Being in the art business, I hear this question often: What is the value of a painting?

Even with the internet, art prices aren’t set in stone. There are many factors. Here is a list of a few rules that can help you price a painting.

1. Who is the artist? A scribble from Picasso is worth a lot. A masterpiece oil painting from your cousin can end up in the salvation army thrift store. (A Picasso can too, but unlikely.)

2. Comps. See what the artist sold on auction recently for a similar painting. Liveauctioneers.com is a great resource.

3. Oil/Acrylic, pastel, watercolor and drawing. That’s the general order of highest value.

4. Google is your friend. If you search the artist and there’s zero results, it’s a very good indicator of its value. (Unless you can’t read the artist signature and can’t figure out the name)

5. Appraisals can be deceiving. Appraisers usually get paid by percentage of the value of the painting.

6. Respected gallery or dealer selling the artist. Random shows or pop-up galleries are just that. A gallery will usually help you sell a painting you purchased from them if you need cash.

7. If the artist has a strong social media presence and activity, it reflects demand for the artist’s work.

By Moshe Frank

Moshe Frank is the owner of Leviim Art Gallery in Brooklyn. The Leviim Art Gallery website is: http://leviimart.com/