• Discover Paintings

• Speak Like an Art Dealer

• Find Paintings on eBay Australia

• Buy Paintings With Confidence

• Need More Help?

• Legal Disclaimer

Discover Paintings

Discover Paintings

The first step in determining what type of painting to purchase is deciding whether you want to collect paintings from a particular artist, genre, time period, or medium or simply want to add that personal touch to your home décor. To discover which style appeals to you most, bring the art gallery home and window-shop for paintings on eBay Australia. Popular painting styles include:

• Abstract paintings: Abstract art is just that – abstract. An artist may exaggerate or simplify the form of the subject to attach emotion or other meaning to it.

• Art deco paintings: Art Deco, a form of abstract art, celebrates technical advances of the 1920s and 1930s. Art deco paintings have a slick, metallic look, include jarring angles, and use colours of machinery.

• Impressionist paintings: During the Impressionist era of the late 19th century, painters such as Monet and Renoir altered their strokes to approximate the effects of changes in lighting on a subject. Impressionism remains a popular style for modern-day painters, collectors and art enthusiasts.

• Surreal paintings: Surrealism features objects that look or act unnaturally or are depicted together unexpectedly, as in a dream. Salvador Dali is perhaps one of the more famous Surrealist artists.

• Gouache watercolours: Gouache paintings, a type of watercolour, include white pigments that make them thicker and more opaque than other watercolours.

• Pop art: Pop art depicts contemporary, common objects in a way that makes a statement about modern culture. The pop art movement is most often associated with Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns.

• Realist paintings: Realism portrays faithful and realistic depictions of subjects, arising from the idea that any subject in and of itself is worthy of being painted

Before you make that final decision, ensure that the chosen style will complement the décor and style of the room in which it will hang.

Decide between original paintings and reproductions

eBay Australia offers an extensive selection of original paintings, some even listed by the artist themselves. If the artwork you want to purchase is purely for decoration, then a quality reproduction might suit the budget. For example, high-resolution digital reproductions, called giclees, typically hold up well over time and even hang in some galleries. These high-resolution prints are produced from digital images created on a six-colour inkjet printer, and can be printed onto canvas, watercolour paper, or other media.

Speak Like an Art Dealer

Speak Like an Art Dealer

Before you purchase a painting on eBay Australia, ensure you pay close attention to the details in item listings, including the description of the painting's size and condition. Images can also give you an idea of size and condition. Also make sure you understand the jargon used in the art world so that you can feel comfortable with your purchase.

• Catalogue raisonné: The catalogue raisonné is a comprehensive listing of an artist’s works, which includes details about the ownership of each painting, current condition and images of each painting.

• Provenance: Provenance is a document detailing past ownership and condition of a print as well as where it has been displayed. Provenance helps validate authenticity of a piece and sellers should be able to provide the provenance of original paintings. Provenance of older paintings may be incomplete or nonexistent as documentation can get lost or damaged over long periods of ownership.

• Proof of authenticity: Ask for proof that a credentialed expert has studied the painting and can verify its authenticity. However, there is usually no 100% guarantee that the artwork is from a certain artist. This third-party evaluator should be able to provide their own credentials that demonstrate expertise in a particular style, genre, or artist as well. Do not accept any type of certificate of authenticity; the art world does not generally use them.

• Attributed to: The words "attributed to" indicate that an expert has evaluated the style and other factors of a particular painting and has determined that a particular artist has most likely produced that painting. However, the expert cannot definitively confirm that the artist has produced the painting.

Always ask the seller if you have any questions about a particular listing. Experienced sellers will want to make you as content as possible so that you will shop with them again. When you find a seller you like, find out if they operate an eBay Store – they may even specialise in your favourite artist or genre. As a collector, forging a relationship with larger, more experienced sellers can give you increased peace of mind, as they may use reliable experts to appraise their paintings.

Find Paintings on eBay Australia

Find Paintings on eBay Australia

Once you know what type of painting you want, go to the Art portal, click Paintings, and start searching for art on eBay Australia.

• Categories: The primary categories within paintings, Antique (Pre - 1900), Modern (1900 - 49), Contemporary (1950 - Now), will help you get started in your search for the perfect painting.

• Keyword search: Search eBay Australia listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find a reproduction of an Impressionist oil painting by Van Gogh, type "Van Gogh reproduction" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay Australia's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Australia Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay Australia will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Paintings With Confidence

Buy Paintings With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay Australia and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay Australia (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay Australia protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay Australia item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay Australia sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay Australia and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorised payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,500.

• eBay Australia Security & Resolution Centre: Visit the Security & Resolution Centre to learn how to protect your account and use eBay Australia's quick and efficient resolution tools.

Need More Help?

Need More Help?

Visit our help pages or start a thread on one of our Community Discussion Boards - If you have a quick question that needs answering, try posting it on our community Answer Centre - there's bound to be a seasoned eBay Australia veteran with just the information you're looking for!

Legal Disclaimer

Legal Disclaimer

Buying Guides are intended merely as a guide or review for members when considering what products or services they may be interested in bidding on or purchasing. eBay does not make, and nothing in these Buying Guides is intended to constitute, any warranties, guarantees, representations or assurances about the accuracy of the information or content contained in these Buying Guides. Furthermore, eBay does not make, and nothing in these Buying Guides is intended to constitute, any warranties, guarantees, representations or assurances about the nature or performance of the products or services appearing in the Buying Guides. Content, trademarks and brands referred to and contained in the third-party links provided are the property of their respective owners, and eBay has no control over and accepts no responsibility for their content. eBay is not affiliated with nor does it endorse the use of any particular product or service.