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Post by |peetov| on Sept 22, 2009 4:19:43 GMT -8
hello everyone,
i'm new to the board, and i am really enjoying it so far. i'd say i'm extremely new to the art scene and currently own only two paintings. this board looks to be a wealth of knowledge, and i was hoping i could get some advice from both seasoned collectors and possibly newer collectors such as myself with their experiences.
i've been looking at art like crazy the past week...as if it's a disease. i've found so much that i love and would love to own. my problem is, of course, a fairly moderate art "allowance." most of what i like is prints of art that has been out for some time, but there are some originals in the mix.
i was wondering how people feel about collecting one versus the other. clearly i could afford to buy more prints over time, but i've also read threads where people seem to have collected masses of prints and never even get around to framing them. i'm not sure if this would be the best use of my money or not. say i have a $400/mo. allowance and could afford a couple prints a month or a few originals per year approximately. does anyone have any advice pointing one way or the other?
i'm only looking at pieces that i truly like, so i think the appreciation for the art wouldn't change whether it was a print or not....but it just seems more exciting to hunt down and find originals that you enjoy. i'm relatively young (in my late 20's) and it seems like i will have many years of collecting to come. i guess i just don't know where to start. this board has given me so many artists and pieces that i enjoy...for a newcomer it seems a bit overwhelming. it feels like a race and i'm way behind. i look around my apartment and see bare walls...it seems so insane.
i guess i'm fishing for "yeah, i wish i had just bought originals from the start, fight the urge for prints and hold out" or "i love all my prints wouldn't change a thing" comments or perhaps "do whatever floats your boat." i feel like if i start green lighting prints i will open the flood gates and will be hard pressed to have money for any originals i find. on the other hand, it seems like a lot of self control will be needed to hold out for originals with my budget. i might be trying too hard to start off on the right foot, but i figure it couldn't hurt to ask and see if anyone wanted to share their experiences and had any words of wisdom.
thanks for any help.
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Post by svenman on Sept 22, 2009 4:57:27 GMT -8
hello everyone, i'm new to the board, and i am really enjoying it so far. i'd say i'm extremely new to the art scene and currently own only two paintings. this board looks to be a wealth of knowledge, and i was hoping i could get some advice from both seasoned collectors and possibly newer collectors such as myself with their experiences. i've been looking at art like crazy the past week...as if it's a disease. i've found so much that i love and would love to own. my problem is, of course, a fairly moderate art "allowance." most of what i like is prints of art that has been out for some time, but there are some originals in the mix. i was wondering how people feel about collecting one versus the other. clearly i could afford to buy more prints over time, but i've also read threads where people seem to have collected masses of prints and never even get around to framing them. i'm not sure if this would be the best use of my money or not. say i have a $400/mo. allowance and could afford a couple prints a month or a few originals per year approximately. does anyone have any advice pointing one way or the other? i'm only looking at pieces that i truly like, so i think the appreciation for the art wouldn't change whether it was a print or not....but it just seems more exciting to hunt down and find originals that you enjoy. i'm relatively young (in my late 20's) and it seems like i will have many years of collecting to come. i guess i just don't know where to start. this board has given me so many artists and pieces that i enjoy...for a newcomer it seems a bit overwhelming. it feels like a race and i'm way behind. i look around my apartment and see bare walls...it seems so insane. i guess i'm fishing for "yeah, i wish i had just bought originals from the start, fight the urge for prints and hold out" or "i love all my prints wouldn't change a thing" comments or perhaps "do whatever floats your boat." i feel like if i start green lighting prints i will open the flood gates and will be hard pressed to have money for any originals i find. on the other hand, it seems like a lot of self control will be needed to hold out for originals with my budget. i might be trying too hard to start off on the right foot, but i figure it couldn't hurt to ask and see if anyone wanted to share their experiences and had any words of wisdom. thanks for any help. first thing i'd say is welcome to the board peetov... and welcome to a thrilling and addictive ride that i'm sure you'll enjoy. i admire your honesty here, and hope that some of the collectors here will chip in and give you some of their thoughts on collecting... i'd say that as you have established a healthy monthly budget for collecting stick to it, give or take a month or two... if you see something you like that is 1200, eat beans for a couple of months and get something that you really love. essentially i'm saying buy what you can afford, but