[MR] Question on pricing a scroll commission

[ejcampbe at ncsu.edu]

Actually you'd be surprised how much work there is out there for
professional caligraphy.

I googled professional caligraphy pricing and came up with alot of sites.
One that seemed the most relevant said.

http://www.palmstone.com/marriagecertificates/index1.html
":: Pricing ::

A completely handcrafted custom marriage certificate costs between $350.
and $400. depending on size, and the particulars of wording, illustration
and decoration.

This price is comparable to that charged for high quality ink jet and
giclee printed certificates that are customized to your wording.

Once you send in your information you will receive an exact price quote
for your certificate. Payment is accepted by check, MasterCard or Visa.
Normally a $100. deposit is required before beginning work, with the
remainder due only after you have received your certificate."

-Solvarr



> HAHAHA How was that for 2 pages of rambling with out
> answering your question.  :o)
>
> Obviously not a lot of professional scroll makers at
> work outside of recreation groups.  My suggestion
> would be to base your approximate rates on what you
> consider to be a closest approximation to what it is
> we do and make it something that your customer will
> understand.  My assessment is that the closest
> approximation to what it is you do would be a portrait
> Painter, a little internet searching seems to show
> that around here in NC the going rate for a portrait
> painter is about 35 - 45 bucks an hour.  I found a
> couple of calligraphers here in NC that run about the
> same cost for doing invites and the like.  You may
> think the professions I picked for comparison are way
> off, but hopefully this will give you an idea of where
> to get a more concrete figure
>
>
>
> --- Joshua Thomas <joshua.r.thomas at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I would up charge due to rush nature of the job. A
>> week is unreasonable
>> request and you should take whatever you find a
>> reasonable price and double
>> it.
>> Materials are a guesstimate and will probably be
>> negligible:
>> Bristol Board (10 for pack of 20) = 50 cents.
>> Gouache ($8 a tube x # of tubes (20 in this example
>> estimate) /20(estimates
>> of number of scrolls you will use a tube on) = $8
>> Ink (Sumi 6.95 /20 scrolls usage)= 35 cents
>> Imatation Gold (10 for a booklet of 10, used 2
>> sheets) 2
>>
>> Grand Total of materials: About 11 dollars
>>
>> Doing appraisal of labor is a little more tricky.
>> Your skill and time
>> alloted sets your price. If you have an emotional
>> investment in seeing the
>> commission done your price probably drops. I would
>> say a scribe can ask
>> between 50 and 1000 dollars for a comission based
>> off their skill and time
>> allotted. You may also find mudania undervalues your
>> skill, which may drop
>> the price more. All in all what do you think the
>> comissioner is expecting to
>> pay. Are you will to do it for that? If so go for
>> it.
>>
>>
>> On 1/24/06, Marybeth Lavrakas <katrous at yahoo.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > I hope some of you can give me advice on a
>> real-world
>> > commission I've received to produce an award
>> scroll
>> > for a retiring professor.
>> >
>> > The item will be quite large (11x16), but have
>> minimal
>> > illumination of one large and two small capitals
>> > utilizing imitation gold leaf, and  acanthus
>> leaves in
>> > the borders to bracket the upper left and lower
>> right
>> > corners. A lot of text.
>> >
>> > The commission is from my boss, who said he'd pay
>> me
>> > and never asked me for an estimate! I don't have
>> the
>> > vaguest notion of how to come to a price above the
>> > cost of materials. Oh, it's also got to be done
>> within
>> > a week. Suggestions???
>> >
>> > Lady Kateryn Rous, CP
>> > House Broussard
>> > Windmasters Hill
>> > http://sca.livingpast.com
>> >
>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> --
>> Joshua Thomas
>> (c) 757 537 6395
>> joshua.r.thomas at gmail.com
>> ---
>>
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