If you are an artist and want to find a better way of bringing your artwork to the masses, there are many different avenues you can take. One route, of particular interest among collectors and art lovers alike, is what is known as “Art Auctions.” Auctions offer a platform for selling paintings in quite a significant way. It also provides art lovers with a chance of purchasing beautiful paintings that they may never have considered buying otherwise.
Know what value your paintings hold
Before putting a painting up for auction, it is important to know how much your painting will be worth. It may not be a good idea to put too much faith in the opinion of an expert, who likely won’t have experience with your painting type. Sometimes knowing what to expect is better than having no expectations at all. Look online for an Artnet valuation, or general auctioneers website like
Watch timing of auctions
When an auction like this comes up, it is important to think about timing. Doing so will help make sure your auction can make as much revenue as possible, while also considering whether or not now is the right time. There are also a lot of factors that go into determining timing. In other words, if the artist’s work is hot at the moment, then more art would sell at a faster rate and it could be worth more money down the road. But if not, then this could mean less revenue in the long run since people might already have obtained the work for little to no money.
Read up on trends in the arts
The art world is ever-changing. So, artists who want to sell their creations should make sure they have good timing and stay up-to-date on the latest trends. They can learn what other contemporary artists are making and what collectors are looking for by visiting a website like Art Market Monitor. Or artsy bloggers, who dedicate themselves to staying ahead of new trends and covering them in depth, will often post their conversations with experts on their sites like artnetnews.
Know your audience
Before you put your art up for sale at auction, consider the following: I.
Where is the art going to be sold? Will it be in an online or offline auction house? What region of the country do you want buyers to visit and bid on this piece?
II. Create a strict budget concerning how much money will get made with the sale of your artwork, including:
- The commission that an auction house will take off each sale (ranging from 10% to 15% depending on how often they sell pieces like yours)
- Marketing costs out of pocket
- Losses associated with not selling the piece
- Disputes when a buyer claims one of your paintings isn’t authentic
Know what auction houses specialize in what type of art
When you are looking to auction your art, know the process behind auction. There are many organizations that specialize in certain forms of art, like fine art and photography. Auction houses will give you more insight on what buyers are looking for in certain types of work.
First, you need to set boundaries before selling your artwork. Make sure that you know what asking price would be an appropriate place for the art market to start. Second, make sure that the auction houses specialize in what type of artwork you are trying to sell. Third, make sure that the auction house allows multiple photos of the work being sold. Fourth, make sure they allow videos of the work being sold. Fifth, check the submission requirements before submitting a piece of art for auction. Sixht, check up on auction prices often as they are updated often and future auctions will be after many costs have been incurred or decremented to reflect market conditions.
Research and plan ahead for inventory and shipping costs
Planning ahead for inventory and shipping costs can make a big difference when considering selling your art at auction. There are many factors that come into consideration, but this list shows some of the main things to consider before committing to an auction. In order to help prepare for the moves ahead, find out the amount of merchandise your dealer will charge for inventory and shipping with any new system or changes in market conditions that could affect your price per item:
Forethought should go into any decision to sell artwork, but especially when selling online. When selling through a website the base cost of the art is the frame and transportation. But so too are returns, repairs, future sales, care and maintenance of the frames if they were not purchased new. A lot of artists simply don’t account for all possible end costs- far from it in fact as many believe that their final sale price should equal that amount of everything that’s gone into making their piece worth its place on the wall or canvas.
Plan ahead for hiccups in the process
Don’t wait until the last minute to start thinking about what’s important to include each time you prepare for a sale, whether online or at an auction. Make sure to contact your agent about what paperwork needs to come with the shipment. Be sure that it’s in good shape and can be sold without any unnecessary problems as everyone hopes of getting the most money on their art, especially if it’s a sale of truly high-end artworks.
Hiccups can happen whether you’re selling your art at a residential property market, or in a gallery setting. If you plan ahead, they are easier to work with. Plan contingencies into your original sale contract that may result from hiccups occurring to make sure everything is still on the table for your buyer when negotiating the sale price.
Consider pre sale and public auction days
If you have come to the conclusion that your art is worth taking it up market, you need to put a little thought into what you are going to do. The first step is deciding whether to sell your work in an online auction or a physical one. Online auctions can be really popular among shoppers and simplify the process of selling your art so you don’t have to get it out yourself and put the potential buyers who are looking for your work right in front of you. In both cases, think ahead to who might be interested in buying your artwork. How much their likely willing to pay and how many people will be bidding for it will give a general idea about what people’s response might be. Then consider when the auction will occur; this will determine if you will want or need a pre sale show or not. A public auction day, like at Art Basel Miami, is a sometimes all encompassing event that will change your entire life in terms of personal association
Great art doesn’t stay around for long. How much do you want your artwork to sell for? Although it is always recommendable to sell it piece by piece on online websites during the pre sale period, considered selling at past public auction days since you will generally get the best price. Here are some ways to choose which hosting site would work best for you: Look into feedback scores – Visit auctionprivacy.com and see which auction sites have the most reviews and are considered reliable by other websites out there
See if they have any deals going on – Going halves with an artist is a huge advantage
If they ship worldwide – don’t forget shipping costs
Selling through galleries and curators
Selling through galleries and curators usually means showing at a well-known location. If you don’t have an agent, it is in the best interest of potential buyers when they visit the gallery or curator one time to consider your work. Before they purchase you want them to know what types of imagery you offer that spot. To find out if there is a public selection look for calls for different types of submissions called by places like newspapers and magazine.
