I have an exhibition coming up this fall at a hospital. There is 62 feet of wall space available on two separate walls -40/22. This is my first showing in this type of atmosphere. I'm working on a layout of how I want the images presented and would like some advice.
What I'm trying to decide is how much space to allow between photographs, I want as many pieces hanging as I can but don't want it to look crowded.
Rob, I had my first solo show a few months ago. The spacing I used was different depending on the size of the image. Primarily, I went by feel and look. Overall, I guess looking at about 1 - 2 feet of distance may be what you are looking for.
You could also try to line up a few images at home against the wall and see what works.
I have had several shows with each one in a different venu. I had to work out the spacing each time and then refine it as it was hung. My prints are all framed in identical frames of two sizes so it is quite easy. I took extra prints for each hanging session. Its great to have a friend help, too.
I find the hanging takes a long time - trying to make sure each goes with its neighbour, vertical or horizontal, color and B & W.
I have simplified it, somewhat, by using the same mat and frame as you would have to do for a gallery show.
Everyone has their own way of doing it, though, and spacing is what you think does best for your own work.
Some of this may depend on how they allow you to hang them. Do you get to put nails in their walls? Or do they already have horizontal/vertical rails mounted? Do they plug up all the holes from the previous person and repaint the wall? Is there a chair rail in the way? Is there something at the ceiling level (molding) that you can use to anchor a horizontal rail or two at the right height? Also, as stated, are your frames fairly uniform in size? Horizontal and vertical? Do they allow hanging with wires from the afore mentioned molding? Get one of those cheap laser levels from Home Depot that you can mount on the wall with it's own removable sticky stuff. Take a long level and level out the laser band on the wall. This gives you a super starting point for each image. If you have vertical and horizontal, then maybe use two lasers at once. One of the main difficulties when hanging frames is whether the hanger on the frame is mounted in the EXACT same place on each frame. That can drive you nuts if not!!!!!!! If you have a hodgepodge of frames and verticals and horizontals, then you have to use your "photographers eye" to position the frames so that they will be pleasing to the eye. As long as it is pleasing to the eye, ANY way they are mounted will work. Will you be adding any kind of description plaque or paper under or alongside the images? These need to be consistent and clean and be readable from several feet away. Have to keep in mind their placement so it doe not mess up how you positioned the frames (still has to look pleasing). Now that you are getting a "gallery style" showing, you need to really critique what images you want to hang instead of "everything" you can possible fit. Showing one or more so-so images will ruin the whole effect. You have to show them you are a "master" and only show your "masterpieces"!!! Good luck and congratulations!
In my experience you won't have the full 62 feet of wall. There's the simple factor of too high/too low, as well as the point at which the frames are spaced too close for easy viewing by a crowd, as on opening night. Within the "band" of just right heights around the two walls, your hangings will create an overall "shape" for the display.
It truly is an installation. By that I mean the overall visual impact of the total display, seen before the viewer approaches it to look at individual photos. A single row of photos all the same size at the same level all the way around is going to have a fairly stark "museum" effect, while a mix of frame sizes, heights and spacings can become cluttered if you don't put a whole lot of thought and design into it.
I'd get out the graph paper and cut out some squares scaled to the size of your frames relative to the wall and play with arrangements. I'd also consider whether there is a beginning and end for viewing and whether or not you want to use that sequence as an opportunity to build on a theme.
This probably sounds nitpicky or fiddly, but it will have a dramatic impact on how the viewers interact with your work and how you come off as an artist.
I want to reply to all of you who have spoken out, thank you. For this particular event they are asking that metal frames/acrilic be used for the framing and should be delivered without any hanging hardware - they will use security hardware to mount the images. I've done a scaled version of the wall space available based on a one foot spacing between images that allows about 5-7 feet of blank space at each end to allow for modifications.
My framed prints don't adhere to "standard" sizes, I prefer to let the particular image dictate sizing for the best presentation. What I have is verticals, horizontals and panoramic images, both vertical and horizontal. In my layout I've tried to balance the presentain starting at the center of the wall and working towards the ends by using my most popular images as the center point and then alternating panoramics, verticals and horizontals while mixing up the subject matter.
I'm assuming that the layout will be a straight line showing at an optimal viewing height rather than multiple levels.
