New Artwork May 2020 by Artist Explores 

Thank you so much! 💗 I'm hoping I'll start to grow once I start posting more consistently again this year. RU-vid algorithms are tricky!

Hi Phillip. Not sure which piece in particular you're referring to as my prices range from $3 - $850, but here's a general breakdown: My artwork is priced based on a number of factors. For one, most large pieces take between 10 - 60 hours to create. All my designs are original and one of a kind. I'm an established artist with 10+ years experience and consistent buyers. The price of the piece includes: originality, materials, number of hours it took to create, marketing costs and a small profit to help expand my business. Then additionally for pieces sold online prices include: packaging cost and shipping cost in the US and Canada. Those sold in galleries or at craft fairs are typically even more expensive due to having to pay gallery commissions (my current gallery takes 50% of the total price) or of studio and/or gallery rent or booth fees. Pricing artwork can be very challenging and I typically actually charge WAY less than my other fellow artists because I prefer to make a wide range of work for people of all lifestyles to enjoy. I'm usually loosing money (or making $2 an hour) off most pieces and instead make my income off of the smaller pieces, prints, cards and stickers. Hope that answers your question!

@@ArtistExplores it does. Thank you. I can't understand how being an established artist plays a part in it. Whether you've been doing it 80 years or 10 days, if it's worth it is worth it. I was thinking more along the lines of quality. Such as types of wood, paints used, etc. For example birch and oak last, pine or other soft woods don't. This dye based watercolors experience color shift and aren't light fast. So if one expects the product to last them .... You know just stuff like that. I appreciate that you answered my question. It really puts things into perspective and there parts I didn't think about. Like the stamp and the cost of bubble wrap.

@@phillipstroll7385 Unfortunately with woodburning, using harder woods are going to not create the same product result (ie darker burns and darker stains will not show the vibrancy of the watercolor) Pyrography is easier and, in my personal opinion, more appealing on a more white base woods such as: Basswood and Birch. I do use high quality watercolor, brushes, and a lacquer sealant as well. Although, I've found the cheaper versions produce a better lightfastness than some of the more expensive brands that tend to yellow the wood over time. There's also polyurethanes and other sealers you can use to make pieces last hundreds of years- if not longer. You'd be surprised how well wooden art has survived in certain parts of Asia and Europe when well maintained. Of course working with watercolors on wood isn't going to stand the strength of time like an oil painting will, but that goes with any product. People aren't necessarily paying for my art as a long term investment- especially since I'm not famous. They're paying for it because they enjoy the piece in their home for their lifetime. Maybe their relatives will enjoy that piece in the future, but more likely the work will end up in Goodwill or a trashcan - just the reality of art unfortunately (unless you become famous). A good example is one of my watercolor friends found her own painting at a goodwill for $10. The original piece sold for $550. She bought it from Goodwill and then re-sold it for $725 (because she's more popular now). Talk about full circle 😂 As for being established, I guess the answer for that would fall within whether you think a Monet, Picasso, Banksy, Mucha or any other well known artist should be worth more than someone using the same materials today. Your popularity and your level of experience in the field most definitely influences price. Additionally I'm the only artist (that I know of) that is using pyrography and gunpowder with watercolor. It's a unique process that many are not familiar with. It makes my work highly recognizable (and locally people know my art). It's the same for any other brand. For example: Kleenex is the most well known tissue brand so they charge more. Prada and Louis Vuitton bags are going to be worth more than generic bags. That doesn't always mean they're higher quality, just means they've developed 'fans' and a design base that people desire. Thanks for posing these questions- this was fun. I'd love to actually expand on this on my next Twitch stream so I appreciate it!

@@ArtistExplores I do not think one should pay more for a name. Picasso isn't a better artist because his name is Picasso. Banksy is just a vandal really. But anyway thanks for answering.

Thank you so much!! I appreciate the support, I'll take a look. :)