5 Easy Steps: How to Hang Artwork Perfectly
Wahoo! You've bought beautiful wall hanging decor... but now you realize, how do I hang art? Look no further, this guide will cover hanging all sorts of art from a large macrame wall hanging to your typical canvas wall art. I will warn you now, there is some math involved, but nothing crazy.
Let's learn how to hang art like a professional!
TIPS
Choosing the right wall location
First things first, find a wall for the piece to go. You want to ensure the art piece is not too big for the space. For small walls I like to ensure there is at least 6 inches on both sides of the artwork of wall space. It is also recommended the artwork "compliment" the shape of the open space. For example, if you have a small and tall space, this is where you should put a portrait artwork.
Choosing the right height
It is gallery standard to have the middle height point of the art be at 6 ft., 72 inches. If you are a little shorter, like myself, I usually make this a little lower.
If you are hanging an art piece above a furniture piece, like a bar cart or couch, this height will also change and is an exception. You want to ensure it doesn't "float" in the space. It needs to close enough to the furniture that it feels grounded. I'd suggest it being 1 foot, or 12 inches, above the object.
If you are hanging an art piece that hangs from a rope, like a macramé wall hanging, pull the rope up so it is at its full tightness of where it will hang and measure the full height from top of the rope to the bottom of the piece. Divide this by two to get centre point.
What you'll need:
All:
Hammer
Level
Measuring tape
For light-weight art pieces:
Small nail
For medium-weight art pieces:
Medium nail
Picture hanger
For heavy / large art pieces:
2 big nails
Picture hanger
Stud-finder
Hanging a framed artwork piece
Step 1
Ensure the art piece has a way of being hung. Ensure there is a wire on the back or a hook place at the top of the frame. Once this is complete, measure the distance from where the wire will hang to the top of the frame (in red).
Step 2
Once you have this measurement, decide what height you want the piece to be hung at. In this example I have done the gallery standard of 72 inches to the middle point of the art piece. You will want to take the middle height (B) and minus the measurement (A) you have taken above.
This will mark the point at which your art piece will hang from.
Take out your measuring tape and measure fit out, in this case, 67".
Find approximately the middle of the wall, or where you want to hang the artwork, and make a small pencil mark for now to mark the height.
Step 3
Next measure the whole wall or the area you want the artwork to be centred in and divide it by 2 to find the middle point.
Using this measurement, find the point where the height and this measurement align on the wall and make a final mark. This will be where the nail or picture hanger will sit to ensure the frame is perfectly hung.
Step 4
Use your hammer to put your nail or picture hanger to be right on the dot. If using a picture hanger, ensure the dot is where the bottom of the hanger will hit, not the top nail.
Step 5
Carefully lift the painting ensuring the wire grabs the hook or nail before letting go. You'll likely have to adjust it to get it straight.
Octopus Lady, Collage Art Print
Then all that is left to do is take a step back and give yourself a pat on the back!
For more art tips and tricks, follow along!
Now that you have an art piece, you'll start noticing those blank spaces that needs art! Check out these artworks curated by your hroscope sign!