1. Explore art by yourself

You should take the time to look at the artwork by yourself while visiting a gallery. In fact, gallerists will often recommend you specific pieces. If they offer to guide you through the gallery, you can accept and then ask to be alone when looking artworks a second time. By taking the time to look at works on your own, you’ll be able to take a decision without being influenced. In the same way as when you do shopping, don’t feel pressured into buying something you’re not sure about. Because at the end, you are the one who is going to have to live with the art you take home. Collecting is more an intuitive process than impulsive. So if the art work doesn’t inspire you, you may not be drawn to it.

2. Converse with each piece

When you look at an artwork it may seem like having a conversation. The interaction between the piece and you could spawn different reactions depending on your emotions and tastes. If you are responsive during each conversation, then you’ll be able to appreciate your relationship with each piece. And you’ll be aware of any change or evolution of that connection. For instance, you could think about why you like some pieces more than others, how you react to each piece, and ask yourself questions which may influence your reaction or explore a different point of view. Understanding art could be challenging for some, but you shouldn’t rely only on the cosmetic of the piece but also on the aesthetic. Look for pieces which provoke rather than stroke the senses, because you’re more likely to develop a lasting relationship with them.

3. Understand the artistic context

Artists may be influenced by several things during the creative process. It could be part of an established movement, or related to an historical framework, or following the principles of a specific art style. So if you understand the context behind an artwork, you might choose it to complete the overall story of your collection. Artists may also choose their medium depending on the message they want to convey: a painting instead of a photo, an installation instead of a performance, or a drawing instead of a collage. Whether the type of medium you are buying, you should at least think about how the piece will fit into your collection.

4. Shape your collection

In general, collectors tend to buy multiple pieces of one artist, or buy significant works of several artists. If you choose to buy multiple artworks of an artist, you may have an influence on his career. In fact, the value of an artist inversely varies with the number of works exchanged on the art market. Conversely, you may want to build your collection by grouping artworks based on criteria that suit you: gender, location, period, art school, art style, movement, or medium. Focus your buying to give a coherence and structure to your collection as well as keeping a good shape. You’ll find it rewarding to have a specific goal that can be realised, and be satisfied when you add the missing link to your collection. Once completed, you should play with your collection to see if you can hang your pieces differently. That way, it could give a new shape or direction to your collection and open the door to add new pieces.

5. Observe other collections

You could be influenced by the collections of others. The contemporary art collections of famous art collectors are an inspiring guide for aspiring or established collectors wishing to shape and develop their collections. The majority of these collections are open to the public through thematic exhibition or organized group tours. So you’ll be able to explore the taste of the collector, and analyze how he developed his collection. In contrast, you could also join a buying collective which allow members to buy and share artworks between them. That way, you can rotate some art on your wall and gradually build your collection.