Big Ideas for Amassing Art on a Small Budget : Collectibles: Choose a field, do your homework and keep an open eye for what’s not popular or well-known, say experts.

You don’t need deep pockets to become an art collector. Just do your homework, keep an open mind and be willing to settle for less expensive art forms.

You might opt for works on paper, such as water colors, etchings and lithographs instead of oils. Or you might choose art forms with a shorter history of acceptance, such as photography, collectibles and celluloids from animated films.

One attribute of a collection is that all the works form part of a larger theme. Possibilities are endless. Common themes are found in the medium, the era depicted, the subject matter or all of these. You could, for example, collect woodblock prints made at the turn of the century depicting women.

“Pick something that interests you but isn’t that popular or well-known,” says Christopher W. Lane, co-owner of the Philadelphia Print Shop Ltd. “Someone I know collects prints of people shaking hands.”

If you like them, consider antique prints, which Lane says start at about $100.

Unlike most fine art, whose value fluctuates with the reputation of the artist, antique prints are valued for their historical relevance, Lane says.

Historical documents and autographs are good choices, says John Marion, chairman of Sotheby’s North America and author of “The Best of Everything.” The variety of images and subjects is endless.

Collectibles are the fastest-growing area in the auction market, says Josh Arfer, head of the collectibles department at Christie’s. He includes in this category comic art animations, dolls and toys, sports and entertainment memorabilia.

“There are inexpensive lots and half-million-dollar lots,” Arfer says.

Prices for animation art indicate just how wide that range can be. Three years ago, Christie’s sold a black-and-white celluloid from a 1934 Disney cartoon, “The Orphan’s Benefit,” for $286,000. Yet, cels are available for as little as $100.

“It takes 1,400 cels to make a minute of film, and all of them have value,” Arfer says.

That’s where knowledge helps. The more important and earlier the film, the more valuable the animation. A cel with its original watercolor background is more valuable than one without it. Important characters and fuller images also command higher prices.

Will these new kinds of art hold their value? A clue is in the history. Disney objects from the 1930s have appreciated, leading to the belief that later examples of Disneyana will appreciate. Other factors to consider are whether the art form is coveted by specialty dealers or is the focus of collector groups and special publications. Also, is it part of regularly scheduled auctions by major houses?

For these and other reasons, you need to study your chosen field.

“To be a collector of historical prints and maps, you can’t just buy, you have to know who the figures are and what they are doing, to look at content, not just image,” Lane says.

“If you buy works created in multiples, go after recognized artists and recognized print houses,” Marion advises.

Arfer says recognition is an important factor in collectibles of recent vintage. “If somebody has to tell you why something is collectible,” he says, “you probably shouldn’t buy it.”