As I mentioned this is my first exhibition so I'm looking to learn and hopefully make some sales but the most important issue is to decide how to present myself.
"they will use security hardware to mount the images."
Does this meant that THEY will be in charge of the mounting? And exactly who is THEY? That makes me a bit leery. Does this security hardware leave marks on all the NEW frames you are going to have to buy? Is any felt going to be used between the frame and the security hardware? Actually the security hardware sounds pretty nice as long as it does not make your frames useless after the show. Seems like in this kind of show (hospital) you get more exposure than direct sales - nothing wrong with that!
What you did not mention was going to the location and seeing what they already are showing before it is your turn. I would assume you have seen what it will look like. As stated before, it must be eye pleasing from afar as well as up close. If you are stuck with one horizontal line, you may want to change up the spacing between images to better match different frame sizes. I think the idea getting some craft paper that matches the sizes of each print and play with those on a long wall somewhere will help you greatly. If you do this, take a photo of it each time you realign them. That way you can look at the images later and see if that earlier set actually DOES look better! Again, Congrats!
Troup
Posted by Gary Crabbe on August 6, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Try this : Create a white canvas "wall" to scale in Photoshop; scale out a bunch of thumbnail images as separate layers on the canvas - then you can move & resize & replace images until you get an idea of what is going to look good. This then becomes your visual mock-up. Repeat process for other "walls" as needed.
Discussion
7 repliesWhat I'm trying to decide is how much space to allow between photographs, I want as many pieces hanging as I can but don't want it to look crowded.
Rob
You could also try to line up a few images at home against the wall and see what works.
Corinna
I find the hanging takes a long time - trying to make sure each goes with its neighbour, vertical or horizontal, color and B & W.
I have simplified it, somewhat, by using the same mat and frame as you would have to do for a gallery show.
Everyone has their own way of doing it, though, and spacing is what you think does best for your own work.
Troup
In my experience you won't have the full 62 feet of wall. There's the simple factor of too high/too low, as well as the point at which the frames are spaced too close for easy viewing by a crowd, as on opening night. Within the "band" of just right heights around the two walls, your hangings will create an overall "shape" for the display.
It truly is an installation. By that I mean the overall visual impact of the total display, seen before the viewer approaches it to look at individual photos. A single row of photos all the same size at the same level all the way around is going to have a fairly stark "museum" effect, while a mix of frame sizes, heights and spacings can become cluttered if you don't put a whole lot of thought and design into it.
I'd get out the graph paper and cut out some squares scaled to the size of your frames relative to the wall and play with arrangements. I'd also consider whether there is a beginning and end for viewing and whether or not you want to use that sequence as an opportunity to build on a theme.
This probably sounds nitpicky or fiddly, but it will have a dramatic impact on how the viewers interact with your work and how you come off as an artist.
My framed prints don't adhere to "standard" sizes, I prefer to let the particular image dictate sizing for the best presentation. What I have is verticals, horizontals and panoramic images, both vertical and horizontal. In my layout I've tried to balance the presentain starting at the center of the wall and working towards the ends by using my most popular images as the center point and then alternating panoramics, verticals and horizontals while mixing up the subject matter.
I'm assuming that the layout will be a straight line showing at an optimal viewing height rather than multiple levels.
As I mentioned this is my first exhibition so I'm looking to learn and hopefully make some sales but the most important issue is to decide how to present myself.
Does this meant that THEY will be in charge of the mounting? And exactly who is THEY? That makes me a bit leery. Does this security hardware leave marks on all the NEW frames you are going to have to buy? Is any felt going to be used between the frame and the security hardware? Actually the security hardware sounds pretty nice as long as it does not make your frames useless after the show. Seems like in this kind of show (hospital) you get more exposure than direct sales - nothing wrong with that!
What you did not mention was going to the location and seeing what they already are showing before it is your turn. I would assume you have seen what it will look like. As stated before, it must be eye pleasing from afar as well as up close. If you are stuck with one horizontal line, you may want to change up the spacing between images to better match different frame sizes. I think the idea getting some craft paper that matches the sizes of each print and play with those on a long wall somewhere will help you greatly. If you do this, take a photo of it each time you realign them. That way you can look at the images later and see if that earlier set actually DOES look better! Again, Congrats!
Troup
Hope that helps. Good luck with the show.