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Learn with Erin-Marie Wallace

How to Value Fine Art

Learn practical techniques to help you value fine art with expert dealer & auctioneer Erin-Marie Wallace.

Course overview

In this lesson you will learn to train your eye to look closely at the specific visual details in a work of art to find your first clues as to when it was made. You will learn to interrogate their clothing, the architecture, furniture – anything that changes with times and tastes to help you accurately date a painting, print or drawing. You will examine how to assess the condition of a painting, print or drawing and how to analyse it for damage, restoration or conservation.

Meet Erin-Marie Wallace

Erin-Marie Wallace BFA, MA, AU Erin-Marie is an experienced arts professional with an infectious enthusiasm for clients and collections. She holds a Master’s Degree in Fine and Decorative Art and Design from Sotheby’s Institute, London, and is a licensed auctioneer and USPAP certified appraiser. She has extensive, international experience evaluating fine and decorative art for fair market or insurance values, she can teach you how to tell the difference between ‘Fine Art’ and ‘Just Art.’ After completing her Master’s Degree, Erin-Marie guided an international roster of clients as they acquired and developed collections of British ceramics and art pottery. She then worked as the Director of the Fine Art Program for a nationally televised auction house. In addition to presenting on-air, she was responsible for collection management, cataloging and evaluation of all fine and decorative art. Currently, Erin-Marie is CEO and auctioneer for Rare-Era, an international auction house and appraisal firm she founded, which specializes in buying and selling fine and decorative art all over the world. Additionally, her cataloging expertise is consulted by auction houses and businesses (i.e. Jasper52, Lofty). She is a subject matter expert (SME) in fine art and ceramics and has managed and advised private and public collections worldwide. Her background includes first-hand knowledge of paintings, prints and drawings, ceramics and most fine art mediums. Erin-Marie wants you to know that, “These experiences ensure a comprehensive knowledge of the art market and art history; I welcome you to the class and look forward to our conversations.”

Course description

Learn how to value art with Erin-Marie Wallace, expert dealer, auctioneer, appraiser and practicing artist. Erin-Marie will share with you the essential techniques she has honed over 20 years, to give you a logical methodology to realistically value paintings, prints and drawings.

After completing this course you will be equipped with the specific steps to be able to make a rational assessment and feel confident in answering the all-important question ‘how much is it worth?’. You will be equipped to spot ‘Fine Art’ in the most unsuspecting of places.

Throughout the course Erin-Marie will share her techniques using actual art pieces from the field – it is rare you’ll be handed a museum quality piece, with a museum provenance and not know it’s value, so this course will give you realistic examples of the kind of art you will experience in the real-world and art valuation techniques.

This course is a complimentary course to Erin-Marie’s other course The First Principles of Assessing Fine Art. In making a full evaluation of fine art you will need to have a good working knowledge of both the medium and materials used in Fine Art as well as an ability to assess the date and condition of the piece, leading to a realistic assessment of its value.

During this course you will be set optional assignments giving you real life examples to value using the techniques outlined during the course.

Each lesson is accompanied with course notes with handy links to further research resources.

You'll learn:
  • How to value art - paintings, prints and drawings
  • Assessing the condition and heritage of works of art
  • Dating art works
  • Methodology and techniques to work out "how much is it worth"
Time to complete this assessing fine art course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 3 hours 20 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lesson: 1 hour 20 minutes in total
  • Assignment: at least 1 hour per lesson
You'll need:

You don't need any special equipment, but you will be identifying and analysing art works.

The course is suitable for all levels - beginners to art experts who want to learn from a specialist.

The course includes:
  • On-demand video lessons - presented by Erin-Marie Wallace
  • lifetime access to the video, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical (optional) art valuation projects
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom chat online to students from around the world
Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Erin-Marie and questions.

Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.