Are you guilty of asking one of these questions at a craft show, on Etsy or to a creative acquaintance? You may think nothing of it but trust me, it made an impression. There are many more questions I could add to this but these are the top five questions you should never ask artists, crafters, or makers.
Where do you buy your supplies?
It can take years to find a good supplier or that tiny company with the good stuff. Unless you are close friends with the artist/maker, they are not going to let you in on the secret and it hurts our soul a little each time you ask.
How much did it cost to make?
While you think you are being sneaky, we know you are trying to figure out how much we are making off each piece. Would you tell a complete stranger your yearly salary? I think not.
There is a very large consumer base that believes if you pay for more than the cost of materials, then you are getting screwed over. If you want cheap, go to Walmart. If you want original & handmade then pay the asking price. It is probably priced too low already.
How long did this take you to make?
This is potentially an innocent question but more often than not, it’s used to gauge how much the item is really worth.
Less time ≠ less expensive. It may have only taken 30 minutes to make that ring but it took years of practice and probably weeks of research to figure out a new technique making that ring stand out from others.
Can you copy this for cheaper?
No, no, no, no, no. I hope you burn in hell.
Not only is it ethically wrong to copy another person’s design but it is hurtful that you even asked when we have worked hard to develop our own style. Anyone who agrees to copy another person’s work is a fraud and should be burned at the stake. (Can you sense my hatred for copy cats?) A true designer will send you on your way back to the original designer and then try to burn a hole in the back of your head with their eyes.
I LOVE your painting/wreath/photography!!! You know if you sold it for half the price, I could afford it and you would sell a lot more. (Technically not a question but I am still including it.)
File this person under “people I hope get diarrhea and can’t pull their Spanx off”.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am going let you in on a little secret. Everyone can not afford everything. I know. Crazy. But really, this should never ever come out of your mouth much less typed out and sent through text or email.
Makers, artisans, photographers, designers, etc. What question drives you crazy? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Read more about my experience in the creative world:
Great post! I definitely hear these a lot at craft shows. For my design projects, I’ve moved from hourly to project-based pricing which prevents my clients from commenting on the time i spent on them.
Definitely a good read! Thank you for putting this! Lately I’m getting another thing said ” its nice that you have a little hobby” umm.. its not my hobby, just because I love my job and enjoy every second of what I do doesn’t make my job a hobby! ♥
This is a great collection of questions 🙂 I’m with Theano re: the nice little hobby, too.
Great article!