Art can bring your room to life, whether it is a portrait, landscape or abstract work. Once you’ve selected that perfect piece of art, you will want to learn how to hang your new wall art properly. For the most impact, it is vital to hang the piece at the correct height, to make sure it is secure and provide it with the best light.
How to Hang Your New Artwork

Measure twice, hang once.
Most believe that the best height for artwork is at eye level. This is not true. What you should keep in mind when placing your artwork on the wall is the overall size of the room and its contents. Assess the room where you want to place the art. Are you placing it above the fireplace or above a sofa? When doing this, allow 6 inches from the mantle and 10 above the sofa. Keep in mind the visual flow of a room and the height of surrounding furniture and hang your artwork accordingly.
The Size of Your Room Makes a Difference

If you place a small painting by itself on the wall of a grand living room with 15-foot ceilings, the painting will be dwarfed. On the other hand, a very large oil painting placed in a small room will overpower the room. For a large room, you can display one large oil painting or several smaller ones in a grouping. To best determine how this will work, cut out the shapes with paper and place them out on the floor to get a better idea of the outcome. This will save unnecessary holes in your walls!
What tools do I use to hang my wall art?

Don’t invest in a fine piece of art and then hang it haphazardly on the wall. If it is of significant weight or size, fasten it securely with two hooks. This will require a bit more time and measuring and you may want to enlist the help of a friend to ensure proper measurements.
When hanging larger pieces, it is always a good idea to use anchors in the wall. These can be plastic pieces or toggle bolts that go into the wall and expand to accept a nail or screw. If your walls are drywall and you are not hanging the piece on a wall stud, anchors are highly recommended.
How to Light Artwork

Use a mix of halogen and incandescent for best color saturation.
Lighting for your artwork provides a great focus and adds drama to your piece. It can bring out the colors, tones and textures of a painting. But keep in mind there are a few things to remember when choosing the correct lighting for artwork.
Natural light should be used at a minimum because it will eventually deteriorate the art, be it acrylic, oil or print. Fluorescent is not an attractive light for art due to its limited spectrum. It also contains harmful UV that can damage the artwork. Incandescent lighting would be a logical choice; however, this lighting does not bring out the proper hue of cool colors.
The best all-around lighting for artwork would be a combination of halogen and incandescent. By using both light sources, you get a full spectrum of light. This will provide the best viewing of all colors within the piece of artwork.
You can achieve this balanced light through painting lights that attach directly to the frame. However, it’s best not to position lights directly onto the painting. Another form of lighting that is often used with artwork is track lighting or recessed lighting. You can alternate the bulb types and install a dimmer switch for dramatic lighting when showcasing your art.
Once you’ve invested in a beloved piece of wall art, hang it properly and light it for the optimum display and your walls will come alive with the depth, color and beauty of the art. This post answers some of the most common questions about lighting wall art and canvas art. We will be adding more how to’s in the future and look foward to your suggestions. Feel free to contact us with any questions or leave a comment in the box below.
You can also “Like” us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/saveontapestries or follow our tweets on Twitter @saveontapestry for the latest in wall art, canvas art and tapestry news. We are also running monthly contest on our facebook page. To win, visit our Facebook page, click on the “Like” button at the top of the page, and leave your interpretation of this months wall art – Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Good Luck.
Thanks for reading!
~Charlotte
Sources:
“How to Hang Art,” by Lauren Flanagan, www.about.com/interiordecorating
“Art lighting advice from museum curator Dr. Lori,” www.drloriv.com/advice