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Art Collecting Secrets
Collecting art has rules just like any other game. If you follow these you
win and make a lot of money. An art appraiser is really just a game judge
that tallies up the points your art scored. He tells you if you won or lost
compared to what you paid. Unfortunately the rules are not published and
have to be learned from experience. The most experienced appraiser is the
better the judge of your art work. Here are a few of these "secret" art rules:
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- Horizontal landscapes are more valuable than vertical ones.
- Paintings of cows, sheep and pigs are difficult to sell. Roosters are better than
chickens.
- Paintings showing youth are better than ones portraying old age. Young women and children
are better than men.
- Anything about death including paintings of church cemeteries are nearly impossible to sell.
- Bright colored paintings are better than dark ones.
- Unsigned art is definitely a negative.
- A painting in the artist's typical style and subject is better than a one of their rare
experimental pieces.
- Posthumous cast sculpture and re-strikes prints never bring the same price as ones done
in the artist's lifetime.
- The most expensive landscapes usually have calm water in them.
- Certain game birds are more desirable than others. Grouse, pheasants and woodcock are
better than mallards and crows.
- Certain game animals are better than others. Elephants, lions, leopards are better than
antelopes, wild boar and wolves.
- Landscapes with horses and figures are better than just a sunny meadow. Mountains are
better than a factory or shipyard scene.
- Floral still lifes bring more money than fruit ones. Some flowers are more desirable.
Roses are best, chrysanthemum the least.
- Some breeds of dogs are more desirable. Spaniels, terriers and setters are best.
Dachshunds and collies the least. A painting of a mongrel dog is near impossible to sell.
Selected Articles from the Art Network:
Pastel Art Prints, Making Fine Pastel Art Accessible
by Doreyl Ammons Cain
Over the past decade pastel art prints have become much more accessible to more people than ever before.
One of the primary reasons is the refinement of the quality of artist-made limited edition pastel art
prints. Today’s technology allows the artist to personally color correct and accomplish hands-on
printing in a shorter time. The remarkable technology of the Giclee print gives the artist a
tool to create the limited edition print almost identical to the original art.
Personally I am able to share my pastel art with many more people than those that buy the
original pieces. This is a wonderful thing for an artist to be able to do. Each print is made,
packaged, hand-signed and numbered by myself alone. These museum quality pastel art prints
can become collector’s art prints, retaining their value and eventually becoming worth much
more. My pastel art prints of Appalachian life (mystical, Cherokee & Scotch Irish heritage,
wildlife, plants & animal life and the mountain people & landscapes) are now accessible to
people all around the world.
About the Women’s Museum in the Arts
The National Museum of Women in the Arts, founded in 1981 and opened in 1987, is the only museum
dedicated solely to celebrating the achievements of women in the visual, performing, and literary
arts. Its permanent collection contains works by more than 800 artists, including Judith Leyster,
Maria Sibylla Merian, Mary Cassatt, Camille Claudel, Georgia O’Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, Elizabeth
Catlett, Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, and Louise Bourgeois. The museum also conducts
multidisciplinary programs for diverse audiences, maintains a Library and Research Center,
publishes a quarterly magazine, and has organized national and international committees. More
than 110,000 people visit the museum each year, including thousands of young people who come
with schools and scouting groups. NMWA’s national membership of 37,500 is among the top ten
percent of museum memberships nationwide.
The museum is located at 1250 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, in a landmark building near
the White House. It is open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. For information
call 202.783.5000 or visit the museum’s website...
full article here
NMWA AWARDED FEDERAL GRANT TO CREATE DATABASE OF WOMEN ARTISTS
Sign up for updates on the Database of Women Artists.
Washington, D.C. - The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) has received a prestigious
grant from the 2004 Museums for America program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services
(IMLS). The ,751 grant will allow NMWA to build web-based access to its extensive database of
more than 16,500 historic and contemporary women artists. Out of 829 applications, NMWA is one
of 190 museums to be awarded the grant in 2004.
“The development of our online database is vital to increasing the visibility, reputation, and
public awareness of women in the arts, past and present,” stated NMWA Director Judy L. Larson.
“The women’s museum is pleased to be recognized and supported by IMLS.”
The database currently exists as an index to NMWA’s Archives on Women Artists, a collection of
original and printed research materials housed in the museum’s Library and Research Center. The
Database Web Access Project will dramatically increase public awareness to these materials,
enabling users across the nation to search for and identify artists based on criteria including
primary media, home state, period of artistic practice, educational background, exhibition history,
and awards received.
As IMLS’ largest grant program, Museums for America provides more than million in grants that
build the capability of museums to sustain cultural heritage, support lifelong learning, and serve
as centers of community engagement.
“With their rich collections, museums enable visitors to physically connect with history, science,
and the creative process,” said IMLS Director Dr. Robert S. Martin. “The Museums for America grants
will help museums advance their role as trusted resources that serve communities by creating and
sustaining a nation of learners...
full article here
Frequently Asked Questions by Novice Collectors
HOW ARE PRICES DECIDED?
