Price Ranges for artist's alley?

[ladyvoid]

If you guys don't mind, what do you think is a good price range for products in the artist's alley, specifically in terms of phone charms/keychains and hand-drawn commissions (both inked and pencil sketch)? I know this depends on skill level and stuff, but if you can give a generalization, that would be great.

[princeofrose]

Um...I am new to artist alley (my first time selling if I get in this year) But I have been going to fanime for...5 yrs now? From what I noticed usually keychains sell at $3 dollars  a piece of 2 for $5 dollars

Pins/buttons range from 50cents-2 dollars depending on their size and complexity of their art (I mean 50 cents for like the pins with just a word on it or something)

Hand drawn commissions all depends-do you have any samples? It depends on what it is as in waist up, headshot, chibi non chibi etc etc.

Yeah that is all I know sorry if it wasn't much D:

[Raymind]

Im from Canada eh, and for prints we usually charge $10 - $15 per print, but im not sure what the price is here in the states. 

[KikaiSaigono]

Im from Canada eh, and for prints we usually charge $10 - $15 per print, but im not sure what the price is here in the states. 

That's about what we charge here! For 8.5 x 11 prints good cardstock people usually sell them for about $5 - $10 USD. For 11x17 usually $15-$20. You can adjust your prices from there. I always suggest that for your first AA you undersell yourself just a TINY bit (not by a lot!) just to gauge how your products sell. Obviously you still want to sell them to make a profit, but honestly the best way to price your things is by trial and error and by experience. Good luck! :)

[Haunterluvcookies]

I don't know if this would go here. But for the drawing commissions do artists do color or is it all pencil or pen?

[princeofrose]

For drawing commissions people do different things.
Some prefer to do only sketches, while others only do ink work while others do fully colored works.  It just depends on the artist.

[Haunterluvcookies]

Awsome! I want to get a commission and I would love it colored! Thanks, it helped lots. I am new at this sort of things.

[princeofrose]

Yup :> Your welcome! I am hoping to sell colored commissions if I get in.

And even if people don't do commissions on site (like at fanime) You can always order from them and they will send you the commission by mail or e-mail. (If they do it digitally or something and don't do it at fanime they will do it afterwards)

[Haunterluvcookies]

That would be awsome! I can't wait, thank you!

[ladyvoid]

Thanks, you guys. when I said commssions, I meant pencilled and inked, or just pencilled. My stuff looks like this:

charms:
http://ladyvoid.deviantart.com/gallery/6208678
drawings (although it's not the best representation because the stuff is outdated by a couple years):
http://ladyvoid.deviantart.com/gallery/

[Hachimitsu]

what about posters?

last 2 years I noticed the posters I sold was big but I had to reduce like hell...

and I noticed most others are selling their posters as well but they arent as big as mines...mostly half the size I have...

My poster : 18" x 24"
theirs: 9" x 12" or slightly larger

its been causing alot of issues one spending money to create money..

1 poster = 19.54 from office max
during convention I know im supposed to sell at $30
but had to reduce it completely because i felt like I scared my customers on the rise of income!... so I had to force my sales to Slash to 2/3's of its price.. not sure if im doing it wrong but was wondering how much should I be investing on posters and the proper size for them as well!

[octorok]

Thanks for the input! I'm a first timer too and I've been wondering about price ranges myself.

what about posters?

last 2 years I noticed the posters I sold was big but I had to reduce like hell...

and I noticed most others are selling their posters as well but they arent as big as mines...mostly half the size I have...

My poster : 18" x 24"
theirs: 9" x 12" or slightly larger

its been causing alot of issues one spending money to create money..

1 poster = 19.54 from office max
during convention I know im supposed to sell at $30
but had to reduce it completely because i felt like I scared my customers on the rise of income!... so I had to force my sales to Slash to 2/3's of its price.. not sure if im doing it wrong but was wondering how much should I be investing on posters and the proper size for them as well!

I think I would go with around the same size everyone else is making them! 11x17, 13x19 at the largest. Those shouldn't cost more than $3-$5 each, though you may have to buy a lot of them all at once.

I'm sure your posters were totally worth $30, but I think it's important to consider con-goer spending habits. A lot of people just shelled out hundreds of dollars for hotel rooms, cosplays, food, etc and they might not have much left for art prints. Or at least, that's how they're thinking in their heads @____@ I feel like we really have to do our best to convince them that what we have is worth the money.

