How to Choose a Painting

Buying a painting feels like a big decision for many people. After all, it will be with you for years, hanging prominently in your home, saying something about who you are. Yet the choice is simpler than it seems if you keep a few basic principles in mind.

Step 1: Trust your first reaction

When you look at a painting and your pulse quickens — pay attention. That first visceral reaction is more reliable than any rational consideration. If a work still won’t let you go after five minutes, that’s a good sign.

Step 2: Ask yourself the time question

Do you still want to see this work in five years? In ten? Art that plays to trends dates quickly. Timeless works — strong in colour, powerful in composition, authentic in character — grow with you.

Step 3: Consider size and space

A painting must suit the space — not just physically, but also in atmosphere. Measure the wall and see what size fits. A large, exuberant work by Norbert de Jong demands space and attention. A smaller work can be intimate in a personal corner.

Step 4: Get to know the artist

Art that you understand — because you know who made it, what drives them, in which tradition they work — has more to say. Take time to read about Norbert de Jong’s background. His Outsider Art roots, his mixed media technique, his exhibitions all give context and depth.

Step 5: Buy original

A reproduction or print does not have the energy of an original painting. The matter — the paint, the texture, the traces of the artist’s hand — makes an original work unique. An original also retains its value, whereas prints rarely do.

Norbert de Jong: original paintings

Every work by Norbert de Jong is a unique, handmade original in mixed media. Browse the current collection in the webshop or read more on paintings for sale.