Hang Paintings

You did it! You are now the proud owner of that perfect piece of artwork you’ve been longing for since you moved in. You’ve picked out the ideal space on your freshly painted feature wall, aesthetically sandwiched between two well-placed ferns as you are adamant it will complement the room. You’re almost there, just one more step to go.

The artwork sits there, leaning against the wall looking somewhat optimistic to find out where it will be staying in its new home. Whilst half-gleaming in its fancy gold frame you found in that old, rusty antique shop down the road, you appear to stare at each other, then at the wall, then back again, perplexed whilst asking yourself… How am I going to hang this thing!?

Well, it’s not as daunting as you might think. There are some steps you should take before you start, so we have helped and have compiled some of the best practices to keep in mind before attempting to hang a painting for yourself.

Of course, choosing where you hang your painting is one of the most important steps. It shows how you want it to ultimately look, how it compliments the space and even how you want your audience to interact with it.

There are a number of factors to take into consideration when choosing a suitable location. It’s not as simple as just hanging it above those Occasional Armchairs you so desperately needed to ‘complete’ the room. So, before you begin, please consider:

The height and width of the space:

Make sure you measure everything before attempting to hang your artwork. The last thing you want is to hammer in countless nails only to find out that the wall is too big or too small.

In most modern and contemporary galleries, the artwork is usually hung 1.55 meters from the ground (that’s measured from the center of the painting) in order for the best features of the art to be in the public eyeline.

The strength of the space:

Whether you’re hanging your artwork in a domestic or industrial space, first test the wall for pipes or wires. Once clear it’s always worthwhile literally weighing out your options when considering if the space is strong enough, in order to hold the piece for a long period of time.

You should always pay attention to the fixings on your frames too. It’s recommended to use double fixings on either side to prevent the piece from leaning forward or moving every time someone walks past it.

Keeping it straight:

It’s easy to play it by ear and hopes that just by trusting your eye, you are able to align your painting perfectly flush to the adjacent wall. 7 out of 10 times you are unlikely to succeed.

When hanging that all-important painting it is always worthwhile to invest in a tape measure or a spirit level. Enlist your friends to help in your efforts for that perfectly aligned hang. There is nothing worse than a painting hanging ever so slightly off-center, or maybe that’s just me.

No nails? No problem

One of the more tricky parts of hanging a painting is what it’s going to hang on and what will you use to hang it off of and will you damage the wall and… you get the picture (pun intended)

But, there are alternatives you can try to make those all-important pieces of artwork into the feature piece you’ve always wanted them to be. For smaller, lightweight paintings, hanging strips or adhesive hooks are now available to replace those old nails. Simply attach them to the corners of your frame and stick it to the wall. What’s more, they are designed to be pulled off without harming your surfaces.

Sometimes there is no need to ‘hang’ your paintings at all. It has become a modern trend to lean or stack your artwork up against a wall up high on a taller surface such as a bookshelf or a desk. This gives you the chance to be more flexible with your design choices and opens up more options to swap and change the artwork you display.

Don’t hang about

Don’t let your un-hung artwork collect dust just because you are too afraid to make mistakes when you hang it. Always be sure you plan before, check your space, check your surroundings and make sure you have all the equipment you need, then take your time to tackle the task.

Just think; your artwork has never looked as good as it does when it takes over THAT wall.

Good luck!

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Wednesday, Feb 21, 2024