You've invested in a new, original work of art and whether it's intended to be a statement centrepiece or a small pop of creativity in a corner space, you want it to look a million dollars.
Not everyone will be fortunate enough to have the services of a friendly interior designer or art consultant to call on, but fear not, there are some best practices you can adopt to ensure you're making the most of that mini Monet.
1. It's all in the layout
Resist the urge to start hammering nails into the wall at the first possible moment and instead take some time to consider the bigger picture (pun intended).
Do you have more than one artwork that you need to accommodate? If so, look at the size, colour and theme of each painting and decide how they will work together. Place them on the floor or create a mock-up on a piece of paper.
This will help you visualise the result and enable adjustments before any nails are banged into the plasterwork. A scattering of chip marks from several failed attempts is never good for presentation.
A neat trick is to use masking tape to outline the sizes of the paintings on the wall. Think also about the height and spacing between the works — and treat multiple paintings as a grouped singular piece of art.
2. Blank space: how big are your walls
While none of us will have to deal with the dimensions of the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern in London, the size of your wall will obviously play a crucial role in determining both the number of paintings you can hang and their location.
A big expanse provides for a number of options and may accommodate one major showpiece work with space to breathe or a collection of differently sized paintings.
Obviously with smaller walls, the works will need to be scaled down in size — and resist the temptation to throw too many into the equation or you will run the risk of the effect becoming cluttered and the room feeling smaller.
Always make sure the paintings you choose are proportionate to the wall. Leave enough space around each artwork to allow it to stand out.
3. Right tools for the job
The last thing you want is for your expensively framed, expensively purchased artwork to come crashing to the floor, maybe taking out the odd table lamp as it does so, because the fixings were not strong enough to hold it up.
Be sensible. A thin brass pin and picture hook hammered into plaster will not support much. Heavy-duty screws, bedded in with raw plugs, are probably the most appropriate option. It's often a good idea to use two for extra picture security. You will also need a good screwdriver, electric would be useful, a long solid rule, tape measure and, most importantly, a spirit level.
Without the latter there is a high chance that your artworks will never be level — and you will spend the rest of eternity readjusting them or stumbling around the room as if navigating a listing ship.
4. Seeing eye to eye
The traditional golden rule to hanging art is to make sure it's at eye level. And while we are all different physical heights, eye level, which is defined as the distance between the centre of the painting and the floor, is typically determined to be about 57 to 60 inches high.
This is the sweet spot for most viewers, although tweaks will need to be made to this rule to accommodate the height of your wall and the furniture in your room. Or you could buy a new sofa, just saying.
While I personally don't like art hung way above my eye level, I have recently held a solo show where my large paintings were placed much lower. The effect was to bring them as physical entities firmly into the room in a much more intimate fashion.
5. Get into a gallery
One really eye-catching method of placing multiple paintings (particularly smaller pieces) together is to create a gallery wall. This is a display of grouped works that makes a focal point in a room. Differently sized pieces, styles, and frames all add to the visual interest.
To get the look, start with the largest piece as the anchor and build the others around it. Thereafter the choice is yours, depending on your living circumstances.
Bigger pieces will tend to need more space around them, or you can decide to keep a consistent distance (between each painting regardless of size. You might opt to arrange in a grid or go for a more free-form layout. To give the gallery wall a curated feel, group the works by theme, style or colour.
6. Light fantastic
The light in your room will continually be changing — and your displayed artwork will acquire a different appearance as morning becomes afternoon and in turn becomes night. This visual evolution is both natural and desirable.
But, having said that, the aim should always be for light to enhance the beauty of your paintings.
Natural is best, although direct sunlight can have a detrimental effect. It's worth considering specialist picture lights or track lighting to highlight the work, especially in the evening. LED bulbs will be the preferred option, but do make sure they are warmer in tone. Blue spectrum light strips colour from art.
7. Sofa, so good
While an artist does not want to hear that the collector has chosen their painting — the anguished product of blood, sweat and tears — because it matches the sofa, pragmatic calculations will inevitability have taken place. Okay, that and the fact that you couldn't live without it.
You want the art to promote harmony within your room and so it should complement the general aesthetic. Its positioning should be balanced with items of furniture as with other artwork. Think about alignment — and consider whether the work should follow the edge of a piece of furniture or be centered.
Hanging art is a creative process. With a little planning and the right strategy, your newly purchased paintings can enhance your living environment and emphasise your own personal style.
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