How to Buy Paintings Online

Purchasing paintings over the Internet lets you avoid the snooty salesperson telling you what you should like and allows you to look at things leisurely with no sales pressure.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring Tapes
• Picture Frames
• Internet Access
• Credit Cards And Loans
• Calendars
• Pencils Or Pens
• Spiral Notebooks

Instructions

1. Measure the space in which you want to hang or place the art.

2. View art on the Internet in its largest possible size. Copy the measurements to be sure that it's the right size for the space.

3. Determine whether you want to buy art by subject or color or whether you would rather be wowed by a particular piece.

4. Know that you can spend anywhere from $20 (for a poster) to $2,000 (for a painting) for art purchased over the Internet. Many specialized Web sites allow consumers to do searches within a specific price range.

5. View art on the Internet with the highest-resolution monitor you can.

6. Research the biography of an artist. Chances are if you like one of his or her pieces, you'll like another.

7. Check into purchasing art either framed or unframed. Many art Web sites offer the option, and purchasing unframed art is cheaper and makes shipping easier.

8. Find out how the art will be shipped and how long it will take to arrive.

9. Check the Web site's return policy. Buying art is a matter of personal taste, and sometimes the only way to be sure you want a piece is to see it.

10. Know that buying art for someone else can be risky business. It's probably best to have a specific piece already in mind and then locate it on the Internet.