Pricing artwork is a difficult science at best. Many factors influence the price of a piece of art,
but the key factor is of course demand. The more collectors want work by an artist, the more they
are willing to pay. Supply is also a strong factor. Usually emerging artists' prices are a fraction
of what established well-known artists can obtain. Auction prices can vary wildly from gallery
prices, depending on the bidding. Historically, oils have been more expensive than watercolors
and watercolors more than drawings, and so on. However, a Picasso drawing will still beat a major
work by an emerging or even an established run-of-the-mill artist anytime. However, other than
contemporary published editions of reproductions (usually called 'prints' unfortunately) and
limited edition photography, there is no 'list price' for true prints and certainly none for
paintings, drawings, and sculpture. We usually set a price on the basis of what think is fair
market value, plus a selling record, accounting for size and me dia, and then discuss
it with the artist.
IS ART A GOOD FINANCIAL INVESTMENT?
If you are looking to buy art as a financial investment, then you should try buying stocks instead.
Most reputable dealers in fine art are at least aware of the 'potential' investment factor of a
work of art, but there's no secret formula or 'insider knowledge' as to what future prices for a
piece of art will be. It all depends on many factors, most of which are quite unpredictable as
artists' popularity and demand rise and fall and sometimes rise again. Reputable dealers can and
will often give you their informed opinion, but that is all it is: an opinion! There are of course,
works of art that are always 'on the rise,' such as works by the masters or very well-established
(often dead) artists, but when buying work by contemporary, living artists, the key rule should
still be to buy what you like, and avoid anyone that suggests that you should buy it as an
'investment.' We do represent artists whose work we think will rise substantially in price
in the future, and have a certain 'track' record to suggest that. Nonetheless, it is an opinion
and an educated guess at best.
ARE THERE ANY ART BARGAINS?
An art bargain happens in one of two ways: (a) The seller and the buyer have widely diverging
ideas on the price of the art or (b) You buy a decent, original piece of art from an emerging
artist at a substantially lower price that the art could 'command' in a better sellers' market.
The true bargains are also when an art connoisseurs, who knows his art well (and prices) and who
can recognize originals from fakes, etc. 'runs' into a work of art being offered by someone less
knowleable than him/her, on that particular piece. This would usually happen at auctions, or in
galleries where art is re-sold, rather than in galleries where the work of living artists is sold.
For example, some English prints sell for lower prices in the US than they do for in Britain.
WHAT IS A PRINT?
Print is the most abused term used in the world of art. A true print is something that the artist
has created by hand, such as an etching, or a woodcut or a linicut. The point is that the creation
process involves the artist in control of what gets created. Everything else is a reproduction.
An Iris print, gyclee print, etc. are just digital reproductions of an artist's original work.
There's nothing wrong with reproductions, if that is what you want to buy, as long as you know
the true difference between reproductions and prints. If you don't know, then ask! This is a
vital question to ask about modern, twentieth-century prints, especially since the introduction
of digital technology into the game. Generally speaking, it is better if a print is signed and
numbered; although some artists go 'beyond' the numbers by having artist proofs, special lettered
editions, etc. With rare exceptions, artists only began to keep track of the number of
impressions printed from their original plates in the 19th century. Before that, the edition
was limited by its popularity and how many could be hammered out of the plate! Goya's plates
were still being used in the 20th century to print and to sell his 'Caprichos' etchings.
Because the plate deteriorates the more it is used. there are usually noticeable differences
between the first and last impressions. A smart buyer should always ask: 'How many did the
artist print?' and 'How many of them are still available?', as usually prints that are all
sold (called 'out of print') tend to go up in price if the demand for them rises.
full article here
Collecting Art - Learn how to build a collection.
So, you want to be an art collector? For a beginner, it can be an intimidating concept.
Do you need to be a millionaire? Have a degree in art history? Possess impeccable taste?
None of the above. Art collectors come from all economic classes. Some are trained art
scholars, while others teach themselves by reading and visiting galleries or museums.
What they share is the desire to make an investment in something that will give them
joy and aesthetic pleasure.
Marcia Weber is the owner of Marcia Weber Art Objects, Inc., a gallery that collects
and sells works created by self-taught artists. She suggests that beginning collectors
see as many works of art as possible.
"Using the Internet to research where to go physically to see intriguing art is an
efficient way to collect," Weber said. "But it should not be a substitute for also
seeing actual examples of works of art in order to develop an informed opinion. No visual
image will ever be as wonderful as the actual work of art."
Educating Yourself
Begin with the down-to-earth, no-nonsense advice given by The Art Lady. She demystifies
the world of contemporary art collecting in a series of informative articles and suggests
great places to view art on the Web.
To find out what differentiates a collector from an art lover, check out What Makes an
Art Collection? A Collector?. "The Responsible Collector" at ArtAdvice.com outlines the
three basic areas important to collectors: documentation, biographical information and
provenance...
full article here
Fine Art Auction House Advice
Which type of auction house is always a difficult decision. There are local, national, mail order,
foreign and Internet. Some charge as little as 3%; others up to 50% of the sale price. Some houses
appear to charge reasonable rates but have outrageous hidden charges for catalog illustrations,
delivery charges, insurance and buy-back commissions. One Chicago auction house, that conveniently
goes in and out of business, has their fees so set if minor items don't bring a certain price,
you end up owning them money and receive nothing.
