4 ms·

Link to poor people art please? (And please don't let it be Homer Simpson art---i.e. garbage smashed together. And I don't count digital prints as art.)

reverend_gonzo 13y ago
Check ebay, check etsy, search google for specific types of art if you know what kind of stuff you're looking for. Art in other (poorer) countries is also far cheaper than art in first world nations. Of course, well known artists will command serious prices, but for every well known artist, there dozens of other lesser-known artists with comparable quality and styles that you can get a lot cheaper. Or commission your own art if there's something specific you're looking for. Once again, if you're looking for something down by a specific person, you're going to pay for that brand, but if there's a styler you're looking for, you should be able to find someone to do it for a lot less.
- josephjrobison 13y ago
  Completely agree. If you know where to look and know what you like, there are tons of lesser known artists that can very well be just as good as every other artist. I saw a good post on Quora [1] that recommends you look at University student art shows as a really good tactic. I happen to know a lot of artists sell their art on eBay and not every one of those sells for the price that same artist would sell the piece for at an art show. [1] https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-strategies-for-buying-art-affordably https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-strategies-for-buying-ar...
grey-area 13y ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portraits_by_Vincent_van_Gogh#Doctor_Rey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portraits_by_Vincent_van_Gogh#D... Some of them he couldn't even give away! Seriously though, if you want cheap art then visit some art student graduation shows or visit the cinema. Amazon has probably moved into this area because it is high margin and they'll get a big cut and compete with eBay, not through any desire to democratize fine art, so I doubt they'd want the prices low.
JonnieCache 13y ago
Find your local art college and attend their graduation show.
- mturmon 13y ago
  Good suggestion. Group shows at a small gallery, or benefit auctions for local arts-related organizations are another idea. You can get access to more mature work that way. You don't generally want solo shows at galleries, but at group shows, people will show smaller works. You have to be well-informed enough to know the gallery and their artists, of course. Benefit auctions often feature works that local artists have laying around in their studios and donate to the auction (partly for the tax write-off, although that is monitored now). You have to be confident of your eye, and choose the right auction, one that is connected to local artists with actual talent. All of the above requires footwork and an independent interest in contemporary art. This disqualifies 99.9% of people.
- moens 13y ago
  I cannot agree more. There will be a lot of so-so, but... there will be some stunners as well. Not sure where all these people end up, but there are some amazingly talented young artists out there... many of whom can and do produce better art than most of what you will purchase at an art auction. They just don't have the name or the history yet! Often a single collector or gallery will make all the difference for a young artist. One single person that buys enough of their art for them to make it on that part-time coffee house job and still pursue their art.
pessimizer 13y ago
http://deviantart.com http://deviantart.com http://etsy.com http://etsy.com http://yourlocalcoffeeshop.irl http://yourlocalcoffeeshop.irl
phinnaeus 13y ago
Why don't digital prints count as art? I have some lithographs that I got framed, they look amazing.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  I'm not an art purist, but I'd speculate that you run into issues with sheen and shadowing with medium like oil paints, which have a 3D shape on the canvas. It would be difficult to accurately capture & faithfully reproduce.
  - JulianMorrison 13y ago
    Now I'm imagining a plotter with the ability to control pressure, height, and angle, and a paintbrush rigged with accelerometers for motion capture…
daveid 13y ago
You could commission a new piece of art and it wouldn't cost as much as some of those: https://artistsnclients.com https://artistsnclients.com Disclaimer: I am dev/founder of A&C
jianshen 13y ago
What price range do you consider "poor people art"? If an artist (even an amateur) spent say 20 hours on an original piece that you absolutely loved, how much are you willing to pay today to that artist?
JulianMorrison 13y ago
Attend a "con" where artists go to sell their work. I picked up some good art in Hyper Japan in London a week ago. A print, but the original is digital and it was signed by the artist (DestinyBlue on Deviant Art). Bonus: getting to meet the artist.
bcbrown 13y ago
I'm a big fan of Northwest Coast Native American art, which you can get for under $500 framed at places such as www.thelegacyltd.com

