A Guide to Buying Art Online - Your Questions Answered

If you've never bought art online before, or perhaps didn't have the best experience in the past, it might feel a bit daunting.

You might be wondering...

• How do I know what will work in my home?
• How do you know you can trust the website?
• What if it looks different in real life than on the screen?
• Is the payment process secure?
• What to expect when it comes to shipping and delivery times?
• What if you change your mind?
• Is it just too big a risk to buy an original artwork without seeing it in person first?

All good and valid questions!

I've written this guide to help you answer these questions and any others that might be holding you back from investing in artwork you love online {or off!}.

The first thing I can say is, buying art online is much easier and more common than it used to be, now that there is so much technology to make it a seamless experience. And that also means that it's safer than ever before too.

I've bought originals and prints online, and find it a very convenient and fun way to add to my collection.

Some things you might want to consider upfront:

Is there a particular type of art you like? Landscapes, seascapes, abstracts, still life, figurative?

If you're not sure, start keeping an eye out for what appeals to you in your day to day life.

Visit local galleries and shops that sell art, look for open studio events, and pay attention to what friends have in their homes too.

You can also hop on Instagram or Pinterest for example, and do a search of 'landscape paintings', or 'still life sketches', or whatever you think you'd like, and see what jumps out at you.

You'll soon get a sense of your preferences when it comes to style, colour, and subject.

What's your budget?

I like to buy original art for myself to mark occasions or celebrate things I'm proud of accomplishing, so I keep aside a sort of mental kitty for art purchases. That way, when I see something I love, I either know I can have it now, or I can save up for it.

Obviously, saving up can take time, and originals are always one of a kind, but some artists make similar works, or will recreate a piece by commission.

TIP: If budget is a consideration, there's often an opportunity to spread the payments. {I'm happy to do this - just ask!}

Where do you want to display it?

Do you want a large painting to hang over the mantlepiece, or a smaller piece to hang in a cosy reading nook? 

I don't plan my artwork purchases this way, but it can be helpful if you're new to collecting art. 

I live in a small cottage, so my options are limited when it comes to size, but there is plenty of beautiful artwork at a smaller scale, and there's something very intimate about a small work, I find. You interact with them in a different way.

Whose art do you love?

Again, you can start making a note - mental or otherwise! - of artists you come across whose work you just love.

A running list in your phone, a Pinterest board, catalogues or postcards from exhibitions, following them on social media or subscribing to their emails - all ways to keep track of your favourite artists.

TIP: I like signing up for emails from my favourite artists and galleries, because I won't always see their social media posts and don't want to miss out on new work. Sign up here to get my Studio Notes {you'll get 15% off your first purchase too!}.

So let's get to the questions I mentioned at the start:

• How do I know what will work in my home?

I always advocate for buying what you love over any other consideration.

If it makes your heart sing, you'll always love it, and unless it's colossal and you live in a tiny studio flat, there are ways to find or make space.

Trust your instincts and what gives you that visceral pull. There's no right or wrong - art is subjective and down to personal taste.

In terms of scale, a good rule of thumb is that the larger the wall, the larger the artwork, or you can create a gallery wall of several different pieces on a big wall. 

Smaller artworks will get lost on a big wall, so they tend to work better in small corners, 'lost' walls {like a section of wall between two doors}, or above chests of drawers, for example.

TIP: If you're not sure about whether one of my paintings will work in your space, send me a photo of your room, and I'll make a mock up to give you an idea.

The room mock up images I use on this website all show the artworks to scale, so you can get a sense of how a painting might look next to a sofa, or above a coffee table, for example.

• How do you know you can trust the website?

Often a website will show markers you can trust, like the credit cards accepted, or different ways to pay.

Look for Privacy, Return and Refund Policies, and Terms of Service links - usually found in the footer at the bottom of a website. {That's where mine are!}

Some websites will have 'trust icons', stating things like guarantees, values, and other evidence of trustworthiness. {Find mine on my homepage.}

Another thing to look for is testimonials from other happy customers, and reviews with star ratings.

If you're ever in doubt, email the site owner first with any questions, and they should be able to answer them satisfactorily for you.

If anything feels off, trust your instincts.

• What if it looks different in real life than on the screen?

Even with the closest possible colour matching, there's still room for discrepancy due to different screen calibrations and settings. 

Most artists {myself included 😊} will do their utmost to ensure the best possible match, and if the photography is good, and you're able to see some close ups on a product page, or even a video, you can get a good sense of the colours.

TIP: Check the artwork you're looking at on different screens - how does it look on a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop?

In fact, one of the most common responses to my work when it's seen in person is 'it looks even better than it does on a screen'. 

• Is the payment process secure?

Again, look out for credit card icons, and any notes about payments and how they work. These can sometimes be found in a website's FAQs if they have them. 

When you get to the check out page, look for the different options and use the one you recognise and feel most comfortable with or already have an account with, like Paypal or Shop Pay, for example.

• What to expect when it comes to shipping and delivery times?

Look for shipping and delivery policies - again often linked in the footer of a website, and if in doubt, ask!

I have footer links, and you'll also find information about shipping and delivery on every product page in the drop down under the product details.

• What if you change your mind?

There should be a return and refund policy, so look for that. {Again, footer!} 

Legally, returns must be an option, although it will vary from artist to artist what the details are in terms of how long you have to change your mind and return a piece for a refund. 

Ask if you're not sure, and make sure you're happy with whatever the particular policy is before committing.

• Is it just too big a risk to buy an original artwork without seeing it in person first?

Given the developments in technology, website functionality, encryption of important information, privacy laws and so on, buying art online is like buying most things online. 

If you do your research, ask questions for peace of mind, and look for the 'markers of trustworthiness' on a website, it's well worth it. 

If you're considering buying a piece of art from me, have a look around my site for those markers! And feel free to ask me any questions if you're not sure about something. 

At the end of the day, it's in my interests to give you a beautiful art buying experience, and as both an artist and a collector myself, that's very important to me.

I want you to be happy with your purchase and feel good about your decision, so I work hard to make sure it's as easy as possible, with updates along the way, and all email responded to promptly. 

Any questions I didn't cover? Please feel free to email me, and I'll be happy to help.