How to Buy Famous Art on a Budget

Well-known works by famous artists add the effect of class, taste and style to any environment. Unfortunately, very few of us can afford to own original works of art by well-known painters.Don’t despair. You can own classic works by renowned artists for less than you think. They may not be originals, but they’re the next best thing. This art will inspire the emotion of the original works for a price that won’t break the bank.

Instructions

1. Learn which styles of art you prefer. Impressionist art, modern art, Renaissance art, Expressionism, Cubism, Realism and Postimpressionism are some of the most popular styles and movements of art. If you have favorite artists or works of art, you’re off to a good start. If you want to explore before you buy, visit the library and browse the Web to become more familiar with various works from different periods.

2. Narrow your choices. If you are drawn to the works of a particular artist, view as many of their paintings as you can find before buying. Unless your budget will allow you to replace your art frequently, you’ll be looking at these pieces for quite a while, so live with your decision for at least a few days before you pull out your credit card.

3. Consider which styles of art will look best with the furnishings in the space they’ll share. This doesn’t mean you have to hang contemporary art in your modern living room. Mixing styles is fine. Just be certain to give some thought to how a work will “feel” with the rest of the room.

4. Consider the size of the room and the wall on which each piece will hang, as well as the size of the furnishings in the space. Excellent posters and canvases of popular and classic art can be purchased in various sizes, so decide about how large each piece should be to work best in a space.

5. Start shopping. The Internet makes it possible for us to have access to amazing works of fine art—custom framed, unframed, mounted, laminated or on canvas, and you can search by artist, movement, or by the title of the work. Turn shopping for art into an adventure by learning about various styles, and the artists who worked in those styles, while you discover your favorites.

Resources

• This Art History site offers over 200,000 images of famous works of art from museums around the world, plus biographies of more than 22,000 artists.
• Visit the All Posters website for a selection of more than half a million famous art posters and canvases.