Photographs. Artwork. Children's drawings. Many of us have collections of these items growing in storage. We cannot part with them... but what shall we do with them? Items with sentimental appeal ought to be displayed and enjoyed on a daily basis, not stored away in the dark! Creating a collage of artwork is one way of adorning walls oozing with your personality. If learning to create a collage appeals to you, then please read on!
LET'S GET STARTED...
1. Bring your photos and art into the light. Once out of storage, spread out the collection and sort into 2 piles:
FAVoRiTES - NoN FAVoRiTES
You guessed it. If they are favorites, then they should be out on display!
2. Do you need to mat and frame some of the art? Do the frames you have work well together? What unifies the collection? Are the frames or content similar in color, size or shape? Something unifying the collection is essential to avoid the hodge-podge, messy look.
3. Check out your options. Browse through the gallery of layouts below and pick your favorite arrangements. Do you tend toward symmetry or balanced eclectic arrangements?
4. Choose the wall that will become home to your collection. Be sure it is the right size for the art you have chosen or edit the collection to fit the wall.
5. Select a layout that appeals to you. Arrange your collection on the floor as if it was your wall. Place larger pieces of art in the center building a balanced layout from the middle outward. If you question your eye for layout, ask a friend with a good eye for help!
6. Optional step. Some people have a good eye and can place art on the wall without assistance. For others, the use of newspaper, wax paper or Kraft paper templates is a fool-proof aid. Using paper, cut templates of each piece of art. Arrange templates on the wall to mirror the layout you have created on the floor. Use blue painter's tape (to minimize risk of damage to the wall paint) and adhere the template in position on the wall. Tweak the arrangement, if necessary.
Generally, works of art are hung with the center of the piece resting at eye level for the average person... around 5 feet from the floor. For a collage, the center of the collection should still be at eye level.
8. Use anchors and screws for heavy artwork. For lightweight art, picture hangers work well.
9. Hang art one piece at a time, repeating STEPS 7&8 until the wall is completed.
10. Stand back and enjoy your gallery. Your work is truly a labor of love and a creative display of your shining personality!
GALLERY of LAYOUT iDEAS:
Photo credits due to Pinterest
Photograph credits due to Pinterest