For the art collector, buying art online is easy and convenient. And it's as fast as we expect our internet shopping experience to be.
Why hesitate?
What's missing from the internet art shopping experience?
It's the personal connection you can get with the artist from art festivals and paint outs. It's the guidance you can get from art gallery expertise.
I like to call them warm fuzzies. They nourish the soul hand in hand with purchasing original artwork.
More artists are selling online directly to their art collectors. Some artists offer buy-it-now buttons on their own sites or blogs. Other artists belong to group galleries and stores. Many do both.
How can you take advantage and still feel confident?
Try these six tips.
1. Know this. Computer monitors are all different. Recently I was in a room with 3 laptops all showing the same painting. One looked bluer. One looked sunnier. And one showed less vivid color.
Be aware of the actual dimensions of the art; paintings tend to all look the same size online.
2. Try this. Purchase art from artists whose work you have seen in person.
3. Do this. If there is an opportunity to contact the artist or seller with questions, do it.
Ask how the original painting might look different in person.
This is especially important if the surface is textured. There's just no way to capture that richness digitally.
4. Look for the return policy. Since the original painting almost always looks better than the digital version, most artists offer generous return policies. They are rarely needed.
A good artist does not want you to keep artwork you do not love. A good artist wants you to love your painting, and to share your pride in ownership. A good artist wants you to be a life-long customer.
Yes! Please blab it all around.
5. Give your credit card info only through a secure site. Paypal is safe. They spend most of their time on security.
6. Ask about time payments. I have recently begun offering free shipping for art collectors who choose this option.
You have permission to quote, reproduce, or link to this article, as long as you give credit to Nancy Moskovitz and include a link to Petite Posted Paintings at http://moskovitzpaintings.blogspot.com/
and Portrait & Fine Art Painting at http://nancymoskovitz.com/
