I paid 50 dollars for a painting that should be worth 500-1000 dollars...

[armyowalgreens]

I bought it directly from the artist at First Friday (an art festival in Phoenix). It was originally marked $75, but she agreed to take 50 cash right then.

So I bought it and picked it up from the gallery the next day. I got curious and looked the artist up online. She's selling similar paintings with almost exactly identical dimensions for 500-1000 dollars.


Why do you think my painting was so cheap? There's nothing wrong with it cosmetically.

[rcrush]

1. Its cursed.

[armyowalgreens]

4. shiiiiiiiiiit...

[Brother Buzz]

2. Is it a print?

:shrug:

[armyowalgreens]

5. Nope not a print.

[supernova]

3. She didn't like it somehow

maybe.

Bad memories, or the color scheme is, to her, off somehow.

Or just needed to clean out storage and wanted the money.

Good deal, nonetheless. Enjoy. :D

[Tikki]

6. Maybe it's not from her Blue Period....but from her...

Broke Period.


Tikki

[evlbstrd]

7. Size doesn't determine value.

You paid $50, so it's worth $50. If you sell it for more or have it appraised for more, then it'll be worth more.

[HopeHoops]

8. Did you ever see "Ghostbusters II"?

You have to watch out for those paintings.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. She probably thinks it's not one of her better ones -

not technically as good, or somehow not fitting her style, or something just messed up about it that isn't representative (to her) of her best work. Or maybe she knocked out some cheaper ones (made with cheaper materials) for the art festival.


Artists will sometimes sell the lesser paintings for a lesser amount.

[Book Lover]

10. What Rabrrrrr said, plus maybe

she just priced her stuff cheap at this event, knowing no one attending could afford her real prices.

As a working artist, thank you for buying art!

[mitchum]

11. She's offering similar paintings for 500 - 1000 dollars, but is she actually selling them...

at that price?
She may be a very canny businesswoman.

[dysfunctional press]

14. lots of artists sometimes price things ridiculously high...

maybe it's to make people think that they're getting a steal when they pay less.

[pitohui]

12. try to sell it for $500 (you got "marketed")

you'll find out quickly what the real story is

she's selling them online for $500 is not the same as she ever actually REALLY sold even one painting at that price

so go ahead try, start w. craig's list because you won't have to pay for the ad and see what happens

i had a painting valued for a like amt, needless to say, i was NEVER able to sell it not even for a penny and ended up giving it as a gift

i'm not trying to discourage you but you have run into a marketing technique

$50 ain't bad for a painting if you like it, if you dislike it (as was the case w. my painting, i only bought it because a relative liked this well known painter) then you're very likely to be disappointed

good luck and now go out there and prove me wrong and come back w. a story about how you made $900!!!

[appamado amata padam]

13. Maybe she liked you;

artists will sometimes lower prices for people they think are "cool," and who will truly appreciate their work.

And if the paintings you saw online are through a gallery, they always jack the prices up to get their cut. And just cause they are listed at a certain price doesn't mean that it's likely that somebody will actually pay that.

I've even heard of artists putting really high prices on a pieces 'cause they DON'T really want to let go of them, but, if somebody comes along and actually will pay that much, WOO HOO!

But anyway, yeah, I think it's probably the "broke" factor.

[Moondog]

15. Times are tough. And the first thing that people cut back on

are discretionary purchases. And little is more discretionary than a purchase of art. She took it because she needs the cash. The same thing happened to the early Impressionists. You may just have made a very important purchase. And you may just have kept a future important artist in corn flakes for another few weeks. Rejoice in your purchase, and enjoy your art.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

16. Just because she's priced them at those numbers

doesn't mean they're selling. She's "offering" them at $1000, but you have no way of knowing that anyone is buying them.

That she took $50 instead of holding to her $75 price suggests she's not selling any at those prices.

Your painting is worth whatever it is worth to you - not in terms of money but in terms of how it makes you feel when you look at it.....................