5 Top Tips On Buying Good Quality Abstract Artwork
It’s a big wide art world out there, bursting with artwork for you to buy for your home, so it’s not surprising that a question we often get asked is “How do I know that the abstract artwork I am buying is good quality?” We have put together our 5 Top Tips to ensure that you can add to your art collection with confidence.
1) Buy From An Independent Gallery:
Buying direct from an independent gallery or from their online shop, as opposed to a large online platform, is an excellent place to start when buying a good quality, original, abstract, artwork. The gallery knows their artists very well!
They will have a good relationship with their artists who they will have already hand picked to represent, so, you can be confident that they will have made sure the artist is established in their career and that their artwork is of a high standard.
2) Good Materials:
When a gallery is supporting an artist, they always advise on the importance of using very good quality paints, inks, canvases and frames. It just isn’t cost effective to cut corners! The gallery would not want to be selling substandard artwork and the artist can see that good quality materials can only enhance their artwork. So everyone wins all round!
3) Be Confident That The Price Will Be Consistent:
You can be sure that most galleries and artists will keep the price of the artwork consistent between them. Gone are the days when an artwork could be picked up cheaper by buying direct from the artist. A gallery will always make sure that the artwork is fairly priced, so again, you can be confident on this. Trust your gallery!
4) Provenance:
Knowing the background to an artwork is key to it’s quality. Usually the artwork comes straight from the artist to the gallery, so has not been passed from pillar to post before it is ready to be sold to you. The gallery will certainly know how that artwork has been made and the inspiration behind it.
Not many artists sign the front of their artwork now, but do make sure that it has been signed on the back of the canvas. If it isn’t signed somewhere, do not be afraid to ask for it to be signed before you buy.
Even Swing by James Tebbutt
5). Certificate of Authenticity
Every original artwork (and limited edition print) should come with its own Certificate of Authenticity, either from the artist and/or the gallery you bought it from.
This Certificate come in all shapes and sizes, some giving more information than others, but, basically it should tell you who the artist is and give all the information about the artwork and most importantly, it will have a declaration which will be signed by the artist or the gallery.
This not only athenticates the artwork but is a very good document for insurances purposes.
We hope that these 5 Top Tips have given you some things to consider when you next buy an artwork!