Wildlife Art » Wall Art

Hanging Wall Art – 4 Simple Rules

admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:03:02 +0000

Deciding on how to display art in a way that is appealing and draws attention can be a daunting challenge for some. Read on as this article provides a few simple tips on displaying art effectively in your home.

1. Art Grouping for an Interesting Touch

Group the pictures into clusters of two or three. Odd numbered groups suggest a focal point while even numbered groups exude a calming and organized effect. You can transform an even numbered grouping into an odd numbered one, simply throw in a unique but different element – something which complements the rest of the group, but doesn’t necessarily belong to the same family. A mirror or a wall carving would be a good idea. This brings the grouping out of balance, yet makes it interesting.

2. Art and Furniture

As a rule of thumb, it is always a good idea to first position the furniture in the room before you hang the art pieces. This way you can use the furniture as a guide to the picture hanging height and positioning. Typically, avoid using a picture or a group of pictures that is wider than the furniture piece below it. If they are narrower than the furniture, they should at least be half the length of the furniture. The picture or the group of pictures should not be placed too low on the wall such that it is too close to the furniture, neither should it be placed too high such as to leave an unsightly gap between the furniture and the picture. Ideally, you should leave about an 8 to 10 inch gap between the bottom of the picture and the piece of furniture below it.

3. Hang Art at the Right Height

Don’t hang pictures too high on the wall. You don’t want your guests craning their necks to look at the art. The standard practice is to hang the picture at eye level. Some experts believe that you should hang pictures 3 to 4 inches lower than where you think it is. When hanging pictures you should also consider the purpose of the room. If it is a dining room or living room that you’re decorating, where guests will be seated most of the time, your eye level should be about 5 to 6 inches above the backs of chairs. In the hallway or stairway, you should place your pictures higher as people are standing in upright positions in these places.

4. Avoid Cluttering

Finally, when grouping pictures, take note not to position the pictures too close to each other. If the pictures are placed too close, they lose their individuality, and if they’re placed too far apart, they will lack unity.

That’s it! A few simple steps to get you starting along in you home decorating adventure! Enjoy your art!

By: Edwin Mah

rule of thumb for hanging art in galleries

Paintings – Wall Art for Your Home or Office

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:12:31 +0000

It has been some time since you have been noticing that empty space on the wall in your office or at home, if yes then it is time you decided to fill it up with something unique. There are several types of art forms that you can use to decorate your homes with, but there are none which are as inspirational and unique as paintings done by several artists around the world.

Paintings and canvas art have come of age, with a number of good and creative artists making their art work available as well as veterans who have been showcasing their creativity for years now.

You can visit a number of art galleries to find the one that suits the mood and the color tone and settings of your room. You can also choose a painting that is completely offset with the mood, so that you can add color and glamour to your room.

Amongst all art work there are some which are highly inspirational, the ones you would love to look at when you are in doubt and feel inspired and get on with your aims in life. There are art forms that add color that your room may lack or add a unique touch to the room that signifies your good tastes as social status.

There is a huge range of art work to choose from. It depends on the art work you appreciate; there are so many artists that are new in this industry but are sure to become well known in future because of their art work, dedication and innovation. You do not have to shell out thousands of dollars to own something that is unique and inspiring. Though paintings by well known designers are sold at exorbitant prices, most of the new artists will sell at reasonable prices.

You also have a choice regarding choosing a painting that comes in the price range you can afford. You can select art pieces that consume space and do not crowd it. So, almost all art pieces are available in many sizes for you to make a choice.

You all have a choice regarding making a selection regarding a subject of the art, where a landscape painting would look good on an open wall where it is visible for everyone, you can choose a still art or an abstract to be mounted on walls in the corner.

Using art pieces and unique collector’s items where the subjects are fruits, cheese or kitchen in still art is an excellent choice to be mounted in kitchens. Kitchens are made to make food and provide for the family so these painting might turn out to be especially appetizing.

You can make a choice of putting romantic or intimate paintings in your bedroom too is a good idea, this is where couples are gel together emotionally and physically, therefore these paintings should be able to make your life a more fulfilling ones.

By: Ujwala Bapat

Word Wall Art Decor Shows Off Your Families’ Personality

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:38:01 +0000

Give your home personality with word art, wall decor. Your home will
express your individuality, thoughts and feelings beautifully with word
wall art. Whether it’s an inspiring quote, a great collection of words
or a quiet word of encouragement–word art is the hottest trend in home
decor today. By selecting the style and materials used in your word
wall art, you will be able to enhance any style of home decor: Country,
Tuscan, Nautical, Primitive, Modern or Traditional. You will discover
word wall art appropriate for every room in your home, simply by
choosing the right expression.