it doesn't hurt to stretch things a bit if you can manage it without getting yourself into heavy debt. which artists do you like? with a 400 a month budget you are not going to buy an original piece by an 'established' artist every month, but you could buy one nice piece a year... keep it realistic - buy original work from up and coming artists as you can afford it and buy prints from artists at a higher price point. all will bring you as much joy having them on your walls i'm sure. i mainly collect originals now, but still buy some prints. some things i'll never have an original of, so the editioned image works fine for me. i still have some prints on my walls that i bought 6 years plus ago when i first started collecting. buy what you love and you won't go far wrong. maybe spend the first year of collecting spending your 400 budget each month on a variation of nice prints and originals and see how you feel after a year of 'getting the bug'. you'll understand the market a lot more and the mechanics of the whole scene. most importantly though, why not allocate some of that monthly budget to going out and seeing the work in the galleries. do some road trips. see first hand. you'll appreciate things much more and get a greater understanding of the scene and what makes a good piece of artwork if you have a mental library of images to compare, contrast and reference...... a lot of people on the board have very specific knowledge of particular artists - don't be afraid to ask a question as someone here will probably be able to help. enjoy the ride.
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Post by |peetov| on Sept 22, 2009 16:14:23 GMT -8
hi sven,
as far as artists that i like - audrey kawasaki, scott musgrove, amy sol, nicoletta ceccoli, dan may, sarah joncas, krista huot....the list could probably go on a while. the last two in the list i really like and it seems that i would be able to afford originals without breaking the bank. i seem to like a lot of art with chicks in it....
i like your advice about using some of my funds to go out and visit some galleries. i currently live in alabama and like pretty much zero of the local art here. luckily, i have family in san francisco which seems to have some nice galleries. i should take a trip that way sometime soon.
i think the main thing that i will need to learn is patience. i think being able to hold off and wait for things i really really love will serve me best. it's just being able to do it and hoping i know when to pull the trigger if the time arises.
thanks for taking the time to help me out. i really appreciate it.
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Post by ziggy1 on Sept 22, 2009 17:33:40 GMT -8
For me and many other collectors, part of the fun is the chase and anticipation.
I think most of us would agree that there are at least a few pieces in our collection that we wish we had not purchased. Often, these are from the earlier days of collecting.
I would identify a few artists that you like and that have pieces available for $2,000 or less. Then I would get on the preview lists of galleries that show their work. Knowing that your $5,000 annual allowance will only allow you to buy 3 to 5 original paintings from early career artists will probably work towards making you more selective in your purchases.
It should also make the process more exciting and the acquisition of a piece more satisfying.
In the end, not only do you have a limited budget, you also have limited wall space. After a few years you'll be surprised by how much art that you had to have ends up in the closet.
Just my thoughts. Please be aware that I don't always follow my own advice and end up buying art on a whim. The good news is that I have lots of closet space and many friends and relatives have ended up with some pretty cool paintings as birthday and holiday gifts.
Good news. Have fun and buy what you love. Welcome to the board.
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Post by highbrow on Sept 22, 2009 19:42:47 GMT -8
First let me say welcome to the board, and be happy you found it earlier rather then later. While I have only been collecting 3 years or so I have to agree with everyone, i never collected prints or toys and went right into original art ( lucky me ). i would say my first few purchases are ones I would not make again today but for the most part I was lucky becuase of message boards. I am in Atlanta and we have very little local art scene here, however with this board and others I have been able to make some great friends and now own some amazing art. My only advice would be two fold, first do not buy something from an artist whos work you really love just for the sake of owning something because normally it does not work in your favor, and number two always remember the money you dont spend today will get spent tomorrow, meaning you do not have to jump at something as more art is around the corner. I would also say build a relationship ( even online ) with a gallery as they are very helpful and most of the time really appreciate the business, I have a gallery I have purchased a few things from and they have gone out of their way to help me in the long run with things like apprasials and securing art, some galleries will even work with you on payment plans as well. You will find that once you start you do run out of wall space fast, i just placed 4 Shepard Fairey works on wood ( silkscreens ) in storage as I have no room for them.
