5 top tips to picking the perfect artwork
Knowing how to pick the right Artwork can be overwhelming, where it be your first, second or tenth piece, overall it is a personal journey to embark on. ‘Does it make you think?’ is always my go to question when i’m in the same boat, it’s an exciting time to explore what you do and don’t like and which will scream out your personality, desire or dreams. Not only does it spark your creativity in the selection process, artwork will aid with ambiance to any room and refine your space and also fill the gap with the ‘something’s missing’ thought.
Buy what you like
We are all creative in one way or another, we all find beauty in different thing, that’s why you should buy what you like, ask yourself why you ike it and imagine living with it. It’s worth asking the gallery/artist whether they would bring it to your home so you can see it in situ. If you still can't decide why not ask them to leave it over a weekend. 80% of the time this is make or break!
If you are looking for art to fit with your colour scheme I would suggest taking snaps of your accessories, so you can best match them to what you desire, This can be cushions, rugs, tableware, bedding, etc. Mantle pieces, curtains and table top colours are always a must. However if you simply like the artwork, ask yourself why do you like it and how does it make you feel.
2. Look for Quality
Quality is very important, look at the finer details, is the material high quality? Durable? It doesn't matter if the artist is renowned or emerging, it is also good to ask if the artwork is protected. For example paintings can discolour over time if not preserved with a varnish sealant/UV protection etc.
3. Don't look at Price
Price is a common deal breaker, but most galleries/ artists can offer pay monthly plans, such as Own Art. How can we justify purchasing a £200 painting or a £3000 sculpture? Well the thing is, how do we justify buying a car or a house? yes we need a car to travel to work.. a home to live in.. but art? let’s stop seeing it as a luxury, instead ask yourself ‘will it aid to my happiness? and ‘will it brighten up my day?’’ If you answered yes then price is not a deal breaker here, realistically set yourself a budget and role with that first.
4. Don't feel bad!
Let's say you are at an art fair and you are drawn to a painting from a gallery, you are chatting away with the art consultants and/or artist. At that moment you have taken away a lot of precious selling time, however you are not sure, you are feeling pressured to buy. DON'T. instead take a break, and see how you feel. 30% of my clients tend to tell me that ‘ I was thinking about the painting all day, I had to come back and purchase’ or ‘it’s the only one that has caught my eye and made me return back to the stand’ Time is good but too much can risk it being snapped up! Think about if it had sold in the meantime how would you feel?
Tate gallery Studies have found that visitors to art galleries spend an average of eight seconds looking at each work on display. Tate recommends 10 minutes.
5. Go with your gut
This is not an easy or quick decision to make, don't be afraid to spend time with the artwork, viewing and absorbing it in.. Visualise where you would put it. Ultimately if it grabbed your attention then it’s doing something. Follow your gut, don’t be afraid to take the plunge!