Have you ever been in love with a piece of art at a gallery or at an art event, only to be disappointed when you saw the price tag? When you compare the price of original art to the price of prints, it might be disturbing. Here are some reasons why original paintings are well worth the extra money. When to buy prints, and when not to.
Why is unique art worth the money?
Each piece of original artwork is unique.
This is a one-of-a-kind artefact created by the artist’s hand. This is a one-of-a-kind item. You won’t find it in stores, galleries, or the houses of your friends.
It has a narrative and a link.
You become a part of the artistic process when you buy original work, continuing the journey that began with the artist’s first spark of an idea. You can have a deeper understanding of the artist’s processes and inspiration by conversing with the artist or gallerist.
Many artists like sharing their creative process with their clientele via newsletters, seminars, and displays, and will keep in touch with individuals who acquire original work. I’m sure I do! Plus, as people examine your original artwork, your tale about how you discovered the artist and what you learned about their work becomes a story that you naturally share with them. Subscribe to my monthly email to follow along on my artistic journey.
I discovered four reproductions of Claude Monet’s Woman with a Parasol, Facing Left online. Take note of the color variety in the blues, greens, and flesh tones.
I discovered four reproductions of Claude Monet’s Woman with a Parasol, Facing Left online. Take note of the color variety in the blues, greens, and flesh tones.
The painting demonstrates the artist’s color choices.
A reproduction of a picture, in my experience, never matches the hues of the original. Even with professional printers, I’ve discovered that there is always a color tradeoff. Some colors are near, while others, despite many modifications, are far off. I eventually stopped selling prints of my art.
A screen view of four online reproductions of Monet’s Woman with a Parasol, Facing Left is shown above. You’ll note that the blues, greens, and flesh tones have a wide range of values and hues. Which print is the most faithful to the artist’s original vision? What are the chances?
You notice subtle differences in brushwork and texture.
You can see intricacies in the brushwork and subtleties in texture in original art that you can’t perceive in a print. These are the details that the artist purposefully exploited to achieve the painting’s mood. The original provides the entire visual experience and is the identical object on which the artist struggled for many hours before signing his name.
The “miles on the brush” are depicted in the picture.
One of the reasons that an original oil painting is far more valuable than a print is that it represents the artist’s creative journey and discoveries up to that moment. All of their years of trial and error have culminated in a complex blend of materials, technique, and vision that is far more apparent in the original than in the print.
Your purchase contributes to the arts.
One of the most compelling reasons to purchase original art is to support the arts in your neighborhood and throughout the world. Artists’ ability to sustain themselves while creating original artwork is critical to the depth of our artistic expression as a civilization. Artists rely on you to see, engage with, and, yes, buy their work in order to continue producing fantastic stuff.
I haven’t mentioned anything about art increasing in value. While the value of your original artwork should improve over time as the artist’s prices rise, I don’t recommend purchasing art with the intention of reselling it. There is no assurance that the value of your investment will rise. My advice is to acquire something you appreciate and prepare to enjoy it for many years to come.
When should you buy prints?
However, there are a few instances when purchasing a print makes sense:
If you’re decorating on a budget and have a lot of wall space, start your art collection with one little amazing original and a few larger prints.
If a well-known work of art inspires you, go ahead and get a print.
Buy prints of art you enjoy showing off your superb taste in transitory locations like cubicles and dorm dorms.
Purchase images of well-known painters for your children’s bedroom to inspire your budding artists. When I was younger, I picked two prints to hang in my room: Diego Rivera’s The Flower Carrier and Andrew Wyeth’s Albert’s Son. Years later, as an adult, I discovered that the paintings were by world-renowned painters. As I grew older, looking at such images taught me to appreciate fine art and piqued my interest in painting humans.
Original work of high quality is both motivating and gratifying. Purchase what you can and allow art to enhance your life!
Making the decision on what to buy
When I used to exhibit my work at outdoor art locations, I saw that many consumers and clients didn’t know the difference between original art, prints, editions, and ultimately poster or wall art. Artists aren’t always helpful in elucidating these issues. Maybe it’s because they’re too preoccupied with trying to make a livelihood selling their items and scraping by with their creativity. However, I’ve never thought it’s a good idea to sell anything on the basis of assumptions or to keep the customer in the dark about what they’re really getting.
You should carefully compare your needs with original art and prints available for purchase out there. Then you can end up with deciding what the best option available out there to consider is.
