The commission where I charged too little and the buyer said "are you sure"
I sold a piece last month for 3,500 SEK. Small collage, maybe 30x40cm, took me about a week of evenings because I kept setting it aside and coming back. The buyer is a friend of a friend, not quite a stranger, not quite someone I know. She said "are you sure that's enough?" and I said yes like a reflex. Then I went home and realised I'd just told someone my time and materials and eye and everything I've learned are worth maybe 60 SEK an hour.
I still don't know what the right number would have been. But I know I named it first and that was the mistake. Next time someone asks I'm going to say "what's your budget" and let them set the floor before I open my mouth. I've never done that before and it feels uncomfortable but less uncomfortable than the walk home after underselling yourself.
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Oh I felt this in my bones. That moment when you realise you lowballed yourself and it's already done, there's no fixing it, you just have to sit with it.
I did almost the same thing last year with a 40x50 landscape. Charged 800 SEK, the woman practically handed me the money and left happy, and I spent the whole evening doing the math and wanting to kick myself.
The "are you sure" is such a gut punch because it means they knew before you did.
I've started asking for people to tell me their budget first when they reach out. Or I say "I need to think about that" and give myself a day before naming a number. Still working on it though. Have you figured out what you'll say next time?
800 for a 40x50. God. Yeah that's worse than mine actually.
The "are you sure" is almost generous and insulting at the same time isn't it. Like they're being kind but also confirming you don't know what you're doing.
I've tried the budget thing. It helps but it's awkward. I'm still not good at the silence part, the pause before I answer, I always fill it with a number.