How to Hang An Oil Painting

How to Hang ,still life oil paintingsAn Oil Painting
If you are thinking of purchasing artwork for your walls then the most important question to ask yourself is What wall space do I have available By answering this question you can avoid the disappointment you may feel if you buy an oil painting that is too big or too small
If you are thinking of purchasing artwork for your walls then the most important question to ask yourself is: What wall space do I have available? By answering this question you can avoid the disappointment you may feel if you buy an oil painting that is too big or too small. The trick is to measure your wall space prior to buying wall art.
To give yourself a good idea of how a given oil painting might look on your walls it is worthwhile to use a cardboard cut out or something similar that measures the same size as the artwork you plan to purchase. You can even use paper cello-taped together ? or anything else that might fit the bill. Then you should place the cardboard on the wall and see what it looks like ? try to visualise how your oil painting or canvas art affects the wall and the room around it. Ask yourself these questions:
1) Is it too big?
2) Is it too small?
If you are hangings a large oil painting is important that you do not use all the available space as you want the size that will add the most impact to the room. Just think about museums and how they showcase their oil paintings - they achieve the best impact by leaving a good space around their artworks. On the other hand if an oil painting is too small for the wall it could look lost and therefore may not create the visual impact you are looking for. The trick is to find an oil painting that is neither too large nor too small, but just right. Also, try to choose an artwork that suits your room decor. You don?t want anything that will clash so be wise in your choice of colors, etc.
When you have measured your space and chosen the right sized artwork it is time to hang the oil painting. It is a simple process but needs to be done correctly in order to create the right impact. After all we wouldn?t want a wonky picture on the walls would we? The tools you will need for the job are:
1) A hammer
2) A spirit level
3) A measuring tape
4) Picture hanging hook
5) A pencil
You begin by finding the exact point on the wall where the centre of the oil painting will be. You can determine this by measuring the length and breadth of the wall with your tape and then marking the centre spot with your pencil. Now take your oil painting and measure its height and width. You can find the middle point by halving the length measurements. For example: if your painting measures 48 inches long ? the vertical middle point would be 24 inches. Assuming you are of average height (5ft) this is the point which will be at eye level once your oil painting is hung on the wall.
Now, turn the oil painting over and find the hanging wire. Check that the wire is at least two inches from the top edge of the painting. By pulling up the wire towards the top edge of the painting (as if it was hanging on the wall) you can now measure the distance between the wire and the top edge of the oil painting. You are looking to determine the measurement from the vertical middle point to the exact spot where the wire will hang on the hook. By subtracting 3 inches from 15 inches you are left with twelve inches and this is how high above the vertical middle point that you will need to place the bottom of the hook.
So if your eye level measurement is 5ft from the ground you will need to add a further twelve inches. Then measure the 5ft plus 12 inches from the floor and mark this point on the wall with your pencil.
Now place the hook on the pencil mark. It?s now time to hang your painting. Be sure to use the spirit level to ensure your oil painting is level. If you have got your measurements right when you hang your painting on the wall by its wire, the middle of the painting should be exactly at eye level. And, there you have it. Your perfect oil painting perfectly positioned.