How Much to Charge for Painting an Acrylic Portrait?

When you're approached to do a portrait in acrylic paint, it can be hard to figure out how much to charge, especially if you're not used to charging money for your art. Luckily, it is easy to figure out how much to charge for painting an acrylic portrait. With these steps, you'll know exactly what your paintings are worth.

Have you gone to art school for your craft? If you have graduated from art school or other prestigious programs, you will be able to charge more for producing an acrylic portrait painting. Clients see education as an assurance of your quality and work ethic. Make sure to mention this when talking with prospects.

The more you have produced portraits in acrylic paint, the more you can charge. Think of this as your painting resume. If you can give real example of other portraits you have painted, you will be able to charge more for your work. This is also helpful practice for when people are considering you for a painting commission. Keep a list of your painting work on hand so you can quickly prove that you are experienced at your craft.

If you've shown your paintings in a gallery, you will end up with a better reputation than someone who's only kept their work at home. Even if you put your paintings up in your local coffee shop, this gives you better word of mouth. With this kind of advertising, you give the appearance of being an expert in the painting field and having a bit of celebrity. Those with such a reputation can charge more for their acrylic painting services.

Before you set prices for a portrait sitting, you should research the prices your competition charges. This is the most important step to setting your own prices. Have a look in your local phone directory for artists that provide painted portraits. Visit their websites and call them up to ask them for their prices. This isn't shady, it is the perfect way to know what your services are worth.

Now that you have done your research and compiled the above information, you can put it all together to figure out what to charge for a portrait in acrylic paint. The base for your calculation should come from the research you conducted finding local painters' prices. If they generally charge between $400 and $600 for a sitting, it's best not to stray too far from that. What affects your final price is your education, previous experience and reputation. If you have a lot of these factors going for you, you can get away with charging the higher price.