Are you an aspiring lover of art or have you recently developed an interest to buy paintings? If so, then you might be interested in owning a couple of staple art pieces for yourself but you might not know where to start. First and foremost, it is important to understand your taste in original art, ask yourself what type of art appeals to you or what kind of paintings create certain emotions, how do you connect with a specific type of art? If your style is contemporary art, sometimes it might be difficult to pick a specific painting for sale since this form of art has a number of different meanings. Some artists define it as art that is created during our lifetime. Whereas, others define it to be art that originated from the end of Modern Art in the 1970s.
Several artists have their own personal signature style when it comes to contemporary art. This makes it more difficult for aspiring fans of art to buy paintings that appeal to them because contemporary art cannot be broken down into genres. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t buy original art. Grab a cuppa and sit back while we offer you some genius titbits about buying contemporary art.
Where to Begin?
The first rule of buying paintings is to remove the assumption that it will ever be a good investment – art is a notoriously fickle market and best left to the professionals. When it comes to selecting paintings for sale ask yourself the following questions:
• Will it look nice above the bed or on the wall next to the TV?
• Does it complement my home’s colour scheme?
• Am I willing to have this art as a fixture for the coming months and years ahead?
• Am I absolutely sure, I can afford this?
With these questions in mind you are now ready to dip your toes into the art market. For first-time buyers it is best to avoid the intimidating galleries that showcase complex paintings that might as well go beyond your ability of grasping what the artists is trying to tell you. There are other alternative routes to try out in order to familiarise yourself with what is current in the art world. Visit fine-art degree shows or a local art fair, register to an online art gallery or flick through some contemporary art magazines. This will help in making you realise what you like and whether you can realistically afford a specific painting.
Other Factors to Consider
Apart from browsing and scanning if you are looking take your ability of understanding art a level above then consider studying various forms of contemporary art. Look for high standards of skilled paintwork, brush strokes and draughtsmanship before selecting an original art. It is always better to look for interesting and intriguing artwork as opposed to conservative, well executed figurative and landscape paintings. If you happen to like an original art that is beyond your budget, consider buying a print. However, if you wish to buy a print it is important to identify the original print from an ordinary reproduction. Remember the artists sign original prints and they are available in limited copies.
Once you have decided what you like, remember to ask for flexible payment arrangements, as they are common in the art market. Don’t hesitate to ask for instalments since several artists and dealers will let you buy on consignment.
