Art News
8 Essential Steps To Collecting Emerging Art
Saatchi Art is the world’s leading online art gallery, established with the goal of helping people all over the world connect with art and artists they love. We provide you with all the information and expert advice you may need to help you make an informed decision. Below are 8 steps our Chief Curator and VP, Art Advisory Rebecca Wilson recommends when buying works by artists on-the-rise.
1. Think about why you want to buy art
From the Medici family in the Renaissance to the Rockefellers in the 1950s and ’60s—people have been collecting and buying art for centuries, whether to be surrounded at home by beautiful works or for investment reasons or both. Art can be the perfect conversation starter, a memento to commemorate a vacation, or something that can breathe life into a space.
2. Understand today’s art world
Over the last 5 years the landscape of the art world has drastically changed, with online galleries making buying art easier and more accessible. You can discover emerging artists and learn about how Saatchi Art is connecting artists and buyers all over the world by signing up for the Saatchi Art Newsletter and getting weekly bite-sized art news and curated collections.
3. Do your homework
Read art magazines, expand the range of art you are exposed to by going to lots of exhibitions, and attend degree shows at art schools to help you make informed decisions about what you are buying. The more you research, the more confident you will be in your purchase.
4. Invest in young artists
Works by emerging artists have the potential to increase in value and offer a much greater financial upside than works that are already priced in the tens of thousands of dollars. Check out Saatchi Art’s series called One to Watch, where we focus on the best emerging artists from around the world.
5. Buy what you love
It is essential that you fall in love with the artwork you are buying before making the purchase. According to a recent survey by University College London, looking at a beautiful work of art impacts the brain in the same way as falling in love with a person. To help visualize how an artwork will look in your space, use the Saatchi Art iOS App to virtually place any work in your home or office with the “View in Your Room” feature. Click on this link to learn how.
6. Decide on your budget
Establish your budget and stick to it—buying online can be a very economical way to avoid gallery commissions and be able to view a lot of works conveniently in one place.
7. Think about building a collection
This step is simple. The best advice when it comes to acquiring art is: always buy what you love. To help guide you in your search, Saatchi Art has a variety of curated collections with works by our artists for you to explore. All of your art needn’t be the same style, color, or medium. We encourage collectors to create a diverse collection by purchasing a wide range of works from paintings and drawings to sculptures and photographs in varying prices.
8. Ease into it with photography
Photography is a great medium for first-time buyers to focus on. Quite often prices are lower than for painting or sculpture, and photography can be an especially striking medium that is endlessly enjoyable to live with. Don’t forget to ask some key questions: Do you love the photograph? What kind of photograph is it? Is it a limited edition? Is it unique?
Ready to start building your own collection? Read Saatchi Art’s 8 Essential Steps to Collecting Emerging Art—click the link below to view the free online publication.
About the Author
Aurora Garrison is the Artist Community & Curation Manager at Saatchi Art. Need help finding art? Contact our free Art Advisory service at saatchiart.com/artadvisory.
