Either approach is a legitimate one. Most successful collectors employ a combination of the two. The Best collector is an informed collector. Throughout a collector's career, reading and constantly looking at art is essential in building an exceptional collection.
Most people feel more comfortable going slowly at first.
A. Spend time learning about art. B. Familiarize yourself with art terms, media and techniques. In collecting African American Art, I generally look for works that document particular movements of trends in art or that document different historical periods. This selection leads to a varied collection that includes both race and race less art. To exhibit one or two pieces does not begin to tell a story.