Many items sell better overseas (Old Master paintings) while others sell better on the West
Coast (Chinese artifacts) and some out East (Currier and Ives prints). Some don't do well at
auction (Erte prints). A few items sell only through one firm (books). One category (antiquities)
now requires extensive documents that it was acquired and exported legally. Some collections
contain items that should be divided and sent to several different specialist auction houses.
An estate executor who just dumps everything into one house is irresponsible.
Many items are seasonal. Some sell better in summer (ship paintings) while other in winter
(snow landscapes). Most auction houses will not tell you about any of this. They want your items
now and will tell you anything to get you to consign to them.
Will the fine art auction house even catalog your items properly? The big auction firms have
experts on staff but small Chicago and regional firms have only a couple of people who pretend to
be "Jacks of all trades." This is why, in the front of their catalogs, they say "are statements of
opinion and not to be relied upon as statements of fact." This is so you can't sue them for their
mistakes.
The art/antique world is filled with stories about auction houses that performed shoddy research
and sharp specialized dealers that purchased an item from them, and then re-consigned it, properly
cataloged, to the correct auction where it would do best.
Learn how to avoid the famous auction house "bait and switch." They tell you your item will fetch
a high value to get you to ship it to them and sign the contract. Then afterwards, when they think
you won't want to be inconvenienced by having it sent back, they tell you they've reconsidered and
now believe it should have a dramatically lower value. We've helped many collectors, like you,
re-ship the item to a more reputable venue. The auction world is filled with firms that have
recently been fined and/or have had their executives serve prison terms. (One of their understudies
just opened an auction house in Chicago). Just read the fine print in an auction contract. If they
say one of your items is authentic and after it is sold, it turns out to be a fake, you have to
refund the money for their mistake. (A Wisconsin family had to do this on a blatantly miscataloged
Van Gogh sold by a Chicago auction house to get publicity). Don't be another Chicago auction house victim!
Before sending anything to auction, get an independent appraisal that contains thorough research.
Get an auction market evaluation of where and when your art/antiques will do best. Get an idea of
your tax liabilities and how to legally reduce them. Upon receipt of your auction proceeds, they
send you a W2 IRS form. You must then pay tax on this income...
full article here
Demystifying How Artists Work by Pastel Society of America
What is a pastel painting?
Pastel is pure pigment, the same pigment used in making all fine art paints. It is the most
permanent of all media when applied to conservation ground (such as acid-free paper) and properly
framed. Pastel has no liquid binder that may cause other media to darken, fade, yellow, crack or
blister with time. Pastels from the 16th century exist today, as fresh as the day they were painted,
no restoration needed.
Pastel does not refer to pale colors, as the word is commonly used in cosmetic and fashion
terminology. The name pastel comes from the French word "pastische" because the pure, powdered
pigment is ground into a paste, with a small amount of gum binder, and then rolled into sticks.
The infinite variety of colors in the pastel palette range from soft and subtle to bold and
brilliant. Note: Pastel must never be confused with colored chalk. Chalk is a mineral substance
impregnated with dyes.
An artwork is created by stroking the sticks of dry pigment across an abrasive ground, embedding
the color in the "tooth" of the paper, sandboard or canvas. If the ground is completely covered with
pastel, the work is sometimes called a pastel "painting". Leaving much of the ground exposed produces
a pastel sketch or drawing. Techniques vary with the individual artists. Pastel can be blended or
used with visible strokes. Many artists favor the medium because it allows a spontaneous approach.
There is no drying time, little clean-up, and no allowances to be made for a change in color due
to drying.
Historically, pastel can be traced back to the 16th century. Its invention is attributed to the
German painter Johann Thiele. A Venetian woman artist, Rosalba Carriera was the first to make
consistent use of pastel. Chardin did portraits with an open stroke, while LaTour preferred the
blended finish. Thereafter a galaxy of famous artists... Watteau, Copley, Delacroix, Millet,
Manet, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Vuillard, Bonnard, Glackens, Whistler, Hassam, William Merritt
Chase... just to list the more familiar names, used pastel as finished work rather than
preliminary sketches.
Edgar Degas was a prolific user of pastel, and its champion. His protégé, Mary Cassatt introduced
the Impressionists and pastel to her friends in Philadelphia and Washington, and thus to the United
States. In the Spring of 1983, Sotheby Parke Bernet sold at auction two Degas pastels for more
than $3,000,000 each. Both pastels were painted about 1880.
Pastel is sometimes combined with watercolor, gouache, acrylic, charcoal or pencil in a
mixed-media painting, but it is incompatible with oil paint. Today, pastel paintings have
the stature of oil and watercolor as a major fine art medium. Many of our most renowned living
artists have distinguished themselves in pastel, and enriched the art world
with this beautiful medium...
full article here
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