by Lynda Mc Donald

Created on: July 03, 2009   Last Updated: July 10, 2009

Finding The Artist You Want To Invest In

Once you have decided that you're going to invest your money in a piece of art, the best thing is to get involved inn your local art scene, to start looking for some promising new talent.Start reading local newspapers, keep an eye out for names that seeem to keep reappearing in the arts section, especially any that get good reviews. Go to as many local and national exhibitions as possible, not just to look at the art but to mingle and find out what other people's opinions of the exhibition.

Decide on what kind of investment you are looking for - do you want a piece you can display at home until you decide to resell it someday, in which case you'll more than likely have to like the piece. Or are you looking for something you can store away until it has increased in value. It is ultimately up to you whether you end up choosing art because you like it or because you think it will increase in value, just make sure you do you're research on the artist first.

Once You've Found You're Artist

Look at their past work - Who has bought them? Do you know if any have been resold? Can you find an average selling price?

Use your instinct if you get to meet the artist in person; talk to them about their training, both past and present, and their future plans. Any good artist will be striving to create more work and a name for themselves. If they have a website check it out. Google the artist's name, try to find out what other's think of their work. Find out if he/she has won any awards of prizes, competitions etc.

Try to categorize their art. If it is part of a current trend it will more than likely not sell very well in the future.

Does he/she offer prints of the work, and if so at what price> Are they numbered and signed? How many is in each edition? How well do they sell?

Does he/ she take commissions?

How many exhibitions have they had, or are planned for the future?

Getting Rare Work Is Always Valuable

For example:

Media: if the artist generally works in oils and you manage to get your hands on a watercolor piece it could potentially be worth more.

Rare Subject: If you happen to get a portrait done by a landscape artist it could be worth potentially more.

Nevertheless it is always important to remember that buying art solely as an investment always has some amount of risk attached to it.

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