Being able to collect good art is one exceptional talent. Although you may think good art collectors are born, this is not the case at all. The truth is, the skill of collecting art can actually be learned! Yes, and that is one good news for you. So, if you want to improve further with your collecting skills, here are some things that you can do to attain such goal. Get Some ExposureGetting some exposure on different disciplines of art is one way to enhance your collecting skills. There are a lot of national and international art expos and art fairs that you can attend to. Try attending such kinds of events to broaden your horizon on different kinds of art disciplines and forms. This is also one way to discover not so well-known aesthetic pieces that have potential on getting a huge value in the future. However, most importantly, it is one way to see artworks that can move you and probably be part of your collection in the near future. Know Your KindAlthough collecting art can be a personal endeavour for you, there is nothing wrong with talking to other art collectors and knowing more about them. In fact, doing this can be beneficial to you, since you can learn more about how other collectors started and what other helpful information they can give you. They can also give you recommendations like galleries to visit, events to go to, artists to see works of and other art related things. Some art collectors even have clubs or organizations that you can join in. Read On!Reading in any aspect can take your knowledge another level. Thus, reading books about art history and art collections would definitely improve your skill. There’s a lot to learn with collecting that you can actually find not only by looking at pictures, but also through reading texts about so. Reading old published literature on the subject is good, since you can learn the basics of the field and the essentials of collecting. However, it would still be better if you are up-to-date with your reading materials. If you want something fresh and new regularly, then subscribing to some art magazines would do the trick!Magazines, just like books, are helpful resources where you can learn more about collecting and collections. However, these magazines standout since their content are always up to date and new, unlike with books that may contain faced-out and irrelevant data. Reviews: Seeing Another’s PerspectiveSeeing art in the perspective of another person is bad at all. Remember that art is relative, thus, something may be beautiful in your eyes, yet ugly for another’s and vice versa. That is why you should learn to utilize reviews done by international or local art critics and channel them into something positive. Instead of being too much influenced by what they say, try learning from them and see if what they say about the artwork is true. You should also learn some points on how they critic a piece, since being able to critic is yet an important skill to develop collecting skills. Get Some HelpA little bit of guidance would not hurt if you are really interested on learning how to make a great art collection. You can work with a professional art consultant / art advisor, if you please since for sure they know what they are doing. They can also teach you about collecting and even guide you to the whole process of buying art.
Posts Tagged ‘Art History’
Art Collecting: Improving Your Art Collecting Skills
January 12th, 2010How to Become an Art Collector
January 10th, 2010Know what you like. The only way to do this is to look at lots of art. You can look in your phone book or do a Google search for art galleries in your area. Devote a Saturday or two to go gallery-hopping with absolutely no intention to buy. Spend some time browsing on art-related websites. Read some books about art. You don’t need a degree in art history to figure out what kinds of art you are attracted to. Write down the names of any artists you really like. Join art communities. This is simpler than it sounds. Get on the mailing lists of local galleries so you get invited to art openings. Subscribe to the mailing lists and blogs of artists that you like. Read and post on art forums online. Talk to artists. When you see art on someone’s wall, express your curiosity. Lots of people out there are into art. Find the people who like what you like! Doing this will help you learn more about any topic that interests you, and art is no exception. Determine your art budget. You may have to look at your finances to figure out how much you can afford to spend on art. Try to get a dollar amount. For some people it might be only $100/year, for others it might be $10,000. Don’t be discouraged if your art budget is small—it is possible to find something you love in any price range. (If your budget is small, consider buying a small piece, a print or a reproduction to start your collection. ) At this point you’ll start to get excited about the possibilities, but you shouldn’t necessarily buy the first thing you see. Make a plan. I read somewhere that all you need to do to become an art collector is to buy one piece of art once a year—perhaps on your birthday or wedding anniversary as a gift to yourself. Start small. You build a collection one piece at a time. Spend some time thinking about what kind of art you’d like to hang in your home, and how the different pieces will go together. Your collection is yours alone and can be anything you want it to be. You can decide to collect a particular theme, style, or genre of art, but you don’t have to. Buy from serious artists. It is okay to buy work from a young artist or an artist who doesn’t yet have many credentials. Emerging artists tend to have lower prices, and it is exciting to seek them out. Of course your first consideration should always be that you love the work. But you should also ask yourself, “Is this a serious artist?” Questions to ask might include: * How many years have they been working? * Have they received university-level art training? * Do they show in galleries? * Have they won any awards? * Do they have a website? * Has their name been mentioned in any press? * Do they have a recognizable style? * Are they serious about their craft and technically proficient? * Have they sold a lot of artwork? An artist certainly does not have to meet all of these criteria, but it should be clear to you that the artist is serious about his or her work. This will not only protect your long-term investment, but it will also give you the pleasure of following the artist’s career over the years and knowing you are a part of it.
