Framing 101

How To Properly Hang Your Artwork

Properly hung artwork combines concern for the safety of the artwork

with the aesthetic concerns of lighting and visual balance within the room.

Protection

Care should be taken to hang the piece in an area where it will not become damaged by heat, ultraviolet (UV) light rays or humidity. Hang your art workout of the line of direct sunlight. We recommend that you always ask your framer to use Conservation Glass which will filter out most of the harmful UV light rays. Never hang your valuable artwork over a heat source or in an area that will be high in humidity (such as a bathroom). Heat and humidity can cause serious damage to your artwork.

If It's Worth Framing It's Worth Protecting

Lighting

There are two basic lighting techniques available for youe home: ambient "room" lighting or "spot" lighting. Domestic lighting is often preferable for the home, because it allows the work of art to blend in with the rest of the room. Spotlights, on the other hand make a piece "pop" - a nice touchfor really special pieces. Spot lighting can be dramatic (using can lighting or light strips that affix right to the wall or frame itself) or subtle (using the room lamps strategically placed to give ample direct light to the piece). When using spotlights, be careful not to create shadows by using strong lights on a deep frame. Remember to keep your wiring as "invisable" as possible.

The Secret To Attractive Artwork Display...Location, Location, Location

Hang your artwork at the eye-level of the "average" person in the room. If you are hanging the art where more time is spent seated then standing, "eye-level" should be lower.

Hang smaller, more detailed pieces in small spaces such as hallways and corridors, where impsact is less important than content, and the art can be enjoyed up close asd personal. Larger, "atmospheric" pieces require more room for the viewer to stand back and enjoy - hang these pieces opposite the entrance to a room or ath the end of a corridor.

Groupings

Unless you are striving for an eclectic "antique shop" look, groupings should look as though they belong together. Select frame styles that are comparable,and matting styles that will work well together and create a balanced, unified look to the group as a whole.

Space is an important element in a grouping. Each picture should be placed no too far from, nor too close to it's neighbor.

The most commonly recommended way to create balance in a group is to place the entire layout on the floor first. This will allow you to get a sense of how the grouping will llook on the wall, allow for adjustments and accurate measurements.

Another tip is to alighn the tops or bottoms of the various pictures in the group.

Take care to use the proper hanging hardware for your type of wall and that will bear the weight of the framed piece. Plasterwalls and drywalls require different types of hardware. (Artwork that falls off the wall is not only a danger to itself, but to everyone that visits your home)

If you are uncertain what type of hanging hardware you should be using, ask your framer for advice. Tell him or her what type of walls you will be hanging the piece on - most framers have an array of products designed for nearly any type of hanging situation.

Use two hooks to hang anything larger than 8"x10". When determining where to put the hooks, use a carpenters level to ensure that the picture will hang straight. This will help distribute the picture's weight more evenly, and your picture will hang straight with out constant vigilance.

courtesy of TruVue Glass