WELCOME ABOARD
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Post by jemappellekat on Sept 23, 2009 13:52:51 GMT -8
Welcome.
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Post by svenman on Sept 23, 2009 14:07:23 GMT -8
sounds like you have a level head on your shoulders peetov. good luck on the quest, and keep us posted with what picks you make.
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Post by |peetov| on Sept 24, 2009 16:06:11 GMT -8
thanks everyone. looking forward to the ride.
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Post by theoryone on Oct 6, 2009 5:13:47 GMT -8
WOW! .. my first post .. i am also very new to collecting, if infact thats what you can call what i do. I have severe budget restraints and being in South africa i struggle with the exchange rates. I have however been able to get a couple things im quite fond of. I started collecting posters but all i have now is a cupboard filled with tubes i dont have money to frame..My new ethos is " buy something original and small over a print" and so ive started trying to get work from young up and coming artists.. mostly small canvas's and drawings ..
Id like to know .. would you guys recommend flogging posters and get originals ? and can anyone tell me any new up and comers .. ive mostly got work from european artists at the moment but have been trying to buy from US based artists also..
Anyway .. i love this blog and have followed it for almost a year .. great collections on here and a great resource.
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Post by meatbag on Oct 7, 2009 19:16:17 GMT -8
honestly, I would buy/read as many books on various art genre's that you are interested in. The more images you see the more you can truly determine what you really like. You can get used books so cheaply through amazon it's ridiculous. Then in my opinion it might be worth buying some prints to get your feet wet. Appreciating a piece of art online and ultimately having to live with the work on your wall is two completely different things. The reason I say that is at the beginning I loved everything but my tastes evolved over time quickly and I found myself stuck in situation trying to move more expensive originals in a market that I wasn't all that familiar with. Nothing worse then sitting on $10,000 worth of originals that you know longer like and can't sell. Usually buying very limited prints can give you a good idea works with your space as well as being quite movable if your tastes to do change. And if you get lucky and snag limited prints quickly you can actually make few bucks as you decide to trade up or possibly sell.
Anyway, good luck... it's an addictive hobby for sure.
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RBK
New Member
Posts: 37
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Post by RBK on Oct 14, 2009 20:36:06 GMT -8
hello everyone, i'm new to the board, and i am really enjoying it so far. i'd say i'm extremely new to the art scene and currently own only two paintings. this board looks to be a wealth of knowledge, and i was hoping i could get some advice from both seasoned collectors and possibly newer collectors such as myself with their experiences. i've been looking at art like crazy the past week...as if it's a disease. i've found so much that i love and would love to own. my problem is, of course, a fairly moderate art "allowance." most of what i like is prints of art that has been out for some time, but there are some originals in the mix. i was wondering how people feel about collecting one versus the other. clearly i could afford to buy more prints over time, but i've also read threads where people seem to have collected masses of prints and never even get around to framing them. i'm not sure if this would be the best use of my money or not. say i have a $400/mo. allowance and could afford a couple prints a month or a few originals per year approximately. does anyone have any advice pointing one way or the other? i'm only looking at pieces that i truly like, so i think the appreciation for the art wouldn't change whether it was a print or not....but it just seems more exciting to hunt down and find originals that you enjoy. i'm relatively young (in my late 20's) and it seems like i will have many years of collecting to come. i guess i just don't know where to start. this board has given me so many artists and pieces that i enjoy...for a newcomer it seems a bit overwhelming. it feels like a race and i'm way behind. i look around my apartment and see bare walls...it seems so insane. i guess i'm fishing for "yeah, i wish i had just bought originals from the start, fight the urge for prints and hold out" or "i love all my prints wouldn't change a thing" comments or perhaps "do whatever