Knowing An Artist You May Want To

Collect

A good way to spot an artist who is going to be

someone of note is to look for a strong unusual and

consistent style all their own. If you see an artist billed as

someone who paints `in the style of who-or-whatever',

this is a fair indication this artist is not going to be well

remembered. To paint in the style of someone else is to

stand in his or her shadow.

Many artists will look at another artist's genius and

say, "Wow, I sincerely admire this person's work." And

since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the artist

starts to paint in a style very similar to the one they admire.

For artists, the true gift of genius comes from beyond

themselves. They are driven to create in a certain way. The

way they choose to express their genius becomes their

signature style and something unique in the world. In the

art world the innovator is the one who gets the

credit, not the imitator. Therefore, if an artwork or

artist is an imitation of something or someone else,

unless you love the piece without concern for its

value, stay away.

If you're a collector who wants to see the value of

your artwork go up dramatically it's important to make sure

your favorite artist is someone who has created

something unique. Your artist should have his or her own

signature style or a modification of an accepted style

creating a new effect for which they are credited.

Artists tend to have humble beginnings because their

name and reputation are not fulfilled. Over the years, an

artist will develop, refine, and change methods to a point in