An art collection is not like an investment in stocks and bonds. It is an investment in your quality of life, your home, your enjoyment as well as the lives of the artists who created these masterpieces. So, is starting to collect art as simple as going into your nearest gallery and buying up all the pieces?
Not quite – there are a number of questions that you have to ask yourself before you make any purchase.
What Do I Like?
The fundamental question that you have to ask yourself before you buy any piece of art is “What do I like?” Remember that the painting or sculpture that you choose will be in your house, so you have got to like looking at it.
So, to discover what your tastes are, go to museums. Have a look at the various famous artists’ pieces on the Internet and see what style tickles your fancy. Once you know what you like, you will be better able to guide the gallery owner or art curator in terms of what pieces you will like.
Very often, your local galleries will host showings from other famous galleries – such as the Louvre or the Met – so keep an eye out for these shows as they will provide you with a glimpse of works of the greats without the price tag of having to get there.
How Much Can I Afford?
The thing about art is that the price tags vary – dramatically so – and it is so easy to fall in love with a piece that is 10 times your original budget, which makes it so much easier to forget about any budget and buy what your love.
Yes, look around and see what you love so that when you can afford to spend more on art, you can look for pieces similar to these. But until then, only look at pieces which you know that you can afford.
What Do I Want?
Do you want one signature piece to fill a wall in your living room, or are you looking adorn all the empty walls in your house with art? Deciding what your endpoint needs to be will make the shopping process that much easier. If you know that you only want one piece, you can look at more expensive works of art, but if you know that you need to buy multiple works, you will have to split your resources.
Collecting art is a life-long passion. It tells a story and gives your home character. Do not approach it in the same way as you would an investment; in other words, something that you are going to sell again quite quickly and make money off it. If this is your aim, rather look at stock market investments as it will be easier, with this, for you to get what you want. However, if it is your goal to adorn your home with beautifully thought-out works of art, then we really recommend that you start with your art collection!