floats your boat." i feel like if i start green lighting prints i will open the flood gates and will be hard pressed to have money for any originals i find. on the other hand, it seems like a lot of self control will be needed to hold out for originals with my budget. i might be trying too hard to start off on the right foot, but i figure it couldn't hurt to ask and see if anyone wanted to share their experiences and had any words of wisdom. thanks for any help. peetov - I don't post much on this forum (I'm pretty active on www.wallkandy.net and www.banksy.info - the first one being where I think you will find more quality information as an aside) but the excitement & honesty in your post made me come out of my shell. First and foremost, welcome!!! Finding something you're passionate about is always a fun/exciting thing. And I did chuckle out loud at your "i've been looking at art like crazy the past week...as if it's a disease" comment - because trust me... it is a disease! Here are some of my thoughts/musings/advice. Hopefully a few (or all) will help you on your journey: - Prints vs. Originals is always a big debate. Where I fall on the spectrum is don't limit yourself to just one category. I think a good mixture is the right answer. Usually new collectors flock to prints but like you alluded to - then just find themselves with a lot of prints they don't like enough to frame and have on the wall. Another thing new collectors forget when buying prints is the cost of having a work properly framed. It can get quite pricey. - When buying any piece of art I always ask myself 2 questions: 1. Can I actually afford this? I strongly advise against ever buying art on credit - unless it's a once in a lifetime buying experience and you ABSOLUTELY MUST have the piece. 2. And will I be happy with this piece still on my wall in 5-10 years?- The Internet is so full of information it's ridiculous. While I agree with whomever stated going to see galleries/museums/etc. is a very worthwhile endeavor, you fortunately don't have to rush to do that bc so much information, pricing information & images are available online. - Some more questions you will find yourself asking as you and your collection grow: 1. Am I collecting a specific movement/type of art, or am I focusing in on certain artists? Personally I like to heavily focus on specific artists rather than having lots of different pieces from a bunch of different artists - but again, totally personal preference. 2. When you find yourself mulling over buying an expensive original a question (similar to the one above) I like to ask is "Will I be happy in 10 years after this has hung on my walls, if it is worth exactly the same as what I pay for it today?" If the answer is yes - by all means buy that beauty. When speculation was running rampant in 2007-2008 too many people just assumed that buying contemporary art was a sure bet investment-wise. Fortunately the massive correction fixed this mentality and a good amount of the speculation is gone (especially from the Urban/Street Art Movement). - You will find yourself going through big buying spurts or long times of saving. Don't go in with the mentality I have to buy a piece a month, or one big original every year. What's available and your budget will dictate a lot. You may buy 2-3 works in one month and then nothing until next year. You will be at the mercy of your budget, art inventory, art exhibition dates, gallery waiting lists, exchange rates, etc. so be patient for the right opportunity to add something to your collection. - You will no question regret purchasers you make; and you will no question regret purchases you don't make. Just mentally prepare for this. - Don't be afraid to ask questions. While some online art forums can be negative places - there are still a bunch of educated and friendly fellow art collectors/appreciators that will be glad to help you. - Lastly, as cliched and simple as it sounds - just buy what you like. If you go to a local street fair and fall in love with a cheap piece of art you'd be happy to have on your wall/in your life - that's all that matters. Don't feel you need to buy an artist because of manufactured hype or because others claim the artist is the second coming. At the end of the day you have to live in the piece in your home so who cares what others think.
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Post by |peetov| on Oct 22, 2009 1:22:47 GMT -8
woops, i forgot to check the thread for a while.
thanks a lot for your help and suggestions meatbag and rbk. this forum has been a great resource and it's awesome to receive this level of advice and guidance from people who have been around the collecting scene for a while.
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