How To Buy One of a Kind Art (Without Breaking The Bank)

There’s no denying it, truly impressive one-of-a-kind art comes with a price tag. That doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune to own one. Whether you’re an interior decorator looking to find a piece that fits your budget or looking for a piece of your own without breaking the budget, we’re here to help.

The Benefits (& Challenges) of One-of-a-Kind Art

One-of-a-kind art is, by definition, unique. In and of itself, this is a huge part of the appeal. It makes a piece inherently more interesting, transforming your decor into a conversation piece. As well, it helps decorations speak to your interests and personality.

Original artwork has a quality all its own. It has a feeling and emotion to it as if the artist is channeling themselves directly into the piece. Unlike a copy, it has all the heart and inspiration the artist pours into their work. It’s a quality that’s difficult to quantify but easy to feel.

Being a unique piece makes it all the more desirable. One-of-a-kind art prints are often sought after and prized by collectors. This demand makes these pieces far more valuable when investing in art.

Of course, the same scarcity that makes them so valuable and the pride of art collectors makes them that much more difficult to obtain. The two biggest challenges with one-of-a-kind artwork are:

1. 1. Availability
2. 2. Price

In this article, we provide inside tips on how to find accessible and affordable one-of-a-kind art that you love.

Ease Of Access: Online Art Galleries

We are living in a golden age of art accessibility. With the internet taking over how we discover, purchase and experience art it’s easier to discover artists and find pieces that match your tastes. No longer are you bound to look for art only at local galleries and exhibitions.

The advent of online art galleries has not only made it easier to find amazing artwork from around the world but also to find more niche genres. In the past, finding niche prints like one-of-a-kind erotica and nude art meant having to be in the know.

Now it’s easier than ever to search for any genre of art. With our nude and erotic art gallery, people don’t need to be lifestyle enthusiasts or “plugged-in” to the art community.

Online galleries provide access to your favorite genres and art styles, right at your fingertips. This makes them an ideal solution for finding one-of-a-kind art.

Look For Emerging Artists

The cost of art is, generally, tied directly to the name of the artist. Once artists are able to establish their name the price of their art skyrockets. If you want to buy one-of-a-kind art without breaking the bank, an established artist isn’t the ideal choice.

Instead, you want to seek out emerging artists. Getting one-of-a-kind art from an emerging artist isn’t just less expensive, it’s also the best investment opportunity. On top of getting art at the best price, when the artist becomes well known, the value of the art soars well above the purchase price.

Of course, this leads to the question, how do you spot an emerging artist who is likely to grow? Here are a few pointers you can use:

1. Look for art that you like

The best way to feel good about an art investment is to find a piece you love. Even if you’re buying solely as an investment, it can take time for an emerging artist to hit their stride. So it’s worth having something you want to look at. Besides, with so much art available finding something you like is a good way to narrow down the options.

As well, your support will help this artist grow. So all the more reason to buy from an artist who you’d like to see more work from.

2. Research the artist

The first thing to do when you pick a piece is to Google the artist. While you want someone unknown enough to keep the prices lower, you also want someone who has a bit of momentum.

Good signs are if the artist has a PR agent and is featured in galleries. That shows that the industry has some faith in this artist. As well, you want to find someone who had been featured in some publications. The sweet spot is usually one or two publications. It’s enough to get their name out and give the push they need, but not enough to raise their pricing significantly.

3. Research the models

This is especially valuable for photographers. The models an artist works with are a good signifier of their standing and performance. As well, a good model adds to the value, recognition, and promotion of the artist.

As well, it speaks to the quality of the artist. Top models will only work with an artist they respect and who can get the best work out of their poses. A bad picture is as bad for the model as it is for the photographer.

An artist who is beginning to work with well-known models is likely on the verge of breaking out.

The Size of The Art Work

Size can have an impact on the cost of art. Generally, for print and canvas, the larger the piece the more it costs. With statues, the size is not necessarily reflected in the price. The size of the statue is whatever size the artist thought might work best.

For print, originals are often large. But that depends on the preference of the artist. Artists who produce originals on smaller canvases may have a lower price than large or oversized photos and paintings.

What you should keep in mind most of all when choosing the art size is where you want to put it. An oversized piece doesn’t make sense if there’s no space for it. Just as a smaller piece isn’t effective when you’re trying to decorate a large area. The space where an oversized painting is ideal will likely require multiple pieces in various other sizes.

Consider Limited Edition Art

For the budget-conscious art-buyer one-of-a-kind isn’t always a feasible option. That doesn’t mean you need to submit to mass-produced prints. It’s worth taking a look at limited edition art.

Limited edition art prints have many similar value points to one-of-a-kind art. They’re still high-quality and fairly unique pieces that hold value as an investment.

For more information, read our Guide to Shopping for Limited Edition Art.