Look at as much art as possible before you make your selection. In addition to museums and for-profit galleries,  please check out local outdoor exhibitions, co-op and non-profit galleries, and art in public spaces such as banks, restaurants and libraries. The Internet is another great way to find a large variety of fine art available worldwide. One advantage of using the Internet is that you can search for the specific kind of art you are interested in, whether it's photography, impressionism, bronze sculpture, or abstract painting.

Search for great art that you favor. Check out the self-representing artists for your best values. Stay clear of the assembly line Chinese art, as these are mostly rip-offs from legitimate artists on eBay. There are many artists who represent themselves at a savings to you. Don't forget to check feedback. Numerous negatives will often burn you. Read about the seller and ask questions before you bid. If they don't respond, look on down the line. You'll find a seller you like who will respond.

Visit school art shows. If you live near a big city which has a well-known Art School, find out when students are going to exhibit their work and attend the show. Though students at famous European schools are likely to be asking more for their work than unknown small town schools, you are still going to be buying cheaper than at a commercial gallery, you know the artist is a top performer in their year, you can be sure they have put a lot of work into their piece, and who knows, they may become very famous and their early paintings will be sought after!

Chinese Waterfall Painting

Select art by size to fit a particular space. Art that is too large will overwhelm and art that is too small will be lost and look out of proportion. The bolder the art, the more room it needs to breathe. Measure the space you want to hang the art and leave enough "white space" so that the painting will not feel crowded.

Choose one that harmonizes with the color of your room. When selecting a painting to match color, select one or two of the boldest colors in your room and look for art that has those colors in it. You're not looking for an exact match here. Picking up one or two of the same colors will send a message that the painting belongs in this environment.

Opt for a painting that matches the style of the paintings is your room. If your house is filled with antiques, for example, you'll want to use antique-style frames on the paintings you hang there. If you have contemporary furniture in large rooms with high ceilings, you'll want to hang large contemporary paintings.

Chinese Bamboo Painting

Chinese painting is of cultural implication, and Chinese bamboo painting is famous. Today, Artisoo gallery will teach you how to draw a Chinese bamboo painting in the flowing steps.

Find suitable bamboo to paint. If you have bamboo growing in the garden, set your easel in front of this. Alternatively, visit the Botanical Gardens or a Chinese Garden in your area. If you cannot find live bamboo, look online for a suitable photo. If you don't have the time to sit before live bamboo, take a photo to help you remember the colors and proportions.

Select the appropriate colors. Bamboo is mostly green, but as in the painting shown above, this coloring can be varied with shades of fawn, beige, etc.

Draw the stem first. Draw this straight. You can add the knobbly elements as you go. Draw a bunch of stems if you are making a bamboo grove; or simply concentrate on drawing a single bamboo length.

Add the leaves. Position these at even intervals along the stem.

Paint the colors. The design above provides a good example of adding shading as you paint, to portray the roundness and smoothness of bamboo.

2. Soak it in a cup of water.

3. Take the brush out when it is soft.

4. Hold the brush in your right or left hand. Holding the brush higher creates weaker, softer strokes while holding closer to the bristles create solid, more defined strokes.

5. Use your ring finger, middle finger and thumb to hold the brush.

6. Keep your elbow above the table.

7. Dip the ink stick in water and grind against the ink stone until the ink has an oily consistency.

8. Bottled ink: Pour ink into the ink stone.

9. Begin writing characters, tilting the brush using the fingers, not the hands. Tilting the brush can add certain effects to the character that may or may not be desirable.

10. Finished Chinese calligraphy painting