Collecting Art

Collecting art, be it a sculpture, painting or installation piece, can be an exhilarating experience. Aside from their aesthetic value, art pieces are also good investments. That is if you know how to buy art intelligently.

Socialite and art enthusiast, Shawn Umsted, advices would-be collectors to buy pieces that they personally like. He explains that it is important to acquire art that the collector will enjoy regardless of whether the pieces increase or decrease in value. Buying art for purely investment purposes can be disappointing, since there is no foolproof way to accurately predict the future value of an artwork.

A collector must know the different art styles and decide which ones appeal to his sensibilities, be it Art Deco, impressionism, pop art or some other style. Being knowledgeable about art, lessens the likelihood of overpaying for it or being fooled by fakes.

The internet can be a valuable tool in broadening your knowledge about art and in helping you decide what type of art you want to buy. There are websites that provide artists' biographies, examples of their work and information on dealers who carry their work. This type of information can make your search for particular pieces less time consuming.

Examine museum collections online and learn to discern the quality and value of various works of art. Use the Internet to research auction results and upcoming sales from auction houses. Understand that when buying art, you're competing with professionals who not only have many years of experience, but they also have inside information which can give them an advantage over other buyers. You can develop your own inside information by keeping track of the prices the art you're interested in is commanding at auctions. Knowing when particular pieces are coming up for sale will help keep you from missing out on artwork you may want to buy.