Buying art online can be a very positive experience. Art can enrich your life and improve your feeling of self-worth. It is great for inspiring children and young adults.
Buying art online has some great advantages too, like increasing the volume of art to choose from as well as finding some really affordable options since you can often buy directly from an artist. Buyers just have to keep a few things in mind to make sure they get something they will really love when the package arrives.
When you buy art online, make sure the artist or website has good photos of the art. There should be at least a photo showing the whole piece as well as a detail or alternate shot so that you can see as much of the details of the piece as possible. Ideally, there would also be a photo of it in a room or setting to show scale along with photos of the sides or edges or anything else that is unique or important for the buyer to see. Seeing art in person is always best, but good photography has really bridged the gap for online purchasing of art.
Another thing to keep in mind is how the artist packages and ships the art. Make sure that is clearly defined or ask the artist. Shipping art takes experience and professional best practices. Smaller art can ship in corrugated boxes with proper padding and support. Often larger pieces need a wooden crate to properly support and protect the piece, especially when it has to ship freight. Sometimes art is shipped rolled up in a tube because of its size. If that is the case, you would have to take it to a framing shop or gallery to be restretched around a wooden frame. This is an additional expense you would have to factor into your budget. (Some times an additional $100 or more depending on size)
Buying Art Online:
Step 1:
If you don’t have a favorite artist that you have bought from before, you would need to search online to find an artist or gallery site to purchase from. A few good sites to check out art are Etsy and Saatchi Art. Alternatively, you could search for terms like “red abstract painting”, “blue modern art”, “abstract landscape painting”, “oversized art”, or “green contemporary painting”, in google and browse for your favorite art. A more visual way of discovering art you love would be an image search or visiting sites like Pinterest.
Step 2:
Once you have found the art or artist you like, take a little time to get to know the artist and browse their other work. You might find something you like even better or maybe a few things you want to buy because they will go together so nicely. Study the pieces very closely, look through all the photos the artist has supplied to make sure you like the details of the piece. Double check the specifications of the piece of art including size to make sure it can fit in your space. Measure your walls if you need to verify the sizes.
Step 3
Verify if they have a return policy and that they package and ship in a professional manner. If any of these seem out of line, look elsewhere. There are a lot of professionals out there ready to do business and stand behind the quality of their art and business practices. The last thing you want to do is have a bad experience with buying art online or get a piece of art you can’t return because it isn’t what you thought you were going to get.
Step 4
If you have any questions, simply email or call the artist. You should be confident in your purchase of art, and the artist should be responsive. Again, if any of this doesn’t feel right or you get lousy service, you might consider purchasing art elsewhere.
Step 5
Purchase the art online with all the confidence of buying in person.
Step 6
Enjoy your new art and don’t be afraid to tell the world about it! Artist need more help getting their name out there than the average business, so help them out with a good review or post in social media to help promote them while updating your friends and family on your latest art purchase.
