Wall galleries or picture groupings are
quickly becoming one of the hottest decorating trends for living spaces.
And, with a little planning, you can create your own, just like a
professional decorator.
Whatever you want to collect and display, whether it's paintings,
photographs, movie posters, digital art, memorabilia or dimensional
objects, each of them can play a part in creating your own personal wall
gallery. To get started, there are several basic rules to follow, and
then the options are wide open.Walking through an art gallery, you will notice that most art is hung at eye level, where you can view it best for maximum impact. And, don't we all want maximum impact? If you have a blank wall, then hang your gallery grouping at eye level whenever possible. For most of us, that is about 60 inches up from the floor. That means a grouping should be centered vertically at 60 inches. If your grouping is 4 feet tall, then half of that extends above the 60-inch eye level, and half below eye level.
If you are planning your gallery grouping behind a piece of furniture, then allow a minimum open space (or gap) of 6 inches above a sofa and 8 inches above a table or other pieces of furniture before the bottom of your grouping. Now, let's get started.
Tools
For hanging your wall gallery, you'll need the following: 12-foot tape measure, roll of blue 3/4-inch painter's tape (ideally Scotch #2090), small bullet level, hammer, white butcher paper, drill motor, screwdriver, picture frame hardware, stud finder and wire cutters.Choose Your Wall
Stand back and visualize how the gallery grouping will fit on the wall. Does it need to center across the entire wall, within a furniture grouping or between windows? How is the wall space divided? Where will your grouping fit best? Once you have made your decision, it's time to choose the different pieces and to lay them out and get an idea of the mass and space required.I like to use the floor and to find the arrangement that is most pleasing before nailing anything on the wall.
Art and collectibles look best with some negative space (or air) between them. Depending on the size of your wall, that means at least 3 inches or more between pieces, depending on the scale and mass of the grouping. Similarly sized pieces may look best with equal space between them, or arranged within a rectangular outer shape. Experiment and try different arrangements before nailing. If your grouping features big and little pieces, then start with the large ones first; these are your anchors. Then, plan the small pieces around the larger elements.
Measure Carefully
Once, you have an idea of how and where the pieces fit, it is time to measure the height and width. Several yards of white butcher paper are a great help in marking where the corners fit for each piece of your gallery grouping. Mark the outside corners of all pieces within your grouping. When that's finished; tape the paper on the wall, making certain that it is level and centered. Now you have a precise guide for the final hanging.A roll of 3/4-inch blue masking tape (Scotch 3M painter's tape) is my favorite for this task. It won't peel paint off the wall, and with a little care, it won't harm wall coverings either. Plus, it's cheaper than most rolls of artist tape. Avoid clear tapes, unless they are clearly marked removable.
Find the top center of each piece within your gallery group by drawing a pencil line from the top left corner to the top right corner. Mark the center of this line. On each frame, measure how far down from the top edge of the frame each frame hanger or hanger wire is, and transfer this measurement to the butcher paper on your wall. This is where each nail fits. Do not place the nails at the top edge pencil line. This will be too high for the picture frame.
Different Wall Materials
Most new houses and apartments will have sheetrock walls. If you have plaster walls, though, then there are several better ways of hanging your art. You will need to pre-drill the nail holes. Plaster tends to be brittle and often cracks when nailed. If you pre-drill a small pilot hole, then it is much easier to avoid cracked plaster walls. If you are using J hook-style hanger, then drill at the same 45-degree angle as your J hook.Brick and masonry are both brittle surfaces, as well. Use brick hangers that fit between the bricks for hanging frames. You can also pre-drill a slightly larger nail hole in the grout and epoxy a nail in place. Again, if you are using a J hook-style hanger, then drill at the same 45-degree angle as your J hook.