March 7, 2019 | Sara Perosa
The first art show
I remember my first booth-style show. I had to purchase and prepare many parts: a tent, hanging racks, a sign, online payment options, a table, a carpet, labels and of course the paintings. The one thing I completely forgot to do was get my paintings ready to hang. I got comfortable putting a nail in a wall and sitting my canvas on the nail for hanging paintings to take my photos. If the painting was crooked I could just crop the photo. I forgot that this method does not work when you want to hang a painting on a tent grid or in an art show.
Discovering the importance of hanging art
Thankfully, my fiance and brother were willing to help me make-shift hang my paintings with some pretty ribbon and thumbtacks for my first outdoor show. It took a very long time for the three of us to do. Since then, I quickly learned how to properly hang my paintings. I watched a few YouTube videos and copied the things from them that I liked most. Hanging paintings adds a lot of time and cost to the process but it makes a difference. The results are professional and effective. It is also a nice treat to your collectors when they can walk away with a painting that is ready to hang.
Step 1: Purchase your supplies
There is a reason we are called starving artists. The cost of supplies to get started as a professional artist is extremely high and at the beginning of your career, your paintings will sell at a lower price. When you make your trips to the stores to buy all these items, just remember that you are investing in yourself and your collectors. In the beginning, your art will be recognized by word of mouth. You want to be making a professional first impression. To get started you will need the following supplies:
- Tape Gun and Double-sided tape
- Roll of brown paper
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Black marker
- D Ring Hangers
- Cordless drill
- Plastic coated professional picture wire
- Wire cutters
Step 2: Protect the back of your painting with paper
This layer will protect the back of your canvas from dust and other build up. It also gives a professional clean look to the back of your canvas. If you use studio wrap canvas instead of gallery wrap others will not be able to tell the difference.
- Cut a piece of brown paper about 5 mm smaller than your canvas on all sides (1 cm smaller horizontally and vertically).
- Roll double-sided tape using a tape gun along the edge of all sides of the brown paper.
- Carefully place the paper on the back of your canvas to create a flush surface.
Step 3: Add hooks to your canvas frame
Most recommend using D rings to hang your frame. The screws provided secure well to the canvas frame and allow your canvas to be more flush with the wall when hung. D rings are what you will find on the back of most professional large frames.
- Using a measuring tape, measure 1/3 of your painting from the top. For example, if your painting is 24 inches tall, hang at 8 inches from the top.
- Mark this position on each side of the back of the frame using your black marker.
- Place a D ring above the mark on each side (make sure the opening of the ring is facing inward. The D rings should come with little screws.
- Using your cordless drill screw the D ring into place until it does not shift.
Step 4: Add the hanging wire
The tautness that you use with your wire will determine how much the top of the painting leans forward and away from the wall. Tauter will give you straight vertical and flush with the wall, I usually keep my wire taut but this is where you can practice creative freedom. Also, I highly recommend the plastic covered wire since this is much more delicate for hands than exposed wire. Think about your collectors’ hands when you are selecting the wire, not your own.
- Take your picture wire and loop it under the D ring towards the outer edge of the painting. Leave about 5-8 cm for the knot.
- Fold the wire back over towards itself. Wrap it behind the wire outside the D ring.
- Loop it back over and under the D ring and pull it tight.
- Wrap the remaining bit a couple of times around the wire.
- Measure and cut the wire using your wire cutters and do the same on the other side.
Congrats on hanging your first painting. Soak that in and feel the pride. Unfortunately, if you are like me and wait until a show to get your painting ready, you are not done yet. Repeat these steps for all other paintings. Once all your paintings are ready for the show enjoy a glass of celebratory wine. (If you left time for that.)