Art Collection Software-Keeping it Simple

     What is the best way to manage your art collection and what is the best software for your art collection?  Clearly this is a personal thing but there is always some functionality that you want to have included and other features that you may not need at all.   There is a big difference between what a single collector needs and what a museum or gallery needs.

     For example, if you are a collector you may just want to have a system that tracks your art and its value, has many photos of each piece and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, is complete enough to convince an insurance company, in the event of a catastrophic loss, to pay you what it is worth.  As a collector you might also want to be able to print a portfolio of your collection for any number of occasions.  You might want to keep a bio on each of the artists that you collect.  On the other hand, if you are a large museum or gallery where you need to manage a lot more details than the average collector, you may want to have things like accounting functions built in.   As a collector, accounting features are generally unnecessary and overkill.  Why pay hundreds of dollars more for features and functionality you do not need?
   
     From my perspective the key element for a collector is to not over pay or get over featured with things you do not want or need, because that may make the whole experience of documenting your art collection more of a hassle than an enjoyable escapade.  This is why My Art Collection's motto has always been "keep it simple."  Personally I really dislike overcomplicated software. I say this because if the software is difficult to use, I probably won't use it even if I have already paid for it.  WIth My Art Collection you can try it before you buy it.  http://www.my-artcollection.com/download/try.html

     When you consider the wide range of pricing that various software's like My Art Collection and others offer, it really becomes an issue of "what do I really need, and how much do I have to pay for it?"  

     My Art Collection starts at $199 for a standard version, $249 for an advanced version and Systems that start at $499 for professional versions that can be used in local area networks by multiple users.  Currently we have a coupon code that will give you 10% off the cost of any of our systems.  Use the code "artbook"

     I always say, keep a record of your art collection, make sure it has visual as well as technical data and keep it up to date.  You'll be happy you did.