Tips for Hanging Art

A number of years ago I read about a great tip that to this day has made picture hanging a simple, pleasurable task. The tip was to always hang your art at 57" on center. "On center" means that the middle of the picture is at 57" (obviously, the hook will be higher). Interestingly, the 57" standard represents the average human eye-height and is regularly used as a standard in many galleries and museums...

What WE have discovered is that if you stick to this standard, you create a harmony among ALL the pictures in your home, as

they will always hang in relationship to one another from their centers, not their sides. Additionally, we have also found that this helps solve the problem many people have, which is that they hang their pictures too high.

Step By Step:

1. Measure and lightly mark 57" on the wall
2. Measure top of your picture to the middle (or take height and divide by 2)
3. Measure top of your picture to the tightened wire (a small amount)
4. Subtract this last amount to tell you how far above 57" your hook should go
5. Measure up from 57" with this last amount and lightly mark on the wall

Example:

1. Picture is 20" tall
2. Middle is 10" down from top (this should rest at 57")
3. Wire comes to 2" below the top
4. 10" - 2" = 8"
5. Lightly mark 8" above your first mark OR 65" on the wall

Though this may seem complicated to read, it is quite simple when you do it. The thing to always remember is that the CENTER of all your pictures are hanging at the same 57", and you are just figuring out where the hook goes above it.

This 57" also applies to groups of pictures. Think of a group as ONE picture. After you arrange how you want them all to hang (doing this on the floor makes it easier), start with the center picture/pictures and get them at 57" on center. Then surround them with the rest of the group.

Commission is finished.

Here's the finished product, framed & ready to deliver.
11 x 14 - stretched canvas
Oil (water mixable)

It was based on a black & white photo

Finished - Winter at Conrad Weiser Homestead

Finished
Winter at the Conrad Weiser Homestead
5 x 7
Gouache & watercolor

This painting along with many others (including prints and note cards) will be available at Artisans In The Park

April 30th - 9:00 AM -4:00 PM 

Conrad Weiser Homestead
28 Weiser Drive, 
Womelsdorf, PA 19567

On my easel "Winter at Conrad Weiser Homestead"

Presently on my easel - Pass #1
Winter at the Conrad Weiser Homestead
5 x 7
Gouache & watercolor

This painting along with many others (including prints and note cards) will be available at Artisans In The Park

April 30th - 9:00 AM -4:00 PM 

Conrad Weiser Homestead
28 Weiser Drive, 
Womelsdorf, PA 19567

Here is my best 'recipe' for flesh tone colors:

 Here is my best 'recipe' for flesh tone colors:
1. Titanium white
2. Cadmium Red Light
3. Cadmium Yellow Medium
4. Yellow Ochre
5. Burnt Sienna
6. Burnt Umber
7. Ultramarine Blue.
Also have Payne’s Gray on hand to darker tones

For light flesh tones use colors 1, 2, 3, and 5.
For medium flesh tones use 2, 3, 4 and 5.
For dark flesh tones use 2, 5, 6 and 7.
Don't waste your money buying ready-made, so-called flesh tints. Simply mix some white, yellow or golden ochre, and a strong red such as cadmium red. Keep the amount of red to a minimum to avoid going too pinkish. For darker tones, add some Payne's grey.

All you have to do is remember this:
"Red, yellow, brown, and white-that is how you mix your skin tones right."

How I stretch watercolorpaper

Stretching watercolor paper keeps it from buckling while you are painting on it. It is not necessary for 300-pound paper, but lesser weights of paper will immediately start buckling as soon as you add a wash to them. 300 pound paper is very expensive, so many watercolor artists buy 140- pound paper and stretch it to a hard surface.


You need a hard backing surface to stretch the paper to. I use gatorboard. Gatorboard is basically a super-thick piece of foam board. It's lightweight, easy to staple (and remove staples from), and doesn't mind getting soaked, so it's perfect for this purpose.

Steps:

1. First cut the paper to the size needed.

2. Run the paper under cool water in the sink or bathtub, until it's wet everywhere. Then let the water drain off of one corner until it stops running and starts dripping.

3. Lay the paper flat on the board and smooth it out with the sides of my hands, starting in the center and working my way out, pushing the excess water puddles off the sides.

4. Let it sit for a few minutes until the paper no longer looks shiny.

5. Start stapling the paper to the board along the outer edges of the paper. Start by putting one staple in the middle of each of the four sides, then work towards the corners, a few staples on each side of the paper at a time, putting the staples at the corners last. Use the side of your hand to smooth the paper and pull it taught.

6. Let the paper dry thoroughly. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying.

7. Tape all the edges with painters tape (I prefer Frog Tape) to keep water and paint from running under the paper while you are painting. It also makes a nice clean edge all around the painting when done.

Capturing my Heart - pass #3

Currently on my easel - Pass # 3
Capturing my Heart
14 x 8
Medium - Gouache on 140# Canson watercolor paper

Getting close to being done.Capturing feeling is the most important part of a painting, this is what makes it come alive and not be too stiff. Over-working a painting can kill the feeling.

Capturing my Heart - pass # 2

Currently on my easel - Pass # 2
Capturing my Heart
14 x 8
Medium - Gouache on 140# Canson watercolor paper

On my easel "Capturing my Heart"

Currently on my easel
Capturing my Heart
14 x 8
Medium - Gouache on 140# Canson watercolor paper

Finished another painting for the Artisans in the Park

Another finished painting 
of the Conrad Weiser Homestead Springhouse

This painting along with many others (including prints and note cards) will be available at Artisans In The Park

April 30th - 9:00 AM -4:00 PM 

28 Weiser Drive, 
Womelsdorf, PA 19567