Hanging art 101
From frame selection, to hardware, to where you should place them, here’s all you need to know about putting up pictures, writes Bea Taylor.
It might look as simple as ‘‘hammer, nail, hook, hang’’. But a bit more goes in to hanging art than simply stringing it up. Here’s what you need to know.
CHOOSING A FRAME
When hanging multiple pieces on a wall interior, blogger Michelle Matangi says: “It’s important to unify to colour of the frames – stick to three or four colours in total.”
The more pieces you’re hanging, the greater the need for cohesive frame selection.
WHICH WALL?
A large wall doesn’t necessarily lend itself as the best place for a large artwork, says professional hanger Tom Westlake from Art Installed. “Often they’re a bit of a red herring. It may be a good match in terms of art-to-wall ratio, but you’ve got to ask yourself: is it the best place to view the art?”
Westlake is guided by the art itself. He says he looks at what else is in the room that might relate to the piece, whether something could obstruct the view of the art and the colours and light in the space.
In a bedroom, he’s more likely to hang works to the right or left of the bed or on opposite walls, rarely ever above the bed itself. “Once you’re lying in bed you can’t see it, why would you want to hang it where you can’t enjoy it from every angle?”
HOW HIGH?
“If you don’t feel like you can step right into the painting when you’re looking at it on the wall, then it’s too high,” says Westlake.
Just below eye line is perfect, he says. This way it can still be appreciated when viewed from the couch.
Matangi says: “In a gallery wall make sure your key pieces sit just below eye level, the other smaller pieces can sit higher and lower.”
HARDWARE
Westlake says he never uses string to hang a picture. “I use D-rings – they give you a lot more precision, greater security and stop the frame from leaning away from the wall,”
Matangi’s go-to is a picture hook with a triple nail-head. “I’m far too impatient to use Command Strips,” she says, “but if you’re a renter then that’s the way to go.”
HOW TO HANG
To make sure you hammer the nail exactly where you want the piece to hang, put a dab of toothpaste on the hook of the back of the frame and then hold it up to the wall. The toothpaste will mark the spot for your nail and then will wipe cleanly off the wall.
Use a spirit level (if you don’t have one, download a spirit level app on your smartphone) to make sure the art is sitting straight.
GALLERY HANGS
Size matters. Or rather, a mixture of size matters.
It’s all about balance. Matangi says: “I always like to do one or two bigger pieces for a big gallery wall, they will be the star of the show.” Surround these key pieces with smaller-sized works.
She suggests that two same-sized pieces should never sit next to one another, unless you’re doing a grid pattern gallery wall.
A helpful tip is to lay all the pieces out on the floor first. This way you can rearrange them until you find the best possible placement before you start hanging.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DIY
If you’re not confident, don’t waste your time dilly-dallying about with a spirit level and a borrowed tool kit. You can hire a professional.
Westlake says he’s always busy, whether it’s with multiple hangs up a stairwell or just securing one piece to a wall. And, he adds, he’s usually booked out weeks in advance.
“Some people just leave a key by the door, the art in the hallway and say, ‘Hang it wherever looks good.’ So I’ll find the best place for it and rearrange other works if need be – they trust my eye.”