Shop Dorabird. The License Shop. About Sablewood. This one isβ¦long as always! All of the pricing you see on my blog, website, or social media is based on my methods, materials, overhead costs, taxes, and other costs of running a business. Disclaimer 2: Everyone does pricing a little differently and my methods may not work for you. When in doubt, ask your calligrafriends. Click here to catch up!
This section is a bit number-heavy, but super basic and super important math. Bear with me for a few minutes. First, find out how much money you need to make to live. You would do this with any job you applied for, so why is calligraphy work any different? Now double that number. Set a timer for one hour. Address as many envelopes as you can. It destroys the integrity of the experiment if you rush through them and address haphazardly.
Average the number of envelopes you can complete in one hour. Your materials must be factored into that as well: wear and tear on your nibs, ink, paper towels, and the depreciation of any tools you use to address your envelopes should be factored in light pad, laser level, nib holder, chalk pencil for guidelines, etc.
Skill in a trade automatically increases the value of the end product, and your skill is worth getting paid for. Not everyone can do what you do, and no one can do it perfectly the first time they pick up a nib holder. Note that this price does NOT cover any special materials you may have to purchase, including the envelopes themselves or special ink some people bake custom mixed ink into their costs.
Also, keep in mind that different parts of the country have different pricing points. I know, I know β that makes things more difficult. It does, however, change for different types on calligraphy styles β for example, an envelope done entirely in Copperplate will be cost much more than an envelope with the guest names in modern calligraphy and the address in block print.
