wall art guide

When choosing wall art, it helps to be able to visualize how things will look to scale in a room. There are so many possibilities and combinations of images that it all can get a little overwhelming.

Prints or gallery wrapped canvas?  Everyone has a preference.  Professional prints have amazing clarity and color. The other advantage is that they can be swapped out in frames for new photographs as your kids grow. Canvases turn images into true works of art. Whether hanging alone or in a group, they make for a modern, clean display that can have major impact on the wall.  There’s no need to buy a frame or hardware, they come ready to hang.  You can’t go wrong either way!

I will list a few examples to help you think your way through wall display design.

1.  Size matters!  Until you see the comparison of image sizes to scale on a wall, it’s very hard to visualize.  An 11×14 print sounds large, but on its own, it really isn’t!  Here is a side-by-side comparison of the same image at 11×14 and 16×24:

If you are choosing one image for display, go BIG!

2.  Smaller prints and canvases make bigger impact in groupings.  Here are a few suggestions for groupings:

6 – 10x10s

3 – 16x20s

2 – 10x10s, 2 – 10x20s

3.  Not a canvas person?  The following examples show some fun groupings for matted and framed prints that make great wall displays.  This way, you can show off even more images from your session!

This grouping consists of 4 – 8x10s with 11×14 mats, and 4 – 5x7s with 8×10 mats.  Total wall space is 58″x28″.  This would be great over a couch, in a dining room, foyer, or staggered over the staircase.  Also, don’t be afraid to mix up color and black and white!

This grouping consists of 1 – 16×20 with a 2″ mat and 4 – 8x10s with an 11×14 mat.  This grouping also works with 4 – 5x7s with 8×10 mats instead of the 8×10 prints on the sides.  This is a nice mix if you have one favorite image and several other related ones.

In this example, the center image is a 20×24 with a 3″ mat, flanked by 2 – 8x10s with 11×14 mats, and 2- 5x7s with 8×10 mats.

I hope this was helpful to you as you decide how to display your custom photography!