[princeofrose]

Wait you mean for posters?
Okay I know 8.5X11 prints usually sell around 5-10 dollars (8 dollars has been the number I have seen the most of)
If 8.5X11 prints go for that price I think posters should be worth more
12-15 dollars at least
20 as the cap maybe? I am not sure but at least more than the 8.5X11 prints.

[sayonararollingstar]

I recently started selling at artist alleys! C: it took a bit of trial and error but I finally figured out how to price my stuff.

For prints, I have around 4-5 different sizes.
4x6 = $1 each (super cheap to print and people really like them, I've noticed!)
5x7 = $2 each or 3 for $5
6x9 = $4 each
8.5x11 = $5 each, 3 for $12
11x17 = $13 each, 2 for $20

I price keychains (the laminated ones) $2 each, 3 for $5, 5 for $7.50 so on and so on. I price pinback buttons the same if they have an illustration, instead of text. :> As for polymer clay/acrylic keychains, it depends. I know some people sell polymer clay keychains depending on how long it took to make them. I only make little sushi keychains and I price those at $4 each because they're easy to make! It depends, really!

I've never done on the spot commissions but a friend of mine charges based on the following:bust only, waist up, full body, whether it's pencil only, inked, coloured in, etc. I'd go with what you feel is more comfortable for you.

I hope this helps!

[princeofrose]

Do you get your things printed online or printed at a local store?
I want to know a place where to print things for cheap but its hard to find one.
Man you have a lot of prints O__O
I need to hurry up and make some!

Also do you know a good place to print buttons? I can only find 100 buttons for 100 dollars and that is too expensive for me D:

[KikaiSaigono]

Do you get your things printed online or printed at a local store?
I want to know a place where to print things for cheap but its hard to find one.
Man you have a lot of prints O__O
I need to hurry up and make some!

Also do you know a good place to print buttons? I can only find 100 buttons for 100 dollars and that is too expensive for me D:

Honestly the best way to go if you plan on selling buttons as a main part of your wares is to invest in a button maker. The parts for buttons are so cheap! (I get like 1000 for $60). Obviously that is not much of an option right now, but it is something to think about!

In the mean time i would suggest zap creatives http://www.zapcreatives.co.uk/
They are located in the uk but they give a discount to customers who are not from the UK. They are great and I would recommend them :)

[princeofrose]

Yeah that is what everyone says that if one prints lots of buttons they should invest in a button maker however this is my first time at artist alley and I am not sure if I want to create a lot of pins.
(I just created some pin templates thinking I'd print some but I can only find super expensive ones)

Sweet discounts! Oh but that means I have to pay for shipping and stuff XP
Thank you so much for the link!

I just found this place as well
http://justbuttons.org/

(After a longggg time of searching) That prints buttons. I made 6 button templates and if I printed them all in the long run it would be better to get a button make lol
Where do you buy your blank buttons from if you do not mind me asking?

[sayonararollingstar]

Do you get your things printed online or printed at a local store?
I want to know a place where to print things for cheap but its hard to find one.
Man you have a lot of prints O__O
I need to hurry up and make some!

Also do you know a good place to print buttons? I can only find 100 buttons for 100 dollars and that is too expensive for me D:

For my 8.5x11 and 11x17 prints I go here! http://www.catprint.com/
I order my 4x6 and 5x7 prints here - http://winkflash.com (suuuuper cheap)
And I get my 6x9 prints at http://adoramapix.com

I don't know of a place that will make buttons for you, sorry! :C I have my own button maker. I highly recommend you invest in one, though! It pays off in the end. C:

[princeofrose]

Wow those sites are amazing :O Its cheap to print but they do get you on shipping lol XD
But its better than any sites I've found! You guys are pros how did you find these places :O

Yeah a button maker is a good investment but its like 350 bucks X_______X;
I just spent money on copics so I will probably get it later. I think I'll go to this artist alley first (if I get in) and then if I sell stuff and things then I'll debate on whether getting a button maker or not

I heard buttons sell really fast too :O
I'm making stickers in the mean time to replace my absence of buttons lol

[Elimeno]

hey!  I sold buttons a few years ago in AA and used these guys http://www.poseurink.com/modbuttons/  They did good work and the prices are good!