Art Tips: Buying Art

“If I love it, I should buy it.”

Here’s the golden rule: Buy only what you love.

Art, especially the performing art say music, have the ability to touch and melt our heart instantly. The second that 45 minutes long cute female singer’s concert ends, you are filled with an insane urge to buy her CD and ask for her photograph.

However this is not the case for paintings and other branch of non performing art. Speculation shouldn’t be the essence of buying this type of art. We’ve heard it a thousand times, we recommend against buying art on impulse. It’s romantic to believe in love at first sight and get those striking wall paintings right away but we prefer cultivating love over time.

So, view it a couple of times at different occasions, maybe again the week after, maybe the month after, maybe tomorrow, and if you’re still hopelessly in love with it. Follow your instincts. If that scenic painting keeps calling you like they’re your lost sibling or lover, then that art is destined to belong to you.

There are people who buy art purely for its aesthetic value, simply because it’s a treat to their eyes, and there’s nothing wrong with it. There are some who value the quality of art by its price and there’s nothing wrong with it as well.

I however encourage everyone to bring art collecting to a higher level by understanding it as well. Discover its story – what is the artist’s motivation? What emotions are being expressed or is it just a beautiful doodling piece? Is he trying to say something or invoke certain thoughts? Perhaps you’ll find a factor that clicks with you!

Here are ten questions to ask when seeing a work for the first time. These are extracted from The Art of Buying Art by Paige West, founder of Mixed Greens.

1. How does it make me feel?
2. Do I understand it?
3. Does it remind me of something else I have seen?
4. What do I think the artist is trying to express
5. Do I like it?
6. Do I want to know more about it?
7. Do I want to see more art by this artist?
8. Would I recommend seeing this art to friends?
9. Do I want to own this art?
10. What do I know about this gallery?

In the end, choose the piece that speaks to you.



The author has a focus on providing quality, unique asian art in his business and assists buyers to purchase art regularly. He thus is able to identify with first time art buyers.

http://www.Artyii.com