Try painting, photographing or sculpting a portrait of someone who influences the community or society where the auction takes place. For example, a portrait of a saint attracts buyers at an art auction for a Catholic charity.
Andy Warhol's self portrait sold for $17.4 million at Christie's Auction House in February 2011, reported the Huffington Post. If the sale of Warhol's piece indicates people's interest in famous self-portraits, then enlisting your community's artistic or social legend to submit a self portrait might bring high bids.
Incorporating recycling into a sculpture forces you to think outside the box; often, the materials require special attention and planning that clay, wood or sheet metal do not. But recyclable materials not only push your creativity, they also allow you to create an inexpensive piece for your art auction.
Additionally, if the money raised from the auction goes toward supporting a "green" endeavor, such as buying solar panels for a local school, then the likelihood of the art selling for a higher price increases.
Appreciation of specific artistic styles, just like in fashion and music, comes in fads and waves. For example, the Telegraph reported, on February 15, 2011, that the majority of Christie's Auction House's sales in 2010 came from bids on surrealist and modern art, while impressionism fell flat.
Using auction results as a base, create a surrealist piece if you want to raise money at your auction. Focus on images that explore subconscious themes, especially time and sexuality. Although you should create the images in a realistic manner, the final image should look less like reality and more like a dream.
Although certain pieces perform well in an upper-class market, they may not with starting bids in the hundreds of dollars. Consider constructing more functional pieces for your auction. For example, a sculpture that doubles as an interior design feature, such as a lamp or chair, might draw more interest than a temporary installation. With a painting, make sure the buyer can easily display it in his home.
Although many artists balk at the idea of creating art for the buyer, balance the purpose of the auction (to raise money) with the purpose of creating art (to express).