The Art of Buying Art Online: ArtStar

There is something to admire and appreciate about websites that do all the work for you and Artstar is just one of those sites. Even if you already have a good eye for art, you most likely do not have the time to go searching through the countless number of names and galleries that exist to find the ones you want. Luckily, Artstar's curators do all the work for you. Their team of specialists are highly skilled and erudite in different fields of art, and bring together a wealth of experience. Most importantly, these behind-the-scenes art makers know how pick artists with something clever and beautiful to offer. And much like 20x200, Artstar offers prints and originals at affordable prices (with prices for prints starting from $25 to $450). Here are just a few of my favourites.

1. Michael Schall

2. Firelei Baez

3. Liu Jin

4. Han Bing

5. Meena Hasan

6. Christina Dixcy

7. Zaria Forman

8. Tian Taiquan

The Art of Buying Art Online: 20x200

Using the motto, Art for Everyone, 20x200 aims to make digital art prints the first step in acquiring an art collection. Jen Bekman the owner and creator behind this online art gallery hopes that buyers will become interested in original artwork as a result of 20x200. "Art doesn't have to be expensive to be good" are some of the words you'll notice while visiting the site and when you browse through the long list of artists (200+) you'll know you're in the right place for buying high quality art at an affordable price. While some may take issue with digital prints of original art the reality remains that many art lovers simply cannot afford expensive originals. 20x200 corrects that problem by making limited edition prints available in various sizes all of them starting at $20 each. All prints are exclusive to the gallery and are signed and dated by the artist.  Profits are split 50/50 between the artist and 20x200 and upon request, some originals may be available for sale. After sifting through the entire inventory I found these to be my favourites: 

1.  Bob O'Connor

2.   Dorthe Alstrup

3.  James Deavin

4.  Jason Burch

5.  Jeff Lewis

 

6.  Jennifer Sanchez

7.   Joseph O. Holmes

8.  Keith Taylor

9.  Kotama Bouabane

10.  Ky Anderson

11.  Lauren DiCioccio

12.  Matthew Tischler

13.  Michelle Arcila 

14.  Jaclyn Mednicov

15.  Michelle Muldrow

16.  Shen Wei

17.  Valerie Roybal

18.  Kent Rogowski

The Art of Buying Art Online: 20ltd

When it comes to buying art online there is a myriad of options available to you. Depending on your purchasing power you can either opt for the traditional route of buying art directly from an auction house or art gallery or you can try some of the newly created art websites devoted specifically to making art accessible and affordable across all income brackets. This week I will explore several of these websites and highlight some of my favourite art works from each one. The focus today will be on 20ltd, an online shop offering all things beautiful and well-designed including limited-edition fine art photography. Based in England, 20ltd represents a portfolio of finely selected prints from well-established photographers from all over the world in a variety of subject areas including landscape photography, female nudes, portraiture and aerial photography.  

1.  Alexander Orion (£2,350-4,650)

Alexander Orion is a Brazilian graffiti artist and photographer who captures the inhabitants of São Paolo in the context of his street art.  After he creates his images on the walls of the city he awaits for the ideal moment to photograph the activity of life.

2.  Vincent Laforet (£3,680-4,300)

Vincent Laforet is an American-based, Pulitzer prize-winning photographer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, National Geographic and many others. His aerial photography uniquely captures scenes and landscapes to stunning effect.

3.  Horst & Daniel Zielske (£4,190)

Horst & Daniel Zielske, is a father and son team from Germany, who photographed the changing city of Shanghai as it morphed into a flourishing metropolis. The skyline dotted with architectural giants here becomes a compass for the city as the remnants of the past litter on the periphery. 

4.  Bran Symondson (£5,400)

Bran Symondson, is a former British soldier who had a chance to capture the Afghan policemen during their spare moments when not fighting the Taliban.  These armed men decorated with pink flowers and often found in the country's poppy fields are too fascinating for words.

5.  Paolo Pellizzari (£3,830) {Please zoom this picture to see the details}

Paolo Pellizzari is an Italian photographer known for his large format panoramic photography and striking juxtapositions.  His landscape images capture human activity on the backdrop of man-made environments in dynamic new ways.

6.  Jocelyn Bain Hogg (£1,640-3,575)

Jocelyn Bain Hogg is a British photographer whose distinguished work has appeared in too many publications to list.  His photography is raw and edgy and and reveals an honest understanding of his subject matter.   

7.  Arthur Meehan (£2,555)

Arthur Meehan is an American photographer now based in London whose images of the female nude are completely free of manipulation.  His subjects are captured as tastefully and naturally as possible conveying a quiet elegance and sensuality.