Have you always dreamt of becoming an art collector but you don’t know where to start? Our in-house art experts are here to help. Combined, they have decades of experience in galleries, auction houses, museums and the art market so they know best how to build a cohesive art collection for any budget. Follow their tips to start building your own art collection.
Buyer Versus Collector
Everyone can buy art. When you invest in one or more works just because you like them, without any particular cohension, you can call yourself an art buyer. But being a collector takes some time, strategy and consideration. Collectors buy artworks with a long-term goal of bringing together different pieces of art, forming a consistent collection.
Collectors buy artworks with a long-term goal of bringing together different pieces of art, forming a consistent collection
Make Decisions
The first step to starting your own collection is making some decisions, so your artworks connect to each other. So put the answers to some questions on paper. Do you want to focus on a specific era or movement (i.e. Modern art, Renaissance, Pop-Art), a specific subject matter (i.e. landscapes, portraits) or different mediums (i.e. paintings, installation art)? Do you want to focus on affordable art or the high-end market? What is the overall binding factor in your collection and where is your main focus?
Do Your Research
Now that you know your focus, do your research. Make sure you know what’s currently happening in the art world. You’ll want to know which artists are rising stars and how the art market is performing. You’ll want to know about prices too, so be sure to visit your favourite galleries and visit art fairs to find out how much artworks are selling for. The internet is a useful tool as well. Follow your favourite artist on social media and browse our weekly Art auctions to know what is being offered.
Once you decide on your collection's focus, do you research and know what's happening in the art market
Focus on Quality
Quality comes first when it comes to collecting art. Try to focus on the artworks that stand out from the crowd. Even if your collection is well thought out, it still needs great pieces. Are you focussing on young stars? Make sure you buy works from the most promising talents. Lesser quality works will take down the status of your collection. Buying the best quality pieces ensures that all the different works in your collection enhance each other. In the best collections, the whole picture becomes more important than the individual works.
Personal Taste Matters
Having a strategy when it comes to collecting doesn’t mean that personal taste should be discarded. If you build a collection according to other peoples’ recommendations or choices, it will not be unique. The most famous collections are the ones that show a certain personal style and taste. That is the only way to make your collection exceptional. To build a truly personal collection - in line with how the important private collections came about - don’t look for works of art that could generate a financial return, but buy with your heart.
Our in-house expert's best advice for building an art collection is to buy with your heart
The most famous collections are the ones that have a strategy and contain great artworks tied together with a specific focus. To be able to become a true collector, you have to do your research and choose each artwork in a way that it complements the whole collection. Start your collection at our weekly Art auctions where you’ll discover a wide range of Classical and Modern Art. And if you're ready to sell an exceptional piece from your personal collection, our in-house art experts would love to see what you have to offer and hopefully give you a spot in one of our upcoming auctions. All you need is a free account to offer up your artworks for auction.
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