Investing in art can be a profitable way to beautify your home and your pocketbook. Your art can appreciate in value while you appreciate it hanging on your wall. Taking an active interest will help build your knowledge base of what is valuable in the art world. Here are some tips how to get started in the market.
Start by doing some research. Visit local museums and get acquainted with some of the painters. Galleries and market brochures can be very informative. Learn what kind of art and who's work you like.
Getting started can take around 10 thousand pounds or more to initially invest. Keep in mind you are buying and holding the piece, not flipping it for a quick profit as in other markets. Some may not have that kind of money to start with, so keep your interest strictly for entertainment for a while and learn all you can while you save to invest. Decide what style of painting and period of history you like. The entry point for investment level art is around 10 thousand pounds, but a trained eye can find an up and coming artist selling work for around 1000 pounds. When a painter is near the cusp of their career, there is a good chance that his 1000 pound painting will go up in value.
Find an artist with a good story. An intriguing story drives the price of his paintings up. Rarity is also a factor when it comes to value in artwork. The less copies of a work circulating around the more rare and valuable it becomes. An artist who has had proper training and mentoring will also have more opportunity for success and in turn his work will appreciate with time.
Learn the artist's financial achievements. A debut at auction can be compared to an initial public offering in the stock market. Selling at auction presents a straightforward and public valuation of the work. The best way to find out what a piece of art is worth is to find out what someone else has already paid for it. If you are interested in a painter with no auction history, try to find out how much his work goes for at galleries and other shows.
For those who can't afford an original, limited editions and signed giclee prints have leveled the playing field. A giclee, or machine made print, costs a fraction of the original and can be printed on fine paper or canvas. Certain things verify the value of a signed print. Limited editions, a controlled number of prints the artist made of the original work, can increase the value of a print. A small amount of limited edition prints are more valuable than a mass produced image. The condition of the print and whether or not it has been signed and numbered by the artist also counts toward how valuable the work is. A preceding number of a print comparable to number 8 of 80 prints is more valuable than number 75 of 80 prints.
When investing in anything always manage your risk. Whether you invest in an original piece or a signed limited edition print, do your homework, and always make sure you appreciate what you buy. That way it will always be valuable to you.
David Tatham, specialist picture dealer for more than 25 years, has a detailed knowledge of Lowry's life and work. Signed, prints and pastels can be viewed and bought from the website. http://www.lowry.co.uk/
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