SoftCanvas.com is proud to announce The Open Show!  Check it out!

http://www.softcanvas.com/OpenShow/1.html

We’re working hard to make the site better, and in the mean time having some um.. well how do we say it?  Technical difficulties!  No worries, we’ll be up and running shortly! 

Now, to get that hammer removed from the keyboard…

Thank you again!  Great job!

Get a pen and paper ready!

1. Think about how much money you want to be paid per hour.  So we are not pulling a number out of thin air, how much per hour do you make at your current job?  Artwork alone usually does not pay the bills, especially at first.  Write this number down.
2. Calculate the number of hours it took to complete the piece of artwork.
3. Multiply Number 1 by Number 2.  This is your total labor cost.  Write this number down too.
4. Add up the total cost of your materials.  Canvas, paint, and wear and tear to your brushes. 
5. Add Number 3 and Number 4 together.  This total becomes your cost.
6. In a practice known as keystoning, multiply cost (number 5) by 2.   
7.  This new total would be considered your wholesale cost.  The extra money is built in to help cover expenses such as studio rent, utilities, subscriptions, promotional material, and entry fees.  It should also have a buffer to help create a little bit more profit for you to keep. 
8. If you are just starting out, or plan on selling directly to customers yourself wholesale cost might become the price of your artwork.  However, if your goals are to sell with the help of a gallery, you can’t stop here.
9. A gallery becomes a distributor to customers.  Most galleries take somewhere  between 40% to 60% in commission. 

Use this chart to determine markup-

• 30% Commission = .7
• 40% Commission = .6
• 50% Commission = .5
• 60% Commission = .4
• 70% Commission = .3

Let’s assume that the gallery working with you takes 60% commission.  You will need to take Number 7, wholesale cost, and DIVIDE it by 0.4.  This total becomes your retail selling price.

Here’s an example of how this works: 

1. Samantha’s rate per hour is $15.
2. She spends 10 hours creating a piece of artwork
3. Her labor total is $150
4. Her canvas cost $30, she uses $9 worth of paint, and there’s about $5 worth of wear and tear to her brushes ($44 total)
5. Samantha’s labor and material cost is $194.  We’ll round this number to $200
6. $200 x2 is $400, or wholesale cost

      9.  Samantha’s gallery takes 60% commission, so using the chart, we will divide $400 by 0.4 for a total of $1000

     10.   Samantha makes her retail selling price $1000.  When she sells her work she will walk away with $400 in her pocket

Still following?  We hope so!

There are tons of factors that go into pricing your work that this formula does not consider.  However, it gives a great baseline, and hopefully gets the juices flowing into how you price your own artwork.

Here’s all the details:

Take part in “The Open Show”, a curated online exhibition at SoftCanvas.com.  All subject matter and media is “open”.  We’re looking for the best five works you have, no matter who you are or what defines you as an artist.  The deadline to submit work is June 6^th, and the cost to enter is $9.

 Visit http://www.softcanvas.com/submitwork.html for more information.

 Guidelines for submissions:

• All images should be formatted as a .jpg
• Format file name as LastName.FirstName.ArtworkTitle.jpg
• Please make images at least 400 pixels by 400 pixels
• File size cannot be larger than 600kb
• All artists must submit a website where buyers can contact you directly.  This website can be in any format such as a blog page to a professionally designed site.  Please note a link will be placed on our site to yours, so make a great impression!

Even if your work is not accepted into the final show, we’ll place a link on our site to yours.

 Hit us with your best shot!

Get the popcorn buckets ready!  Bravo TV has a new series “Work of Art: The Next Great Artist”. It appears to be following in the footsteps of “Project Runway” and “Top Chef“.  The series is produced by the uber-fabulous Sarah Jessica Parker and her production company, Pretty Matches among others.  Bravo has released a teaser video found here;

http://www.bravotv.com/work-of-art/videos/the-next-great-artist

The series debuts June 9th.  Can’t wait!

 A set of movie posters have been released from the upcoming short film “Heaven”.  If the posters are any indication, this definitely is a “must see”.  Coming to a film festival near you in early 2011.

 Visit http://www.adelitastudios.com/ for more information

Ari’s short films have previously been seen among many others;

• Big Bang Film Festival
• Byron Film Festival
• Comicon
• Delray Beach Film Festival
• Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
• Mexico International Film Fesitval
• Moondance Film Festival
• Omaha Film Festival
• Queens Film Fesitival
• Rome International Film Festival
• Wondercon

 Visit http://www.softcanvas.com/submitwork.html for more information.

 Guidelines for submissions:

• All images should be formatted as a .jpg
• Format file name as LastName.FirstName.ArtworkTitle.jpg
• Please make images at least 400 pixels by 400 pixels
• File size cannot be larger than 600kb
• All artists must submit a website where buyers can contact you directly.  This website can be in any format such as a blog page to a professionally designed site.  Please note a link will be placed on our site to yours, so make a great impression!

Fill out the application on our site found here

Even if your work is not accepted into the final show, we’ll place a link on our site to yours.

 Hit us with your best shot!

Also, don’t forget to visit “The Color Red” our first exhibition!