One of my favourite things to do with art prints is to create a gallery wall, especially as I am someone who has collected (and illustrated!) so much art over the years. It can really bring a room together and creates such a visual feast!
I love to create moodboards for projects I am working on as they hold all my inspiration and are the heart of my idea. This is why I love to create a gallery wall in spaces like my studio and why having one in a living room is always a great idea – it’s a great place to let your personality shine through! . The living room is so often the heart of a home and being able to share what you love in this space is such a wonderful way to bring life to a room.
Gallery wall behind my desk in the studio
WHERE TO START
The most common gallery wall you will see is one that has a mix of artwork and photographs – or even other items such as mounted ceramics and other decor. Even though they are all different, it still works because there is something to tie them all together. Like a moodboard, there is always a common thread of something between all the pieces – such as a theme or colour.
A mixture of different works makes the gallery wall feel more dynamic but you still want there to be a common thread, whether it’s subtle or loud, to bring all the pieces together. This is why I love to incorporate vintage photography into my gallery walls as they compliment my illustrations even though they are a different medium.
BONUS TIP: If you want to have an eclectic range of pieces on the wall, a colour scheme or a single accent colour being present in multiple works can tie them all together.
TYPE OF GALLERY WALL
A gallery wall can seem a daunting task when it comes to arranging and hanging – especially if you are planning a large gallery. You don’t want to be making any unnecessary holes in the wall if you can avoid it! The best tip when it comes to a gallery wall, is starting with the largest piece. This is the anchor for your gallery and everything will tie back to this piece.
A symmetrical gallery wall behind Martina’s desk
Where you place this will depend on if you are creating a symmetrical or asymmetrical gallery. Symmetrical will be a lot easier to determine where your prints will hang as you will typically start with the largest in the center with the smaller ones then spreading out from there. It’s also very popular for symmetrical gallery walls to be all the same artist or style. I have many collections that are all tied together either by theme or colour and are a perfect starting point if you want to create symmetrical gallery walls!
Six prints from my Dior Collection
However, the gallery above my desk is asymmetrical so the largest print is off centre with a spread of framed works surrounding it. It’s common to find that larger gallery walls are asymmetrical as it can add an interesting movement to your wall. You want your eye to be able to travel through the gallery so hanging your largest artwork off centre helps add movement and takes you gently by the hand to lead you around the wall. When you have a lot of different types of work, an asymmetrical approach is going to work well.
HOW TO ARRANGE AND HANG
Once you know what sort of gallery wall you want to create, planning out where everything goes is your next step! Starting with your largest piece, you then go to your second largest. I put this one diagonally across from the largest piece if it’s asymmetrical. You don’t want them right next to each other as this will create a “heavy” point of density to the eye. Starting in the middle and expanding outwards will also help with maintaining balance.
To plan out a gallery wall, there are a few ways you can do it:
- Digitally create a mockup
- If you have enough space on the floor, lay all your framed artworks and arrange them – making sure to measure the wall you will be working with so you know how much space you have to work with
- Hang paper on the wall in the same size of the frames to work out placement
My gallery wall behind my desk
I personally prefer to use the floor as it’s so much easier to visualise the gallery wall with them all together. You can then move them around until you are happy with it! It’s a bit like doing a puzzle as you try and find the best way to fit them together.
I usually give each frame about 5-10cm on all sides as they will each need their own breathing space. It also helps with keeping everything cohesive and balanced!
BONUS TIP: Make sure to take a photo so you can reference where you’ve decided everything will go.
GALLERY WALL LAYOUTS
Here are six different ways you can display your prints to create a gallery wall. The simplest way is to make sure your prints together form a square or rectangle, that way it will look neat and uniform even if symmetrical!
Symmetrical
Perfect Pair
Classic Grid
Asymmetrical Grid
Asymmetrical
Asymmetrical Portraits
BONUS TIP
These are all helpful tips and by no means strict rules! If you have never created a gallery wall before, this guide will be able to help you get started. The biggest and simplest tip I can give you is to follow your instinct and what feels right for your home!
You’ve picked your artwork, framed it and now it’s time to hang! When it comes to hanging, I have some helpful tips on making sure your art print is not only hung correctly but looking its best!