Selling your art through galleries and curators may offer better chances for visibility and acknowledgement in the art market. Don’t be discouraged if you try this avenue of distribution and don’t see an immediate increase in traffic or sales, as the effect on your life can be immeasurable.
There are many opportunities to profit from your artwork, such as selling at an art gallery, showcasing it in a public location, and getting commissioned. Each type of sale has their own set of pros and cons. To decide which path is best for you, here’s a list of questions to help guide that decision.
How to effectively display your painting
One of the difficult tasks in painting is getting your paintings out into the world. Whether that means through exhibitions or in markets, you must create a plan. Here are some things to consider before putting any work up for sale:
-How visible is your artwork? Is it located near busy streets?
-Does the frame fit? If not, how expensive will it be to modify the frame and paint if necessary
-Consider planning an anniversary or going on one last show
-Lastly, be considerate of your date/time as you do want people around at peak hours
When considering selling your artwork, you need to consider how the painting will be displayed. There are many factors to take into account such as the room size, lighting, and if you want to include other mediums of art. Before you decide to sell your work, you need to make sure that the painting is shown in an effective way. It is important to always have eye contact with a painting so as not to give people an opportunity to be intimidated.
Establish cash flow equivalents
Before charging someone else to value your art, you’ll want to strive for a number that makes sense. To do this, figure out how much every painting or sculpture is worth in cash. With this knowledge, you can estimate the price you should be asking for them.
If an item is made with investment oil on canvas and it’s somewhere between a 20″-30″, now would be the time to come up with an equally expensive option as a framed oil on canvas piece close to 8-10″
When selling artwork, there’re many things to consider. One of the most important considerations is the amount of time you want your money to be able to make in the sale. For example, if you plan on keeping your artwork for 10 years and may sell them for $50 a year for that decade, then you should take that into account when pricing your piece.
If you are looking to sell your artwork in order to purchase a new car or any number of other things, first establish the value that you could get for the piece. Estimate what you could get from selling the artwork and applying that cost to buying a new car—let’s say $50,000. If you price your art too high, potential buyers may be unwilling to spend on it since the return won’t be as high. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you price it too low, there’s less potential for profit.
What types of paintings sell most?
Different types of paintings typically sell depending on the lifestyle being portrayed. For example, portraits of people are typically considered to be more desirable and will draw higher prices than still life images. People who prefer genre paintings such as landscapes or anatomical studies generally tend to gravitate towards those types. Landscapes tend to appeal to people who are looking for a more modern aesthetic with the ability for others to identify themselves in the painting. Still life images offer those who like realism and realism often appeals to those with a classic design aesthetic
It’s not necessarily that people want certain types of artwork. However, there are some things to consider before selling your artwork. One of the most important factors is how close in age it is to the current market trends. For instance, out dated paintings might sell well compared to what other artists who have more success with new perspectives have achieved.
First off, never expect to make a million dollars on your art. It’s not likely that your paintings will pan out to be the perfect pieces of art in their field that manages to get snapped up by collectors in the highest denominations and available at every fine museum. However, there are some painting processes that sell more successfully than others based on certain demographics. Since it is tough to predict which painting process will prove best for you, things like size and medium should also be taken into account when stepping through how to go about selling your paintings.
Some of the most successful materials for large oil paintings are ones with religious themes, but it isn’t the best idea to sell portraits or landscapes exclusively. Portraits always market well too, especially if you have a celebrity likeness of someone who has died (get permission first).
Should you sell online or not?
If you’re selling an item of artwork online these are some things to think about before you do so. For example, if your asking price is low and the work isn’t that nice because it’s still up for sale, then maybe you should wait for a higher price before selling it. But if the artwork is in demand and/or of a high quality, then sell it now.
Before making the leap to online sales, it’s important to think carefully about why you’re selling and whether or not your work is in demand. Before making the jump, learn more about what collectors are seeking and how you might be able to stand out from the competition.
More and more artists have found an online art market to be useful. Although buying and selling art online has made the process a lot smoother, it doesn’t mean you should rush in and sell your artwork at the first best offer that comes to you. Here are ten critical things to consider before taking the plunge.