The use of word wall art is one of the easiest, quickest and most fun
ways to update your home decor and personalize it. Read on for a variety
of suggestions you may use to incorporate word art into your home decorating scheme.

The use of decorative words of expression are great for adding interest
to a wall grouping. Use words such as, family, friends, memories–inter-
spersed with a group of family pictures. Consider hanging words at an
angle to add a little extra flair. Another great place for single words
is along the narrow wall space above the kitchen cupboards. A large
variety of words would be appropriate here, from home and family, to wine
and merlot, to coffee and latte… Express yourself. Decorative words
are favorite decorating accents above a wall shelf, or around framed art.
The most popular media used for wall words is metal or wood.

Decorative words, phrases, quotes–or any combination of–has made vinyl
word art a huge hit in todays’ homes. It is very quick and gives the look
of being hand painted. Vinyl word art is extremely easy and applicable
to many surfaces–plus, it can be removed just as easy when its time
for a change. This feature also makes it a favorite for a renter. Simply smooth
the pre-spaced strip onto your surface and rub on. Place these decorative
vinyl wall art words above a window or door, above your bed or headboard,
or above a shelf, sofa or mantel. Vinyl words work on walls, or may be applied
directly to mirrors, glass or wood furniture. Get creative, the ideas are endless.
You will find a great selection of high quality quotes from Wall Talk through
the home decor catalog from http://www.homedecoratingstudio.com.

Use unique, motivational, or inspirational verses and quotes throughout
your home to express your personality. Wall word art is found in an
endless variety of quotes and decorative styles:

Framed word art offers the most upscale style of wall word art quotes
and verses for home decorating. Due to the popularity of word art,
many companies offer a selection of framed word art. You will find the
best selection and most creative, trendy word art pieces from specialty
companies. Framed word art is a great addition to any wall grouping.
Framed art is also very flexible, it can be used alone or with floral
filled wall pockets, candle wall sconces, wrought iron or floral swags
and garlands. Try mounting your framed art on an easel, so it may be
located on shelving or a tabletop.

If you are looking for a more casual option in wall word art, consider
plaque and sign styles. Unframed wall art, commonly in wood or stretched
canvas, promotes a simpler look. Stretched canvas wall art has seen a big
surge in popularity this past year. Using this format to display word art
is very refreshing and interesting.

Probably, the best of the best, in word art styles is the use of word
art on decorative plates. It is casual, classy and different. From an
inspirational word, to an uplifting verse, word plate art is huge.
Many times they are mounted on wall plate racks.
Some styles have hangers mounted on them for hanging. They can also be
used as a shelf sitters, if you mount it on a table top easel. The size
of this word art allows it to be included in any wall grouping, in very
small, narrow areas or above the kitchen cupboards.

Word wall art can be incorporated into any room in our home and in any
style of home decor. It is an easy way to add personality to your home–
to express yourself.

By: Belinda Crouse

The Placement of Wall Art

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:40:09 +0000

Wall Art placement is an art in itself. So don’t be in a hurry to fill that naked space. A little extra time, that special eye, can divine the arrangement that creates a whole different aesthetic, and appeal, in your room. Besides the single piece of Art over the sofa or a console table, there are many ways to give a unique and harmonious flavor to your décor.

We’ve all heard, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” It’s true. But in my experience some ways of displaying Art are better than others. Take single versus multiple pieces of art. A lone small picture on a large wall surface looks too alone and begs for some company. If you have a number of small pieces of Art they not only bring contrasting beauty and richness to the wall but can be arranged together as a group inside an imaginary shape, such as a circle, square, rectangle, oval, or triangle, to create Art from Art. The triangular pattern, itself, is most suitable for vaulted ceilings and uneven wall spaces.

If your pieces of art already relate to each other and are thematic, then a symmetrical balance of some sort could be the way to go. An indifferent art theme could point to an asymmetrical lineup-use your judgment.

Lots of small pieces of Art?–use matting to make them look bigger. Mats not only enlarge art, but give them a finished touch and dresses them up. A couple of layers of matting can add more depth to the art.

Specifics of Placement

- Art should be placed approximately 6″- 9″ above a sofa or a piece of furniture. In other words, at eye level when you are seated.

- If you use more than one frame together, keep a distance of
1″-2″ between frames. Always use a tape measure and a pencil to mark your centre, and make an experiment with the placement on the floor before making holes on the wall.

