Curators Tips for Hanging Art

• Follow these pro trips to hang art in your home.painting on the wall image by Fotocie from Fotolia.com
  
  Curators are experts at displaying multiple works of art to maximize both the space and the art. In addition to having an eye for hanging art, they are known for following a few guidelines that help them create a visually pleasing arrangement. When it comes to hanging art at home, most of us can benefit tremendously by following these same principles that the pros use.
  
  

Planning

• Before you even begin, draw a plan of the art you are going to hang and where it will go. Experts recommend making a quick drawing or sketch to help you visualize where the artwork will go in order to maximize your space and provide enough wall space between each work of art. The empty space around each piece of art creates negative visual space and helps focus attention on the individual works.
  
  

Visual Balance

• Unify your artwork by grouping art according to a common thread. If the art is of a similar nature, this may not be difficult to do. However, if your art is an eclectic mix, it helps to unify it with similar colors or frames. Similarly, works of art that are related can be spaced closer together than works of art that are completely unrelated.
  
  Aim for symmetry when hanging art. Items grouped in odd numbers tend to work better; for instance, three photos hung together are more visually pleasing than two or four.
  
  

Scale

• When displaying art, it's important to pay attention to the scale of both the artwork and the wall. A huge wall will dwarf a small work of art and conversely, a huge work of art will be too oversized for a very small display space. Another consideration is the size of the furniture near the artwork. Large furniture pieces will help to fill a wall, making a large space seem smaller and requiring a smaller piece of art on the wall. Large, ornate frames also add visual weight, requiring additional white space around the artwork.
  
  

Height

• When it comes time to actually hang your art, you can follow the curator's rule of thumb: Aim to hang the center of the artwork approximately five feet from the floor. If you have multiple pieces of art that you are hanging, be sure to line up the centers of the artwork instead of the outside edges; this method feels more symmetrical and is more visually appealing to the eye.