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Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

Customer Wanting Original No Prints Available

Good day all,

I have a customer (also a very good friend) who wants to purchase of my charcoal drawings (haven't posted on here yet). It is a wolf 16 x 20. He is willing pay extra for no prints to be available. Wants to be the sole person who has this drawing.

I have an idea of what to charge him for the original, but with the stipulation (which I will have on the COA) I am battling if I should charge him extra for that or not, and if so, how do I price that?. Has anyone had a customer who wanted this?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Patricia

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Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

I do want to add although I have an idea of what to charge for the original, I am still trying to figure out how much. I don't want to over charge or under charge. I know I'm not the only artist battling this. :)

 

First Star Art

9 Years Ago

Hi Patricia!

If it were me, the original would be very very expensive--
in essence your buyer is asking for copyright, in a way.


Congratulations on the sale!

:^D

jrr

 

Kendall Kessler

9 Years Ago

I wouldn't agree to those terms. I keep the copyright for all of my work.

 

Bonfire Photography

9 Years Ago

I agree with keeping the rights and selling prints would not effect the price of owning the own and only original.

 

Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

I believe that selling him the original does not give him copyright though. He shouldn't have rights to say down the road sell prints himself. I have always been under the impression that even when the artist sells the original, the artist still holds the copyright to it.


I am looking at the fact that I would not be able to sell any prints in the future which would one,(prevent this work of art to be seen by anyone else but his friends and family, and 2(no sales of prints ever.



 

Andy Holmes

9 Years Ago

Patricia, you would indeed retain the copyright. What he's asking for is a degree of exclusivity.

Exclusivity of prints doesn't stop you licencing the same image for use as a book illustration or even a cover for example. If he's after total exclusivity, then the price needs to reflect potential lifetime earnings from it.

 

Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

I should actually add to my last comment, unless I were to transfer ownership over to the buyer, I would still hold the copyright.

 

Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

Thank you Andy, that is what I have always known too. It is a pastel drawing such as my profile picture (but a wolf not at all same position) and don't even know where to start on pricing with those stipulations. I wonder if anyone else has done this.

 

Roy Erickson

9 Years Ago

Your real problem is - "this is a very good friend" - and sometimes we make allowances for friends. You can always draw another 'wolf' in charcoal - it will never be "identical". Either that - or don't sell it to her. How much is the cost of a "very good friendship"?

 

Melissa Bittinger

9 Years Ago

What would you price it at normally? How many prints do you think the image could have sold over time? Add that up together.

 

Janine Riley

9 Years Ago

First thing I would do is get to work drawing another one like it - to see how that satisfies you.

If it is something that you can easily accomplish, then you will have a another wolf to make prints off of.

If not - that will now help you determine how you feel about not being able to sell prints off the original - & what price it would take to have the original taken out of your portfolio.

While it seems complimentary, it is a burden for you. Unless it pays very well of course.

 

Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

I know Roy, this is the hard part. I did have it in my mind to do another, of course not the same, but the upricing is the difficult part.
As Melissa asked "What would you price it at normally? How many prints do you think the image could have sold over time? Add that up together."

I really have no idea how much prints would sell, since I have not sold much yet. That's a hard one.

Janine, I like what you mentioned. I could easily do that as I don't want to deny him purchasing my original, I too would then have another to sell as prints.

For a pastel drawing that I would probably sell to him for $200 = $250, would adding another $100 seem to low or high? Would prints sell or not? I do not know.

Understand I am only trying to get some advice from others and I respect all who give their advice. Just as hard as pricing your artwork, this is a tricky one I know!

 

Dan Turner

9 Years Ago

"He is willing pay extra..."

That was your opening, which would have made your current anxiety and this entire conversation unnecessary.

Next time: "Super! How much extra?"

This time: "The original is $xxxx, which you will own and enjoy. As you know, I would normally retain the rights to sell prints. But let's say we do it your way. How much extra are you willing to pay to keep prints off the market?"

And then just let him tell you.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

 

Janine Riley

9 Years Ago

I would suggest perusing other pastel work here for pricing suggestions on prints & originals.

Determine what you would feel comfortable at selling per SQ. inch - you can then adjust accordingly for the complexity of your piece.

No one can determine your satisfaction for price for you - high or low. What makes you satisfied to have it taken out of your hands ?

EDIT - like Dan's answer. That determines his seriousness on requiring sole ownership to that piece.

 

Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

Ah Dan that is a great idea on how to approach this! I really like this. I know him well enough he would give a fair price indeed! At least it is a place to start!

 

Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

Janine this is too a great suggestion. I will do this because I want to feel more comfortable of what I am charging in the first place. Thank you!

 

Joseph C Hinson

9 Years Ago

Patricia;

Does your friend understand what he is asking? He is asking that you never, for as long as you live, post that print for sale. It's also not about whether you sell her a lot or not; it's that you will never ever sell a print of one he has hanging up in his house. I'm a photographer, not an artist, but I would think the price would need to start well above what you mentioned. Selling the original is one thing; he's paying for the exclusive rights. Don't undersell yourself.

 

Patricia Lintner

9 Years Ago

Joseph I hear you. A mere $100 would not replace what I could have in the future. Not saying it will sell or not, but just the fact that it is taken away is huge. What if a family member wanted a print and I had to say no? Yeah, I have re-thought that one. Thank you Joseph.

 

Val Arie

9 Years Ago

I would sell it to a very good friend for less than I would normally charge or give it for free and would tell him forget about no prints. Back in the day before digital art made print making easy you sold originals, that was it ...gone. IMO If he knows your business is selling prints he shouldn't have asked or should have offered you an amount you couldn't refuse.

 

Edward Fielding

9 Years Ago

Figure you could make $25, $50, $75, $200 etc every time it sells as a print. (If you market it and it sells). Might sell 0 times, 3 times, 100 times. You have to make your best guess as to the lifelong value of the piece and if its so unique that you can't repeat it.

 

Edward Fielding

9 Years Ago

ditto

 

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