Guides & Resources
Practical guides, templates, and comparisons for art collection management. From cataloging your first painting to migrating an institutional archive, there's something here for you.
Best Free Art Collection Software in 2026
Compare the top free and affordable tools for cataloging and managing your art collection.
Read guide →How to Inventory an Art Collection: Complete Step-by-Step
A room-by-room approach to building a complete inventory of your artworks with professional-grade documentation.
Read guide →Art Inventory Apps Compared: Which One Fits Your Needs?
Side-by-side comparison of popular art inventory apps for collectors, artists, and institutions.
Read guide →Artwork Archive vs Artlogic vs ArtVault Pro: Software Comparison
Detailed feature comparison of leading art collection management platforms.
Read guide →Can AI Catalog Your Art Collection? What ChatGPT Gets Right and Wrong
How artificial intelligence is changing art cataloging, and where human expertise still matters.
Read guide →Art Provenance Tracking: A Practical Guide for Collectors
Everything you need to know about documenting and verifying the ownership history of artworks.
Read guide →How to Design a Professional Art Catalogue
Step-by-step guide to creating exhibition catalogues and collection documentation.
Read guide →Art Provenance Template: What to Include and How to Format
Downloadable provenance record template with field-by-field explanations.
Read guide →How to Prove Artwork Authenticity: Documentation Methods
Methods for establishing and documenting the authenticity of paintings, sculptures, and prints.
Read guide →Art Collection Insurance: Documentation Requirements Explained
What insurers require, how often to get appraisals, and how to document your collection for full coverage.
Read guide →Art Condition Reports: Templates and Best Practices
How to create professional condition reports for insurance, loans, and acquisitions.
Read guide →Art Collection Database Template: Fields, Structure, and Setup
Build a structured art collection database with the right fields for cataloging, provenance, and insurance.
Read guide →Open Source Art Collection Software: Self-Hosted Alternatives
Review of open source collection management tools including CollectiveAccess, Omeka, and ResourceSpace.
Read guide →Art Inventory Template for Excel and Google Sheets
Set up an art inventory spreadsheet with the right columns, formatting, and data validation.
Read guide →Provenance vs Authenticity: What's the Difference and Why It Matters
Understand the key differences between provenance and authenticity, how they overlap, and why collectors need both.
Read guide →Art Provenance Examples: What Good (and Bad) Records Look Like
Annotated real-world examples of provenance documentation, from gold-standard chains to problematic gaps.
Read guide →Certificate of Authenticity Template: What to Include and How to Format
Free COA template with field-by-field breakdown. Learn what makes a certificate credible and common mistakes to avoid.
Read guide →Art Appraisal Cost Guide: How Much Does an Art Appraisal Cost in 2026?
What to expect when paying for an art appraisal. Covers hourly rates, flat fees, and when a formal appraisal is worth the investment.
Read guide →Art Valuation Tools Compared: Software, AI, and Traditional Methods
Compare art valuation tools including AI platforms, auction databases, and traditional appraisal methods.
Read guide →Looking for something specific?
Our blog covers additional topics including digital cataloging workflows, provenance research, and collector interviews.