posted
I've seen posts where $25 a square foot seems to be average for a large mural. But it seems inadequate for a job I have been asked to quote on. A couple had their faces put on a Gone With The Wind movie poster, the classic Rip Butler carrying the girl scene. They want it painted on the back of their fifth wheel. It will be about 3' x 2.5' in area. Most of the scene is fairly simple, the background ablaze. The only detailed part will be their faces since they should be recognizeable. Any thoughts on the time on this? Thanks.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5400 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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posted
yeh Dave . . . .$25 a sq. ft. MIGHT be ok if your inside on ready-to-letter sheet rock in the AC with access to the kitchen area and fridge.... but what if your talkin about cinder-blocks or bricks!!???!! . . . . .outdoors on the SOUTH facing side???
Also, you're talkin' automotive now, so I assume you will be needin' to get into adhesion, clears and etc. to provide a long-lasting piece . . which will obviously affect the price as well.
Also, the style of art and amount of detail determine the price as well.
Because of all the variables I have a hard time pricing such work too. I try to decide what I wanna make each day (after materials). If the job is going to take 5 Or 10 working days . . .a month? I add up what my day rate for 5 days will be and decide if it's fair to the customer and myself for the project specs. . . .naturally, add a weeks wages for unexpected fun you might have like the customers kid comin' in every 5 minutes sayin', "You paint gud . . .can I paint somethin' . . .my Mom's really picky . . .what colour is that paint dripping on our carpet??"
Or the people who stopping by on the sidewalk, asking too may questions . . . . get some bright yellow "crime-scene" ribbon and wrap that around your work area . . .tell them your recording events and that you can give NO information out yet, but to watch the paper for the full, crime-scene, juicy-news bits . . . . . . .
LOL!! Y'all, I'm really not this mean to people . . . .
LOL, ANYWAY . . obviously I welcome advice in the mural pricing area too . . . . .
posted
Vehicles are 100% of my business and all I can say is, the more detail the higher the price tag. In life-like murals of that size, I would quote a price of around $650. without blinking an eye. Of course it also depends on what the market will bare. I quote on the work itself and not the time it takes. Some are faster then others. If I had to consider time, it would have to depend on my hourly rate at that given time. I'm looking at a few hours work here, maybe an afternoon at most for the execution.
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Whenever I'm asked what I charge for a portrait on any automotive surface I tell them $600 outright. This one involving two portraits would be around $900. Somtimes even more according to the layout , etc.
The reason I charge that much is because of the fact that no matter how much one of them looks like the person portrayed, there's always a chance they'll be upset because they "think" it doesn't look like them. I call the the "aggravation factor".
Hope this helps, R.T.
-------------------- R.T.Thomas,AirDesigns/Sign And Airbrush Studio rtart1@earthlink.net
Hattiesburg,MS 39401 Shop 601-584-1000 Cell 601-310-5901 Proud supporter of LETTERVILLE!
"Ahhhhhh.......Juicy Fruit." Posts: 547 | From: Hattiesburg,MS USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I recently spent a few hours watching a Korean artist do portraits & caricatures at a show/fair. In colour, as well as black & white, using oil pastels. He was very good. What became evident is that he made a pointof making the women & children slightly better looking than they were in real life- and the pattern was that he had his stock style of eyes & noses, and a nice smiling mouth, to which he added the hair & clothes of the subject in front of him. There was a fair likeness, but after seeing him do lots of them, there was this sameness, which is called "marketing"- who wants a portrait that looks worse, or shows the wrinkles...! He was making around $90 - 120 an hour while he had customers. It was interesting to watch- both his work & his marketing & feigned misunderstandings of translations, which suddenly cost the consumer a few dollars more. He'd have been about 45-50 years old. Some younger Koreansin the same lurk were cheaper, but nowhere near his class. Wish I was as good!
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
Costing murals is not a matter of a set square footage price unless you are doing repetative stuff.
For example: I have rate of around $10/sq.ft. for my "sepia" murals. Not much? But when yer "airbrushing" single color onto 3000 sq ft in under two weeks, it's good money Even pays to fly a mate down from the USA to help!
Got another one to do now, but it's small. Only 12 x 8 but still involves lot of preperation (research,design etc) so costs multiply.
Really, you have to "guesstimate" how long you are going to spend on the project. Then as Rt and Joey say, compare that with what it's worth. The customer is paying for "artwork"!
The murals on my web site were the first I did in that style. Steep learning curve.! The tank was actually the first instigated by a customer in the town. The rest the following year was covered by a State Arts grant.
Apart from my web site, I always put my name on them. The project RT and I did this year (3000 sq/ft of tanks) was a direct result of somebody taking photos of the Millmerran ones.
posted
Hey Dave, I see you are from Crystal Falls...I'm in Norway. I do 95% automotive/motorcycle stuff and I'd agree with Joey, I'd bid it around $650.00 (That's pretty much my standard for tailgates-about the same sq ft)-but it would take me longer than it takes him...my hourly rate is much lower LOL. What type of paints are you using? Is it One Shot or are you using automotive urethanes? I work ata collision shop that is trying really hard to be a custom only shop...anyway, if you need advice or help with automotive stuff (clear, etc) give me a call...
-------------------- Jereme Gauthier Kustom Kolor Norway, MI Posts: 33 | From: Norway, MI | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Hey Jereme, nice to see you on the board. I've seen your shop and think you are well on your way to great custom work. I'll keep you in mind for clearing stuff. I have a helmet to do that I'll probably run over.
I decided to go with $475 for paint (One Shot with no clear coat.) 80% of the mural is going to be very fast and easy. The only detail is the peoples faces. I'm pretty sure I can do this in under 5 hours with 2 of us working on it part of the time.
I'm also giving them the option of an Edge print. I can actually make more that way with very little time invested other than install.
Thanks for all the help people.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5400 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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