Hanging Art
I've been collecting art for the new house for a few weeks now. I've grabbed a flea market find here and there.... swiped a painting from my current house and brought it over to the new house... and framed some "found art" that I found in the house when I moved in (like these squirrel drawings and some blueprints found in the hall closet).
I've hung artwork in all of my houses uses a very simple trick to get perfect results without having a million holes in the wall trying to get the layout right. I use recycled paper brown paper to make templates and hang those up first for placement.
Just trace the art on paper and cut it out with scissors. If you score the paper sharply enough, you might be able to fold the score marks and cleanly rip the template right out.
Here's a signed photograph portrait of Nelson Mandela. This was shot by my friend Kwaku Alston, a famous photographer out in Los Angeles. Kwaku and I worked together on a photo shoot in Australia years ago and he sent me this photograph as a thank you gift. I love it.
Here is a stack of finished templates. On each one, be sure to write what type of artwork it is. I've made the mistake of not doing this in the past and forgot which sheet went with what artwork.
Here are all the templates taped onto the wall. I used a low-tack painter's tape so it wouldn't take off paint from the walls when I moved the papers around the wall. I think I moved it around 10 times before I was happy with the layout.
And voila!
That is an amazing idea- and so simple- thanks, I'll remember that next time I hang pictures!
Posted by:heather | May 15, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Us quilters do that kind of thing too with quilt blocks...you can't just sew it together without viewing it first!
Speaking of pictures, the folks at East Bay Depot, in Oakland California, have scored a ton of prints from the Art History Dept. at UC Berkeley!!! Going there soon?
Posted by:Vicky | May 15, 2008 at 01:39 PM
Great idea for laying out an art wall. I've been thinking of doing an art wall or something similar to this, but have no idea where to start, how to just start it without collecting everything first! This is a great idea for once I get a few pieces together!
*found on kirtsy.com
Posted by:reese | May 15, 2008 at 02:10 PM
Such a wonderfully timed blog! I want to get art on the walls ASAP in our new house and this is the perfect way to plan it all out!
Posted by:kimberlymichelle | May 15, 2008 at 06:00 PM
Why didn't I think of that?
Great idea! And so easy. Thanks.
Posted by:Sandy | May 15, 2008 at 08:07 PM
GREAT idea on the templates, I am going to have to try that next time...that is always the trickiest thing! You always inspire me:)
Posted by:Annie | May 16, 2008 at 02:15 AM
This is a much better way to do it than my method: I just slam nails into the wall and if it doesn't look good, I'm left with the hole. Hrmm...
Posted by:Anna | May 18, 2008 at 05:33 PM
I love your how to! I posted something simular on my blog that shows different collage styles Check it out and se what you think:
http://designformula.blogspot.com/2008/01/making-picture-wall-collage.html
Posted by:Peggy | May 20, 2008 at 06:38 PM
Thank you for making this difficult task, a little easier!
Posted by:Candi-Teal Chic | May 21, 2008 at 02:47 AM
new here. great, simple idea.
Posted by:Elizabeth | June 11, 2008 at 04:02 PM
Love the green painted wall. What color did you use? Finding out green paint is really difficult to pick out. Thanks!
Posted by:Nicole | July 06, 2008 at 08:11 PM
Love the green painted wall. What color did you use? Finding out green paint is really difficult to pick out. Thanks!
Posted by:Nicole | July 06, 2008 at 08:12 PM