8 Common Art Display Errors and How to Avoid Them

If you want to display artwork in different rooms in your home, this guide can help. Here are common art display errors and how to avoid them.

Keyword(s): common art display errors

Artworks are a fantastic investment in your business, but you have to display them correctly. Otherwise, your display could damage the piece or render it worthless.

While art museums have dedicated staff whose sole duty is art display, most businesses aren’t as fortunate. Managing on your own requires a strategy and carefulness that you may not have employed with your other business practices.

However, with a little know-how, you can take your interior design up a notch in no time. Keep reading to learn about common art display errors and how to avoid them.

1. Overcrowding

Overcrowding can leave visitors overwhelmed or, worse, oblivious to the artwork displayed. When artworks are displayed too close together, it becomes difficult to appreciate each piece.

Too little space between them can also make it difficult to absorb or understand the context of the work. Additionally, too much conflicting work in one space can be visually overwhelming for visitors, resulting in a less engaging overall experience.

Gallery owners should strive to provide adequate space between each art piece, giving each one its own room to breathe and be appreciated. When in doubt, less is usually more with art.

2. Playing with Scale

Playing with scale can add interest to an art display, but it’s important not to make common errors when doing so. It’s easy to overwhelm a wall or interior space with large artwork, making the space feel cluttered and noisy. Placement errors can also occur, whether this is random or overly formal.

Another common mistake is displaying artwork that is not of similar styles or that clashes with each other. Choosing a range of sizes for artwork can add visual interest, but it’s essential to practice balance and coordination of color and texture. If playing with scale, consider working with symmetrical pieces and complementary shapes, sizes, and colors.

3. Inconsistency Through Color and Texture

Inconsistency through color and texture can be one of the most common and egregious display errors when displaying a piece of artwork. Color and texture inform the creation of an artwork, and when those two components are not unified, they can obscure the artist’s original intent.

This lack of unity can be found in two forms: through matching colors and textures that end up clashing or through mismatched colors and textures that blend together too nicely.

4. Not Securing Artwork Properly

Common display errors that can be attributed to not securing artwork properly often include improper and inadequate hanging methods. This means not using the right hardware as well as not securing the hardware to the proper material, such as a wall or door.

Additionally, the art should be placed at proper eye level to ensure that it is seen properly. If artwork is placed too high or too low, it can often be difficult to discern the details.

Another key factor in ensuring proper securitization of artwork is to consider the humidity and temperature of the space in which the artwork will be displayed. The climatic environment should remain consistent at all times in order to avoid potential deterioration of the artwork.

5. Ignoring the Impact of Temperature and Humidity on Art

Common art display errors in relation to temperature and humidity can be detrimental to art pieces. Allowing temperature and humidity extremes to harm pieces can lead to drastic damage.

High temperatures can cause materials to expand and crack or warp. Too much humidity can result in mold establishment or water spots on the art.

To avoid these conditions, owners should specifically monitor the temperature and humidity in the rooms to ensure that the environment is safe for the pieces. Especially with museum art, large swings in temperature and humidity should be avoided at all costs.

6. Poor Lighting

Poor lighting can be one of the most common art display errors when it comes to presenting artwork. There should be sufficient lighting in the space, especially if rooms are dim due to limited daylight or low-light fixtures.

Whereas inadequate lighting for wall art can cause it to become unappealing. It is best to use both natural and artificial lighting for different pieces. Natural lighting is recommended for general viewing, as it does not cause color distortion.

Particularly for artwork with soft or pale shades, bright halogen lights can easily wash them out. Fluorescent lighting should be used with caution, as its harsh white light can often leave artwork appearing faded.

7. Uneven Hanging of Artworks

Art wall placement is important to make the artwork look even and aesthetically pleasing. Uneven hanging of artworks is a common error and can ruin the overall impact of the display.

Uneven artwork can create a sloppy, unprofessional appearance and can feel uncomfortable for viewers. It’s also important to account for any imbalances that may occur while hanging artworks from different artists.

8. Not Utilizing Space

Failing to utilize space when displaying art can be a common art display error. People often place art too close together or right up against a wall, creating an overly cluttered display.

Taking time to consider the amount of space between pieces is an important step in an effective display. Wall space should be divided in a way that creates visual balance, such as with larger pieces of art placed in the center of a wall or groupings of artwork with the same shape or theme.

Spacing art can help make an entire gallery look bigger and more expansive, adding even more impact to the display. By leaving room to breathe between works, the eye will have time to appreciate each individual piece.

Avoid These Common Art Display Errors

Overall, it’s important to be mindful of your art display in order to properly showcase your artwork and make sure it is seen in its best light.

By avoiding these common art display errors and taking the necessary precautions, you can rest assured that the viewers of your artwork will be presented with an experience that is both aesthetically pleasing and reflective of your work.

Adopt these rules of thumb, and you won’t regret it!

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