How to Price Art Prints, Commissions, and Gallery Work
Artists and photographers rarely sell just one thing — prints, licenses, commissions, and gallery work all pay differently. A print carries lab and framing costs; a commission is nearly all profit; a gallery takes a big commission. Price each stream on its own economics, then look at your blended break-even to see whether the whole business actually profits.
Each revenue stream has its own margin
- Prints — subtract lab or paper costs, framing or mounting, and marketplace fees. What's left is your margin, and it's smaller than the sticker price suggests.
- Commissions — usually near-all-profit since there's no product cost, but they cost you time; price for the hours, not just materials.
- Licensing — you sell usage rights, not a physical item, so it's high-margin and repeatable if you track it.
- Gallery sales — galleries commonly take 40–50%, so your retail price must be high enough that half of it still covers costs and profit.
Price the channel, not just the piece
The same image should not be the same price everywhere. A print you sell directly keeps its full margin; the same print through a gallery needs a higher list price to survive the commission. Setting one price for all channels is how artists quietly lose money on their best work.
Find your blended break-even
Because your income is a mix, the useful question is how much you need to sell across all streams to cover your fixed costs — studio, gear, software, and your time. That blended break-even tells you whether the business as a whole is profitable, not just whether one print sold well.
Artists & Photographers Break-Even Calculator
Enter prints, commissions, licenses, and gallery sales — see the profit on each and how much you need to sell to break even.
Open the free calculator →Common mistakes
- One price for every channel, ignoring the gallery's cut.
- Forgetting lab, paper, and framing costs on prints.
- Undervaluing commissions by pricing materials instead of time.
The Artists & Photographers Break-Even & Profit Calculator (Excel + Google Sheets, $24) models every stream and your blended break-even — with a worked example. Get the toolkit →
Frequently asked questions
How do I price art prints?
Start from cost: subtract lab or paper, framing or mounting, and marketplace fees from your price to find your true margin, then mark up enough to leave a healthy profit. Price direct sales and gallery sales differently.
How much should I charge for a commission?
Price for your time, not just materials — a commission is largely profit but costs you hours. Set an hourly or per-project rate that reflects your skill and the work involved.
How does gallery pricing work?
Galleries typically take a 40–50% commission, so your list price needs to be high enough that the remaining half still covers your costs and leaves a profit. Keep gallery prices consistent with your direct prices to protect your market.
This guide is general information to help you plan pricing — not financial advice. Costs and gallery terms vary; use your own numbers.