Owning a piece of original or limited-edition art can be incredibly fulfilling. Knowing that you have something unique, or at least limited in number, is very satisfying, and can be financially rewarding too.
But the art world can be daunting, particularly if you are starting from scratch. So here are some tips about buying art.
Buy what you love
My first tip is, don’t buy art that you don’t like! This might sound strange, but it is amazing how many people buy art because they think it is trendy or because their friends have bought from the gallery or artist. Or because they think the piece will grow in value. If you constantly try to find the next piece that will reap financial reward, you may miss out on the real pleasure of art, which is finding pieces that speak to you.
The joy of owning art is owning something that you really love and like looking at, and talking about with people who visit your home.
Buy from a gallery that you trust
A quick search on Google will throw up an awful lot of online galleries. I own Granite Photography Gallery so it might seem strange that I say the following. My advice is, don’t buy art online until you have built up trust. For example, I always encourage new buyers who come to my online gallery to call and have a chat first. It is great to have a conversation about art with a prospective customer. I like to understand their likes and dislikes.
A no quibble returns policy for a full refund is essential when buying art online. So, check out the gallery to find out if they offer a full refund.
Customer service is key
Now here is a point that I believe is very important. Over the years, I have found the quality of finish in artwork to be inconsistent. I use a trusted printer for my fine art photographic pieces, and I have built up a good relationship with them. But every so often they send a piece that has a small mark or a scuff on the canvas. I never send these pieces to a customer. I would rather have a delay in sending a piece that a customer has bought than send them something that I know is inferior.
But not all galleries have the same level of customer care. I have seen artwork in galleries that are to a shockingly poor standard, and I know customers who have bought pieces from other galleries only to find the piece is damaged or has a poor quality finish.
Again, building up a personal relationship with the gallery is key. Mistakes happen, and sometimes pieces do get damaged. However, I always think it is the way that you deal with problems that says a lot about your customer care.
Do some research
Find out a little about the artist. Apart from the joy of learning about the back-story and provenance of a piece, you will broaden your knowledge of the art world.
Often, my customers will ask about the personal story behind a piece. I have a narrative that I have written for each piece that I sell in my gallery, and that narrative is usually sent to prospective customers.
I have strong advice here. My recommendation is do not buy any artwork online until you have received something from the gallery about the piece of work.
A limited-edition gaurantee
Many artists will produce limited edition runs from their originals, and most will often sell the original piece too. However, you must be careful with fine art photographic work because it is too easy for the photographer to reproduce hundreds of copies of an image.
I love the idea of a customer having one of my pieces that is limited in the number produced, which is why I restrict a run to only five copies. From each image, I produce five canvas prints and that is it. Once they are sold, no more gets printed. Now, I do reserve the right to keep the image for reproduction in an online post or in a book, but under no circumstances do I ever produce another print.
I provide a Certificate of Authenticity with each piece that I sell. This is my legal guarantee that it is a limited edition run. My advice to anyone who is thinking about purchasing a fine art photographic print is to check with the photographer or gallery that they offer a guaranteed limited edition run.
Commission a piece
Some of my customers commission a one-off piece of work. This can be hugely satisfying for both the photographer and the customer. I would encourage anyone who is thinking about commissioning a piece to do some research and to talk to the photographer first.
One of my customers commissioned a piece and it took three months of emails and phone calls before we finally agreed on the style and cost. But it was completely worth the time and effort. This type of engagement can be incredibly personal, intimate and rewarding.
Finally
My last tip is this. Fine art photography is fascinating and exciting. Owning a piece of artwork should be joyous and it should form a bond between the artist and buyer. I don’t produce mass-market work because that bond can never form. A buyer is buying more than a physical product, they are entering into a long-term relationship with the artist. My advice is to embrace the journey between you and the creator, and enjoy it.
Have fun building your collection.
NGT Photography 