5 practical tips for buying your first painting

If you are looking to buy your first painting then the art fair is the perfect place to start. Coming up soon is Art Breda, and with 62 participating galleries you can be sure that there will be enough to choose from. But before you get going, here are 5 practical tips for when it comes to buying paintings at an art fair…

1. Discover your style. There are so many different styles and techniques used in painting that it’s advisable to discover beforehand what takes your liking. For this, there are many tools and guides to help you on your way, such as WikiArt or ArtEase. The amazing variety is a major advantage of an art fair, but this can be overwhelming if you haven't already made some sort of visual pre-selection. 

2. Set your budget beforehand. Decide on what you are prepared to spend and then allow room for extra costs such as framing and insurance. Determining a price range will narrow the search, but at the same time if you really really fall in love with something, then stretch it because there is nothing worse than the feeling of regret that follows a missed opportunity.

3. Consider where you want to hang the painting. Love is blind but it would be a shame if you return home only to discover that there isn’t actually an adequate space on the walls for your new addition, or the colours completely mismatch those of your interior.
   
   
4. Now make sure you do your research. Found something you like? Talk to the gallery owner, check out the quality of the painting, how much restoration was done to it and whether its provenance is known (if it's not from a living artist). Don’t be afraid to talk money either and to find out if the asking price is fair, compare it to similar works by other dealers.

5. Buy what you love; whether it’s a good investment should only be a second or third priority. You, and not your accountant, is the one that is going to look at the painting every day. Furthermore, the art market remains an economically unpredictable phenomenon so unless we are talking Rembrandt or Picasso, don’t place too much emphasis on the monetary value!

P.s. If you would like some more help and advice, then we are happy to offer you our free Personal Art Advisory service during Art Breda. Send your request to info@gallerease.com and we will contact you directly! 

View cover artwork here.