Protecting your artwork
While the perfect location is a key factor in an attractive display of your new artwork from Marietta Dantonio-Fryer, care must also be taken to ensure it is a safe location as well.
Choose a location that heat or humidity will not be a factor. Directly in the path of a heating or air conditioning duct may not be the best place for an expensive piece of artwork.
Hang your artwork out of the path of direct sunlight. UV light causes irreversible damage. Having your framer use UV coated material will filter out almost all of the harmful UV light rays without altering the look of the art.
Using the proper lighting to accent your artwork
When it comes to lighting, you have 3 basic choices - ambient, spot or flood. Ambient lighting works well when you want a piece of artwork to blend in with the rest of the room. Spot lighting will emphasize that specific area of the room and make the piece draw ones attention to it making it the focal point of the room. Flood lighting will basically wash an entire wall section with light - kind of a split between ambient and spot lighting.
Spot lighting can make a dramatic statement but care needs to be taken not to create shadows on the artwork caused by the use of spotlights on a piece set in a deep frame.
It's not always easy but try to keep wiring as invisible as absolutely possible. What we have done when wiring had no other way to be run than exposed on a wall was to put the wire in a plastic track mounted on the wall surface and then cover the track with the same wallpaper or paint used on the wall itself.
Generally, artwork is hung at eye level for the average person who will be in the room in which it is displayed. If people in the room will spend most of their time seated, then a slightly lower height would be preferrabble.
Small or very detailed pieces hang better in smaller areas such as hallways or smaller wall areas. Visual impact is more important than wall content so small, detailed pieces can be seen close-up and fully enjoyed.
Larger pieces of art require larger walls and larger areas so the viewer can step back and completely take in the entire piece of art.
If possible, hang larger pieces directly opposite the entrance to the room or at the end of a hallway.
Grouping several Pieces of artwork
The art of grouping paintings together is to create the result that they look as though they were meant to belong together. Frame styles need to strike a similar balance and work together well thereby unifying the grouping into one harmonious layout.
One of the best ways to lay out a grouping of art pieces is to lay them out on the floor. This way they can easily be moved around and you can get a pretty good idea of what the finished grouping will look like.
One way layouts are done is to align either the tops or the bottoms of each piece creating a constant line that is visually appealing.
Be careful of the spacing between each piece. You don't want them too near or too far apart.
General Tips
Be sure to use the right picture hanger for the job. The right hanger will not only be able to handle the weight of the framed piece but will also be the right type of hanger for the wall it's going into.
If you are not sure, ask your framer or an experienced hardware center which type of hanger is right for you.
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