PART 2 - SIX GOLDEN RULES OF ART COLLECTING

Successful art collectors observe several golden rules of art collecting:

1) BUY WHAT YOU LIKE

This should be obvious, but this golden rule is actually often given a low priority by novice art collectors, much to their regret later on. Remember, art is meant to be displayed and enjoyed. Don't buy anything which doesn't appeal to you.

Explore!
You can never go wrong with buying any kind of art, as long as it gives you pleasure and it is within your budget. Buy what appeals to you. Art is individualistic, so go ahead and explore. You don't have to follow well-trodden paths and buy familiar art. Let art be an expression of your personality.

Do Your Research And Planning
For serious collectors who are interested in building a collection with some value, it's good advice to do some homework before you put your money down. Collecting is really about focus, or building a meaningful grouping of pieces, rather than just randomly acquiring and displaying pieces. Careful planning and research is what sets smart collectors apart from others.

2) EDUCATE YOURSELF

The more you know about the subject, the better. This is especially important if you're considering parting with a hefty sum of money for a piece of 'art'. You don't need to be professionally trained to make smart decisions about art. Anyone can become a wise collector with patience and discipline.

Know Your Subject
Ask yourself why a particular piece of art is worth acquiring. Keep this mantra going in your head:

• Who is the artist?
• How important is the artwork?
• What is the artwork's history and documentation?
• Is the asking price fair?

We'll examine these questions in detail in Part 3 of this series, titled "THE ART OF ASSESSING TRUE VALUE".

3) DEVELOP A MASTER PLAN FOR COLLECTING

If you're planning to collect art seriously, you should think beyond picking up just anything that catches your fancy. There are millions of collectors out there and plenty of piecemeal collections. What makes a collection superior to others and, therefore, more valuable?

Purpose And Planning
The smartest collectors plan every acquisition. They never collect in a haphazard way. Once they've decided what they like, they start planning some sort of order or characteristic for their collection. Smart collecting is organized. It is well thought- out so that all the pieces in the collection relate well to each other. Everything in the collection should work together to strengthen the collection, and not be out of place.

This is purposeful and planned collecting. A good collection should illustrate a point, or address a question, such as "How has the use of colors in stone lithography progressed?" A good collection enhances understanding of a certain area of art, or even a certain period of an artist's life. It should have fine and, ideally, rare specimens of the subject. Brought together in a meaningful collection, each piece has more value.

                                                                                        Part 2 Cont'd