How to choose a perfect piece of art

Goda Smilingyte
3 min readJul 10, 2019
Artwork by R.Wayne Reynolds, title: “Microplastics Mutating”

At some points in our lives we are all considering buying an artwork. Most often people are looking for an art piece to decorate their home when they move into a new place or want to refresh their living space somehow, make their apartment or house inspiring and cosy.

However, the process may raise a lot of doubts and questions, especially if you are not an experienced art buyer or a collector who navigates like a fish in the sea of art.

If you are considering buying a piece of art, you are probably facing the these questions:

  • I do not know much about art, how do I know I am buying a good piece?
  • What if I buy an artwork won’t like it after some time?
  • Can I really afford original art?
  • How do I know if I am not overpaying?
  • Will it really suit the interior?
  • Will my family and guests like it?

If these or similar questions have crossed your mind, you will definitely find these five tips useful.

1. Define what is it you really like.

It may not be as easy as it seems! There are so many art forms and interesting artists out there and one may be really confused. There is only way to define your taste for art — start looking at it more often: visit exhibitions, browse online, peek into artist’s profiles on social media and soon you will develop a good eye for art. You will know exactly whether you are a fan of black and white photography or colourful abstract paintings.

2. Decide on the medium and the subject.

Now that you know what kind of art uplifts and moves you, it is quite easy to decide what kind of artworks you will be looking for (paintings, sculptures, photos or prints) and what should it portray (landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, figurative or abstract).

3. Think where do you want to place your art.

You maybe looking just for one painting for an empty wall in your living room, but if you have more empty spaces — think carefully how many pieces are you really looking to buy. Maybe these empty corners deserve a three dimensional sculpture? Of course you do not have to decorate the whole house at once, but estimating approximate number of artworks will help to plan your budget, which leads us to the next tip.

4. Set the budget.

Identifying a budget will help you to avoid overspending and ease the decision and negotiation process. It is also a good filter that helps you decide which galleries and art fairs you should attend or where to look for artworks.

5. Take your time and enjoy the process!

Have you ever bought an artwork spontaneously, possibly during a very relaxed vacation, and now you don’t know what to do with it, because you don’t like it anymore? Well, to avoid these situations — do a little research and give yourself some time. I’ve read somewhere that buying art is like falling in love. It may take time to find a perfect match, but when you see an artwork you love, you will know it immediately! But make sure it is a thoughtful decision so this love lasts forever…

Are you looking for that very special artwork that you will love forever? Don’t hesitate to pop into my online art gallery or just drop me a line :)

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Goda Smilingyte

I help passionate art collectors and talented artists meet each other via my online art gallery artgoda.com.