Does art make a good gift for men?

The short answer is… yes! 

Art is not made for a single type of person. The purpose of art is to tell the story of humans: Where we have been, how we see the World and how we feel about what we see. 

Designing your own art gallery in your personal living space lets you express yourself in ways that simply cannot be achieved with other common household objects. However, when buying art for your significant other, a little groundwork is needed to make sure that you know what kind of art he is sure to love. 

This article will help you navigate through the World of art with a series of prompts designed to narrow down your search. Continue reading to learn all the tips and tricks to finding an art piece for him that you can feel confident he will treasure for a lifetime. 

Top 5 Things to Consider When Buying Art for Men

#1 – Subject Matter vs. His Unique Interests

Some men are simple. They seem to be cut from the same cloth, interested in fast cars, hand tools and the color blue. While these indicators can be applied to some, an open mind will always go deeper with the goal of finding that niche and specific passion that makes your man inspired.

Ask yourself: Is he a motorhead? A rock n’ roll fan? A handyman? An aviator?

Starting with broad questions and working your way inward will help you accurately determine the best piece of art for your man. When it comes to buying art as a gift, your goal is to be as specific as possible with the subject matter. 

Remember: Art was made to be admired! If he will hang any art on his wall, it is bound to be something that inspires him each and every time he walks past it. 

Example: Your significant other is a motorhead that loves Corvettes, but his interest in cars wanes for Fords. In this scenario, you will look for an art piece that features the specific model and make of the vehicle that he would want to stand in front of and admire. 

Example #2: He’s a rock n’ roll fanatic. The Rolling Stones are his favourite rock group, but he does not have much of a passion for KISS. In this scenario, you would search for an art piece featuring the rock n’ roll band he cannot seem to stop raving about.

#2 – The Style Of Art vs. His Individual Style

Subject matter is one thing, but style is another. An art piece with a subject matter that is perfectly suited for your man can be spoiled if delivered in the wrong artistic style or with the wrong color palette. Based on the intimate knowledge you keep of your significant other, you can pull out certain ideals that will guide you in your selection process. 

For example, does he love a certain color, but hate another? Did you design your home together? Did he have reservations about certain patterns, textures and designs? Does he have a wardrobe that distinctly speaks to his tastes? What type of background scheme does he use on his phone and computer? What colors, patterns, textures and design elements can you ‘swatch’ from the visual portfolio he has created just by living his life?

If your man gravitates towards abstraction, impressionism and conceptualism, you will most likely be in the camp of looking for a surreal art piece. If he tends toward lifelike, picturesque and precise visual elements, you will most likely be in the camp of looking for a realistic art piece.

#3 – How The Art Piece Will Integrate With His Current Living Space

Great art does not have to match your couch; however, the art you give to your man as a gift will more than likely seamlessly integrate into his existing living space if you have been scrupulous and specific in your selection process.

In the context of consideration #2, you now have a nice collection of textures, colors, designs, ideas and patterns that make up the environment of where your man spends most of his time. 

How will the art piece you choose for him enhance this existing space? Does he live in the city, the suburbs or the countryside? If he lives in the city, is he looking for a slice of nature to hone him into another place? If he lives in the suburbs, is he looking for something powerful, galvanized and innovative to remind him of the excitement and adrenaline coursing through the Earth?

It is all about using your creative whimsy to optimize and enhance his everyday living situation with the right art piece. Beautiful art deserves the spotlight of the room, and the room should be ideal for accepting it.

#4 – The Visual Elements That Draw Out His Emotion

We all know how the construct goes: Women should be emotional, nurturing beings, and men should be strong and assertive. So does that mean that men only like art that features motorcycles, women and fast cars? 

Not at all!

In the art World, your everyday gender ideals just do not hold because–circling back to the point made in consideration #1–art is not made for just one specific person; rather, it has the power, the magic, to strike a chord with literally anyone.

Consider the last great movie you and your man watched together, an amazing vacation you both took, or something you did together that brought a wonderful memory to his mind. What time(s) in his life does he have complete nostalgia for?

Example 1: Perhaps he remembers spending time listening to his grandfather talk about being a military pilot. Finding a painting with the exact plane his grandfather used to fly can connect him to times gone past. 

Example 2: Maybe he spent most of his summers sharing stories and laughter with his father as they restored a classic car. Finding a painting with the exact car he used to rebuild with his father will satisfy that nostalgia he feels for his childhood. 

A gift that incites an emotional response is perhaps the greatest gift you can give.

#5 – The Value Of The Art

The final factor determines the value of the art piece you have in mind. While value is not necessarily an indicator that speaks to his connection to the art piece, knowing the appraised value of an art piece is an important step for an art wise collector. 

Limited edition print series secure the high-value of an art piece; knowing that he owns one of a hundred prints, for example, will immediately station your man as an exclusive fan of the subject matter in the piece. 

Considering that he will most likely spend time discussing the piece with house guests, giving the art piece something of value beyond its aesthetic appeal reinforces the true magic that is collecting art and showcasing it in your personal living space.

Conclusion

You do not have to be a seasoned collector to give art as a gift for your man’s next birthday, your anniversary or what have you; however, the more you know about art, the more confidently positioned you will be when you are out and about exploring the market.

Choosing art is less about matching it to your interior design and more about understanding your emotional and creative instincts as a human being. At Suchiu Art, we believe that artwork should serve to remind you of the sweetness of life, whether that be in the form of nostalgia, hope or inspiration. 

As a lifelong artist with over 30 years of experience in the industry, Suchiu has the top-of-line knowledge for collecting art that beginners are asking for.

So, he created The Beginner’s Guide to Collecting Art You will Cherish for a Lifetime to teach people everything there is to know, when you do not even know where to start. 

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