How to sell art
Michael Rocharde

Should you sell prints?

The answer is yes, absolutely. The print market is where you will make the most money. It increases the number of collectors who can afford your work. It also means your work reaches a much wider audience, so over time, you become better known and can charge more. The next question is, do you produce limited editions or poster prints? You do both. Poster prints are mass-produced and sell for small amounts; limited editions sell for more. Both are profitable. The most likely criticism that you will hear is "Oh, you're so commercial." If you ever hear somebody say that, just say "Thank you very much." It will shut them up in a heartbeat. Ignore the naysayers; they've always got an opinion, which is rarely rooted in reality.

#artsales

Posted in How to sell art
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Joanne BergerJun 9, 2026

Thank you Michael. Now I know what to say. I use Pictorem in Montreal. Canada and they do some beautiful prints. I love you can keep track of the amount of prints you make.

The day I run ouf of prints I will be a happy creator.

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Bill RichardsAug 16, 2026

The key question for me is whether prints will dilute or expand your market. I've seen artists double their income by offering affordable prints to people who love their work but can't afford originals—it actually created more collectors who later upgraded to buying the real thing. The production quality has to match your original work's standards though, or it backfires.

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Michael RochardeAug 18, 2026

@Bill Richards Two factors apply. First, do the originals sell for enough that you can justify selling prints and still make a profit? Second, are you consistently losing sales because your originals are priced too high for many people? If both are true, you should sell prints priced at about 10% of an original, if you can do that and still make a 300% markup.

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Alina VladyJun 9, 2026

That’s a really interesting topic! I’d like to print photos too, but I’m not sure what quality they need to be to print them clearly—for example, larger than the original.

I’d really appreciate your advice! ❤

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Michael RochardeJun 9, 2026

@Alina Vlady Obviously, it will depend on the megapixels you are shooting at. I have a 23 Mbp camera, and it prints beautifully at 16" x 20" which is a great size. The best way to find out the optimum size is to take one photo, and print it at different sizes. HTH.

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Alina VladyJun 10, 2026

Thank you so much, Michael!

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Cidalita BJun 9, 2026
Translated from Português

I only sell originals, but I've thought about having prints made. Using high-quality printers?

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Michael RochardeJun 9, 2026

@Cidalita B Yes, if possible.

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Cidalita BJun 9, 2026
Translated from Português

What type of company provides this service?

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Michael RochardeJun 9, 2026

@Cidalita B I'm a bit out of touch, but I'd do a Google search for Fine Art Printers or Giclee Printers. It also depends on the quality you are looking for and the price point you plan to sell at. From memory, it seems that if an original is selling for $1000, prints should be at about 10% of that, and the print cost should be around 25% of that, but I've been out of the business for a long time.

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