Artwork can be a beautiful addition to any room, creating visual interest for an otherwise bland wall. Sometimes though, hanging art can be a hassle, resulting in a poor display and multiple nail holes in the wall. There is a way to make things easier! These tips will help you show off your treasured works of art without the aggravation.
Hang at eye level
This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but many people often unwittingly hang artwork too high. You don’t want to have to look up to appreciate the display. A good rule of thumb is to measure 57” on the wall, which is the average level of the human eye (and the standard often used by galleries). This height should be “on center,” where the middle of the artwork should hang, not the nail. Once you’ve marked the on center 57” point, follow this quick math to figure out where the nail should be:
- Measure the picture from the top to the center (or take the whole height of the picture and divide by two).
- Measure the top of the picture to the tightened wire.
- Subtract the last amount from the first—this will tell you how high above 57” the nail should go.
- Measure this amount up from 57” and lightly mark the wall.
Follow this rule even for a group display. The center picture(s) should be at 57” with the additional pictures surrounding it.
Create a display without destroying the wall
Now that you have figured out how to hang the art, the question becomes where to hang it. This is especially important if you have multiple frames for a single area. Rather than nailing holes into the wall that won’t be useful, not to mention damaging, consider doing a dry run with craft paper.
- On the floor, roll out a large piece of craft paper and lay out the frames how you would like to see them on the wall.
- Trace the outlines of the frames, mark the paper to know which frame is which and cut out a template.
- Using reusable adhesive, stick the templates on the wall. You’ll be able to easily move them around to get the display you want.
- Once you’re satisfied, hammer in the nail and then remove the paper.
- Hang your artwork in its perfect place!
