The internet has made it easier to collect paintings.

Online art shopping has become more popular and safer than ever. Many online art marketplaces adhere to this due to the community guidelines and other terms and conditions.

Before purchasing any artwork, it is a good idea to do in-person and online research. There is no substitute for seeing art in person. It is difficult to grasp the scale of a painting and how it affects your perception of it from a picture on a smartphone or desktop computer.

Still, the internet has allowed collectors to discover artists working across the globe, which gives artists and galleries direct access to an international audience–benefitting the arts ecosystem as a whole.

Decide what is most important to you.

It is important to choose art that you value. If you care about that, you will be more inclined to support young talent by collecting art from emerging artists. You might want to collect works from a specific cultural or geographic area if you are passionate about it.

Some collectors buy only works from BIPOC artists. Others only buy work by ” outsider artist.” Some collect graffiti artists’ paintings. There are no limits to the themes and focus that a collection can have. It’s still a good starting point to assess your values and find art that fits your ethos.

What makes you happy? An emotional response should be evoked by art. Landscape paintings might appeal to you if you are deeply concerned about the environment. Before you collect any art, paintings, or other art forms, it is important to identify what is most important to you.

To find your style, visit galleries and art fairs in person.

Although fairs seem overwhelming, they are a proven way to see a wide range of art.

Many art fairs return to the annual calendar. Many art fairs target a particular region or collecting audience (e.g., works on paper, emerging artists, etc.). You can visit Saatchi’s Outsider Fair in Los Angeles, Dallas, and NYC. You can find Old Master’s work at fairs like Frieze Masters, London and EFAF, Maastricht.

After deciding what is most important to you, you will likely find an art fair that caters to at least some of your criteria. Although you can browse hundreds of artworks online via various marketplace sites, viewing the work in person is still recommended before purchasing.

Make a list of artists you wish to purchase.

It’s a good idea to follow any artist, gallery, or other organization via social media channels. This will allow you to learn more about the artist, their practice and personality. It can also help you narrow down your painting and artist choices.

If you don’t want to acquire art as a long-term investment, you can and should! You can’t buy art solely for its aesthetic appeal.

Calculate your budget. Add at least 10 %.

It is more difficult than you might think to determine your art budget. There are many hidden costs involved in buying art. These can include shipping and installation charges, as well as insurance. 

Although painting is relatively simple to put together, shipping can be costly. Knowing how much you can afford to spend on a painting and the associated expenses will ultimately save you money, time, and energy.

Choose a location for installation.

You can determine the ideal dimensions of the painting if you already have a wall plan. You can take a wall photo as a reference and measure the space. These days, gallerists don’t mind making digital renderings to scale. This will allow you to visualize the painting in the space.

Digitally rendering paintings into spaces is the easiest art form to do. Don’t be afraid to ask the gallery or artist if they can offer this service before buying. Many online marketplaces offer scaled renderings.