reverend_gonzo 13y ago

Check ebay, check etsy, search google for specific types of art if you know what kind of stuff you're looking for. Art in other (poorer) countries is also far cheaper than art in first world nations. Of course, well known artists will command serious prices, but for every well known artist, there dozens of other lesser-known artists with comparable quality and styles that you can get a lot cheaper. Or commission your own art if there's something specific you're looking for. Once again, if you're looking for something down by a specific person, you're going to pay for that brand, but if there's a styler you're looking for, you should be able to find someone to do it for a lot less.

josephjrobison 13y ago
Completely agree. If you know where to look and know what you like, there are tons of lesser known artists that can very well be just as good as every other artist. I saw a good post on Quora [1] that recommends you look at University student art shows as a really good tactic. I happen to know a lot of artists sell their art on eBay and not every one of those sells for the price that same artist would sell the piece for at an art show. [1] https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-strategies-for-buying-art-affordably https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-strategies-for-buying-ar...

grey-area 13y ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portraits_by_Vincent_van_Gogh#Doctor_Rey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portraits_by_Vincent_van_Gogh#D... Some of them he couldn't even give away! Seriously though, if you want cheap art then visit some art student graduation shows or visit the cinema. Amazon has probably moved into this area because it is high margin and they'll get a big cut and compete with eBay, not through any desire to democratize fine art, so I doubt they'd want the prices low.

JonnieCache 13y ago

Find your local art college and attend their graduation show.

mturmon 13y ago
Good suggestion. Group shows at a small gallery, or benefit auctions for local arts-related organizations are another idea. You can get access to more mature work that way. You don't generally want solo shows at galleries, but at group shows, people will show smaller works. You have to be well-informed enough to know the gallery and their artists, of course. Benefit auctions often feature works that local artists have laying around in their studios and donate to the auction (partly for the tax write-off, although that is monitored now). You have to be confident of your eye, and choose the right auction, one that is connected to local artists with actual talent. All of the above requires footwork and an independent interest in contemporary art. This disqualifies 99.9% of people.
moens 13y ago
I cannot agree more. There will be a lot of so-so, but... there will be some stunners as well. Not sure where all these people end up, but there are some amazingly talented young artists out there... many of whom can and do produce better art than most of what you will purchase at an art auction. They just don't have the name or the history yet! Often a single collector or gallery will make all the difference for a young artist. One single person that buys enough of their art for them to make it on that part-time coffee house job and still pursue their art.

pessimizer 13y ago

http://deviantart.com http://deviantart.com http://etsy.com http://etsy.com http://yourlocalcoffeeshop.irl http://yourlocalcoffeeshop.irl

phinnaeus 13y ago

Why don't digital prints count as art? I have some lithographs that I got framed, they look amazing.

sliverstorm 13y ago
I'm not an art purist, but I'd speculate that you run into issues with sheen and shadowing with medium like oil paints, which have a 3D shape on the canvas. It would be difficult to accurately capture & faithfully reproduce.
- JulianMorrison 13y ago
  Now I'm imagining a plotter with the ability to control pressure, height, and angle, and a paintbrush rigged with accelerometers for motion capture…

daveid 13y ago

You could commission a new piece of art and it wouldn't cost as much as some of those: https://artistsnclients.com https://artistsnclients.com Disclaimer: I am dev/founder of A&C

jianshen 13y ago

What price range do you consider "poor people art"? If an artist (even an amateur) spent say 20 hours on an original piece that you absolutely loved, how much are you willing to pay today to that artist?

JulianMorrison 13y ago

Attend a "con" where artists go to sell their work. I picked up some good art in Hyper Japan in London a week ago. A print, but the original is digital and it was signed by the artist (DestinyBlue on Deviant Art). Bonus: getting to meet the artist.

bcbrown 13y ago

I'm a big fan of Northwest Coast Native American art, which you can get for under $500 framed at places such as www.thelegacyltd.com