vague figure in mind before you talk to them.
Good luck.

 

[rtbcomp]

I try to price just below what anyone else charges for similar work. It's surprising what you can get away with, I once quoted fifteen pounds for a job, the guy thought I said fifty and he was quite happy to stump up the £50! I didn't have the heart to take it though. Younger people are prepared to pay more because they don't relate the value of money as to what it was 50 years ago.

 

[chunkolini]

I never try and compete. There is to much imported tat around and a lot of people starting out who are happy to break even. I started out like this and gradually upped my prices.
The art thing is weird. Nobody needs what you are making, it rarely has any function, arguably meaningless luxuries.
When coming up with a price I always think of a number, add a bit on then add on a haggle factor.
Never underprice your work. Also remember that anybody buying your art is paying you a massive compliment.

 

[awemawson]

You could either offer to do it on a 'time & materials' basis or a fixed price. The later obviously has advantages to the client in that they know the cost at the end, but the former >may< be cheaper for them. Give them the choice. It does no harm letting people know what you expect to earn per hour as they can relate it to what they earn.

 

[Premiershipman]

Thought I would upload the setup that I had at the craft show -

It shows the two of the wall sculptures and the bicycles, artist easel and golf bags that I do.

I noticed early on that I had mis-priced the Walk in the Country sculpture at £24.99 instead of £29.99 !! So I removed it and added a separate price tag later.

A number of visitors to the stall actually commented that I was too cheap for sculptures, but I received a lot of nice comments and there was a lot of interest in bespoke commissions for my work.

 

[chunkolini]

Lovely stuff, striking and original.
You could treble your prices easily.
People will pay lots for 'Art'. if they see it as craft they will expect it to be cheap.
At least.
Your walk in the park is very similar to an idea I have bubbling away. The perspective is very clever.

 

[Premiershipman]

Thanks chunkolini, its a hard one really in that I have sort of 'set my prices', so ramping them up too early could potentially put people off.

Here is a close up of the 'Lonely Kite' sculpture -

 

[chunkolini]

Love it.
Thing is to slip them up now and again.
Maybe try them at a new rate at a new venue.
Once something sells at a price that is what it is worth for the next six months.
If people make orders you are taking their idea into reality. Charge accordingly.

 

[Premiershipman]

Along with these are the smaller 'table'top' type sculptures :

'The Artist' -

(Made from copper sheet, welding rods and a washer) - This is priced at £21.99

'Waiting to Play' -

(Made from 22mm copper pipe, copper sheet and welding rods) - This is priced at £17.99

 

[Premiershipman]

Great idea chunkolini - we have them advertised on the facebook page and website at those prices and we will probably review our prices at the end of each year.

As we are in sort of a captive area on the island I have to try and keep people keen rather than scare them off if I am too highly priced.

The couple asking about the commission thought I was very reasonably priced and are aware that the fish sculpture will be a lot more than the tree sculptures but I get the feeling that they don't want it too get too high in price.

I might simply say 'give me a budget that I can tailor the sculpture to' in that way they can give the upper figure that I can aim for in keeping with materials used as copper aint cheap !!

 

[chunkolini]

If you can get a ballpark budget before spending the time planning things it is a huge help. You can build down or up to a price, but they have to trust you.

 

[Premiershipman]

They gave me a website that they had found on metal wall sculpture - http://www.jazzitupjewellery.com/acatalog/METAL_WALL_ART_SCULPTURES.html

Not sure if it is mass manufactured stuff but dont think i can produce something similar that cheap as they have half metre square wall sculptures with 3d painted fish etc for about £40 !

 

[brightspark]

They gave me a website that they had found on metal wall sculpture - http://www.jazzitupjewellery.com/acatalog/METAL_WALL_ART_SCULPTURES.html

Not sure if it is mass manufactured stuff but dont think i can produce something similar that cheap as they have half metre square wall sculptures with 3d painted fish etc for about £40 !

dont even bother trying if thats what they want . mass produced stuff off the shelf just tell them your price will be dearer than that cos there hand made

 

[chunkolini]

Mass produced garbage.
It has not got wht they want, if they want it enough they will pay for it.
if not nuts to them.

 

[Premiershipman]

Cheers for the expert input guys, I have emailed them to ask them for their rough budget and that if if we go ahead I want 30% up front as a deposit and 70% on delivery.

 

[Maker]

Have you seen the "upcycled" garden ornaments made from 55 gallon drums. Supposedly hand made by one guy in Australia. I don't know how big yours need to be butt he makes a fish, about one and a half feet long for £100!

 

[chunkolini]

Deposit up front every time.
I occasionally dont feel the need for this, and have never been burnt but I have seen mates get in a mess on this one.
Put your prices up.
It's weird, a lot of people are put off by things being too cheap.

 

[Premiershipman]

Hi chunkolini, I had heard that one before that if ppl think its cheap then they tend to not buy as they think the product must be inferior if the price is cheap.

The problem I have is that with all the visitors we got to the table, people have seen the current prices so I can't put the prices up straight away, unless I claim it was a 'special price' just for the show ?!