Art - Getting the Hang of It

 Too High? Too Low? A little more to the left? Crooked? Shit! Don't give up, Art is a beautiful thing! Here are some tips to take the edge off hanging art. . .

As a general rule, hang your artwork so that the center point of the piece or grouping is at approximately eye level- think of groupings as a single unit. For example, you may want to consider hanging art slightly lower in a dining room, since you are sitting down when you are looking at it. The devil really is in the details. I see him often. Impressive moustache.

A great way to try out an arrangement before making Swiss of your wall is to lay everything out on your table or floor.  I prefer the floor. Move pieces around until you have an arrangement that you like. Once you have it figured out, take a photo so you can remember the aforementioned genius.

For Over Achievers- lay out art on a large piece of craft/wrapping paper and trace around each piece making sure to mark the hanging hardware points. Cut along the trace lines, then tape the paper to the wall and hammer in the nails. Remove the paper and place art. You are so gallery chic I can't stand it.

Choose smaller pieces for narrow walls and larger pieces for big walls.

Lots of wall with little art? Try grouping even number pieces to balance out a large space or a high wall. Keep in mind that large spaces can handle slightly wider spacing than small spaces.

Getting Horizontal- hanging art horizontally allows you to achieve some volume without appearing crowded. Remember, an odd number of pieces is more attractive to the eye and is visually more balancing. I typically space pieces 4-6" from each other.

Getting Vertical- when you are grouping 4 or more pieces above one another, think of a vertical line- meaning that the art should be visually balanced on both sides of an imaginary vertical line. Too much visual weight on one side or the other will make the group seem awkward & unbalanced. And that's more of a distraction than a love.

Symmetry ='s Traditional Beauty. Symmetry is great for pieces that are similar in size, shape, and subject matter. Hanging pieces symmetrically allows you to create a grouping that has visual balance and is perfect over large furniture or a fireplace.

Asymmetry ='s Exotic Beauty. Asymmetrical placement is a great solution when you have artwork that isn't necessarily the same but share at least one similar element- Cousins. An organic balance is the goal here.

Grouping larger and smaller pieces helps to create interest & energy. The same is true for vertical and horizontal pieces in the same grouping. The same is true for throwing your kid's masterpiece into a formal mix or adding a touch of humor or perhaps, rebellion to your collection.

Put what you love on your walls. Keep in mind that large white matting can work magic. A level is your best friend & lover. And above all else,
Love Your Space.

xx

Nic