Studio, Two Hours before Sylvester
$500
Dildo
$200
Architectural Structure, Skeleton
$800
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Online Art Gallery – A New Choice for the Art Collector:
Want to Start Collecting Art? Easy Steps to Get You Started
If you have ever thought about trying to become an
art collector, either for pleasure or for investment purposes, the art world doesn't make it easy for you. Galleries are cold, uninviting, scary and intimidating places to visit. Even a seasoned art world aficionado can feel awkwardly out of place when entering the inner sanctum of a public commercial gallery. The quiet hush, ominous white walls, cavernous spaces and contemporary art that defies understanding can be overwhelming to the novice. Gallery employees don't make it any easier. Most of the time, instead of a greeting, barely a head goes up to acknowledge a presence. It can feel like you are intruding in someone's personal space. At the other extreme are the high pressure sales galleries with "associates" who breathe down your neck trying to elicit your response to each glance, in the hopes of extracting some information that can later be used to sell you the piece. It's no surprise that 80% of the people I polled, living in affluent neighborhoods, have never even set foot in an
art gallery. Not because they can't afford or don't want to
buy contemporary art. But, because the marketing model in place is not designed to embrace or educate... and has not kept up with the changing roles of the art market.
The traditional brick and mortar art world has failed at educating consumers, building trust, and making art accessible. It's not surprising that if you have ever experienced this, you have given up on the whole idea of buying art. Thankfully with the emergence of
online art galleries and e-commerce to rescue the art world economy, collectors now have choices that were never before available to them. Purchasing at an online art gallery works for a lot of specific reasons: it's easy, it's convenient, it's private and it's anonymous. Art is not the kind of product that you can be talked into. Buying art is not like a buying a car or a computer, where most consumers do comparison shopping to check for value as well as quality. It is one of the few categories that is almost a totally emotional buy. That is one of the main reasons why fine art online galleries are gradually becoming the preferred choice of contemporary art collectors. You look at the artwork, you like it or you don't. It is a mystery what contributes to a person's personal taste. There is very little a sales person can say or do to change that. However, being educated about the artist and his career may influence your decision regarding a purchase, but, that is only effective after you have already made the selection of your choice. Here are some tips to get you started.
Educate your Eye
Before you set out with checkbook in hand and buy art, you need to educate your eye. I'm not talking about an education in art history. But, rather a thorough understanding of what you like and what you don't like. And, even though you may think you know what that is, it will change as you begin to look at more and more art. It kind of happens by osmosis, before you even know it. If you've ever had the experience of buying a piece of art, or even a poster, only to learn after a few months that you're tired of looking at it... that is your eye becoming educated. With complex, quality art, the experience is reversed. You will find yourself loving it more as time passes. You will see new things every time you look at it. With hundreds of quality online art galleries offering an amazing variety of artworks and artists, the absolute first thing you need to do is decide NOT to buy anything for at least one month. Subscribe to some art magazines and just look at the pictures and the ads. Start sorting your way through
online art galleries and reading reviews. You may want to make notes about what you liked or didn't like at each show. It's particularly helpful if you can actually visit an exhibition that has been reviewed in the newspaper or an art magazine. That way you can compare what the critic wrote to your own impressions about the show. Remember, there is no right or wrong to understanding art. Your opinions are just as valid as the reviewers. They may have more academic knowledge to help put things in an historical context, but you are learning. Slowly you will start to understand your taste. The goal in this first step is to figure out why you like what you like.
Establish a Budget
The next step is to establish a budget. It's important to do this before the shopping at an
online art gallery
begins, as it is easy to fall in love with something beyond your price range. Establishing a budget and sticking to it will take some of the emotional aspects out of the experience. But, remember, you are about to embark on one of the few completely emotional buying decisions you will ever make! |
Untitled
$6,000
Reflections
$1,500
Untitled
$4,000
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