Galleries Galore!!!

Over the years, galleries and collections have been created by members to show off their favorite items to other users. Years ago, this would be allowed in the shops with items worth between 100,000 NP and 250,000 NP; however, that changed eventually, to make it convenient for everyone else! Personally, I think it was a great idea. Anyway, many people question about the collections which are possible, or how to decide what to collect. It may not be an easy decision; however, it is an important one because it can easily take up a lot of time and more importantly, money, because dedicated collection owners spend a lot of money in making an attempt to finish a gallery. Now let’s start with the basics... which gallery/collection is right for you?

Before doing anything, make sure you understand that a gallery is a long-term dedication. It is not an idea you would like to do while you are bored or feel like spending money. Many items you will buy for a gallery will not be easy to sell again, so keep that in mind! Secondly, make sure an actual gallery is what you are looking for. Some members prefer to get many avatars, stamps or collectable cards, which can get very expensive very quickly. Once you pass those two questions, it is up to you to decide which type of gallery you would like to have. No one can tell you which gallery is right for you; ONLY YOU can decide that. It is too hard to sit down and go through the different categories, since there are THOUSANDS of items on Neopets. The best way to decide a theme for your gallery would be to think of some of your favorite things, whether it is a color, or a pet, or type of item on Neopets; again, the number is endless. Once you narrow it down, it is important to understand just how many items you will be expected to buy. Search through trades, the shop wizard, and auctions to see if you can find around how many items you will have to buy. This is the hardest process since it is the foundation of your collection.

***REMEMBER*** Be 100% that you have a collection you like before reading on. If you set up your gallery, and a week later you do not like it, you will not be happy.

Once that step is complete, you are ready for set up! Now, you need to consider two things. One is your budget, which is the most important thing. A common misconception is that you need to have millions to have an amazing gallery. This is NOT TRUE! There are many galleries created which are nowhere near completion and their owners have spent millions on them. There are plenty of galleries in Neopia which range in budget and are completed! And believe me, there is nothing better than having the feeling of a completed gallery, simply amazing! Secondly, consider how many items your gallery will be holding. If your theme is Faerie, then you will need a large gallery size and have a lot of time for organization. If you chose a smaller theme, like Hats or Numbers, then it will be easier on you!

It is usually a good idea to buy the cheaper items first to get them out of the way, because you will need the rest of your budget for those expensive items. If you need help finding a good amount of your items, it may be best to again, check the Trading Post, or type in a common name in the Shop Wizard. For example, if your gallery theme is Dr. Sloth, just type the word “sloth” in the search engine, and see what items you get!

*Hint* It may be a good idea to keep a list of the items needed somewhere so you do not have to constantly be searching!

That step will probably be the most tedious step throughout the entire process; however, once you have a good majority of the “cheaper” items, it is then important to slowly, and I stress slowly, start buying the expensive ones. There are a few good ideas to keep in mind when it comes to buying the expensive items. Just like everyone else, I do not like spending a lot of money; however, when it comes to items I need/want, money is going to be needed, so you must buy these items smart. Constantly check the Trading Post and Shop Wizard for the items you need. Sometimes people are desperately selling items cheaper because they need Neopoints, so just make sure to have an eye out for that. Secondly, if you are talking to another user about buying their item, make sure to say it is for your gallery. Most kind users are willing to sell a little cheaper than normal knowing that their item is not just being bought for a profit, but for a collection! (I know I do that!) Besides those two ways, it is also important to be nice to other users, being rude, rough and impatient is no way to buy items which you need.

There is also another problem that you may face, depending upon your theme of the gallery. Neopets has been around for many years, since 1999, and in that time, too many items have been created for everyone’s enjoyment, which is amazing and fantastic; however, it is a major problem for certain gallery owners. Some items may have been released years ago and were only available for a short amount of time, so to be able to retrieve these items will be a problem. Sometimes, the items are so rare, that you are unable to find any on the site, not even in another gallery. This may be caused to a small number of individuals owning the item and then either getting frozen or having the evil Pant Devil stealing them away. Regardless of the reason you want to try your best to find those items, so always keep them in the back of your mind! Again, keep checking the Trading Post for the item, which would be your best bet. Sometimes they arise randomly because they were in a user’s Safety Deposit Box, so do not forget that!

Once the items are looking nice, and you are organizing them well in the gallery, you may want to then consider having a nice theme-related design for the gallery. Use a paint program you may have on your computer to try and create an enjoyable atmosphere for the users who do come to visit your gallery. No one wants to visit a gallery that looks ugly; they will run away quicker than you can say dung!

And finally... yes and finally, remember your ultimate goal: A Completed Gallery!!! It is important to keep going for the goal, because if you do not have a goal, then you will not work as hard to complete it. Just some advice for those of you who have never had a gallery before: you may want to start out small, so you understand how the process works, unless you are daring then I wish you the best of luck! Feel free to neomail me at _mariokart_ if you have any questions. I will help you in any way I can!

P.S. The Bad News- Yes, there is some bad news. A gallery is rarely ever completed for long, because Neopets does constantly release many items a week, so make sure you are checking for News Updates, and buy any new items which are being released! Although you may want to wait until the price falls a little, but you will still need to buy them regardless! Also, there are some items which Neopets have no released yet, but let’s hope that will change soon for those items. All items deserved to be loved!