- Make sure you don’t mix too many art techniques in one grouping; if you do, try to balance the frames so they don’t ‘fight’ each other or look off-scale. For instance, if you have a mix of oils, watercolors, prints, charcoal and photography, putting them all together is rather daring and will give you a hodge-podge look. Besides, the details of one piece will most likely disappear as it merges with the others.

Art and Furniture

- Try to avoid putting a large piece of Art over a smaller piece of furniture. This rule is not set in stone, but all depends on what is on each side of the piece. The goal here is not to dwarf the furniture.
- Painted furniture with more than one color, or with intricate veneering, big inlays or marqueterie, is an art of its own, so keep your Art above it ‘quiet’ and understated.

Please come and visit http:www.animalprintessentials.com for some unique ideas of Art, and feel free to contact us at info@animalprintessentials.com for Art placement questions.

Maria DeGange, IDS

By: Maria DeGange

Much Ado About Wall Art – Wall Decorating Tips

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:25:27 +0000

After visiting a very good friend of mine who had just moved into a new apartment with very bare and boringly white walls, I have been reminded of the importance in having art and/or pictures hanging on our walls. Seriously…get rid of the bare and add a painting of a bear…or anything. Just add something to break up the space, so your apartment doesn’t look like a school hallway, institution, or worse…a prison.

Because of landlord and property management’s guidelines, sometimes wall decorating in an apartment can be challenging. Before making any decorating decisions, be sure to check your lease or check with you apartment management professional to find out the rules regarding: painting your walls and hanging things.

Once you determined the set rules and begin your ever so engaging search for art, keep several tips for picking and placing your art in mind to really get the most out of your decorating and impress your guests.

Picking Art – Ever been to someones house who has eight thousand different pieces of art of varying colors and styles crammed onto one wall? Blech! It’s so busy it may make you nauseus. When picking art for your apartment, first try and select a style, motif, or genre that really draws your interest. If you like several motifs, pick one for each room. Never try and combine them. It only makes things seem cluttered.

Once you pick your motif, search through pieces of art keeping in mind there are virtually millions of options for paintings, wall art, and pictures. Don’t just jump on the first cool painting you see because you may pigeon hole yourself. No matter what, when picking your art, be consistent.

Being Aware of Furniture – Preferably, I think it looks much better to use one large piece of art on a wall that has furniture like a couch, and 2-4 smaller pieces on a wall that has no furniture. Go beyond 4 and you run the risk of getting cluttered. “Clutter be bad” should be your mantra! Side note…hanging above a couch or a bed is much different than hanging above a TV or entertainment center. Above the couch you could use a thought provoking large piece of art that draws attention, but do you really want your attention drawn away from your favorite TV shows? Above the TV you may want to consider three smaller, less busy pieces of art…or a clock. With the addition of flat panel televisions, they themselves can become great wall art.

Proper Hanging – There are a few general rules to keep in mind when hanging your art. 1) For best results, hang your art where it’s center is as close to 57″ off the ground as possible. Studies have shown that the closer art is to 57″ the more appealing it is to the eye. 2) When hanging above a couch, you want to fill 2/3 of the wall space above the couch, which on most walls is why a large painting or print works wonderfully above a couch. With this in mind, make sure that you leave about a 5″-9″ gap between the piece of art and the top of the couch to make room for peoples arms and to lean back their big-hair heads. For some unknown reason…some people…have big ole Texas Hair…and with that hair….comes grease….that can ruin a painting.

Framing – Yes…the art itself is the most important part, but if you are putting a print, photo, poster, or painting in a frame…the frame is very important too. Make sure the frame fits the style of what it holds. For instance, don’t hang a rough military picture in a frilly frame. Also…if you have several framed pictures in a room. Be consistent! Make sure all of the frames match!

Background Wall Color – The last of the important tips to keep in mind when hanging art is the wall color itself behind your wall art. If it is okay to paint the walls in your apartment, have fun with picking colors that accent your wall art. Art that matches, yet contrasts in dark vs. light with its background will stand out more to the eye of the beholder. If you hang a predominantly white picture on an all white wall…guess what? It will blend in too much. So be aware of your colors. If you are like me and are terrible with colors…rely on a friend with a good eye for it.

Keeping these tips in mind when you are getting your diggs’ walls all decorated up, will ensure that your apartment ends up looking more like the Metropolitan Museum and less like the Metro. Good luck and happy apartment living…

HAVE FUN!!! LIVE FOR IT!!!

For more tips on getting the most out of apartment living, visit ApartmentHomeLiving.com

By: Trey Huguley