Are you an investor looking to diversify your investments, or perhaps you’re a new investor looking for something other than traditional stocks and bonds to invest in. No matter what your situation, investing in art can prove to be lucrative, if you do your research. While novice art investors can be initially intimidated by their lack of knowledge in the field, educating yourself as to the variety of options available will go far in reducing that intimidation.

If you’re considering investing in art, here are a few good reasons why you should, along with a few downsides that should be considered:

• A variety of options available – While most new investors think paintings when considering whether to invest in art, there are a variety of media options to choose from, including photography, prints, sculpture, and drawings.

• The ability to start slowly – The ability to purchase a single piece of art allows you to fall in love with a single piece and add to your collection as time and money allows. Your collection can be as small or as large as you wish, with the ability to add to it at any time.

• You remain in control of your investment – Many of us are reluctant to relinquish control, which traditional investing can do. However, when purchasing art as an investment, you are entirely in control, from choosing the initial piece, to displaying and caring for the artwork.

• No volatility – the stock market is notorious for its volatility, with stock frequently soaring to new highs, only to drop precipitously the following week. But artwork tends to appreciate slowly, without the extreme highs and lows that other investors may experience.

• You can enjoy your investment as it appreciates – Unlike stocks and bonds, art work can be enjoyed while it steadily appreciates in value. In fact, many people who have valuable art collections started collecting because they simply love art.

Here are some disadvantages to consider when deciding whether to invest in art:

• A lot of initial research is needed – Unlike stocks and bonds, where you can go on the advice of professionals or check recent performance, investing in art requires more than a rudimentary knowledge of art. Prior to buying any piece as a potential investment, be sure to research the piece itself, the artist, the gallery, or the online seller thoroughly.

• No liquidity – compared to other investment options, selling a piece of art can take a considerable amount of time.

• Artwork requires attention – Will you display your piece in your home, or will you store it somewhere? Either way, the piece will require safekeeping from damages, including fires, floods, and other natural disasters.

• No guarantee that it will actually appreciate in value – If you purchase artwork to enjoy primarily, while also looking at it as an investment, this is likely not as important as those purchasing a piece strictly for its potential to appreciate in value. While it’s unlikely that you’ll lose money on your purchase, the fact is that you may never see a rise in value for any piece of art purchased.

While it’s true that investing in art is not a good fit for everyone, those that want to touch and enjoy their investments may want to consider this option when broadening their investment portfolio.