Some types of art look better when they are displayed together; others need space. You can usually tell if your art needs space if you hang it up and it dominates. Dominating pieces of art are best suited for singular displays as a focal point. The type you would have above the mantel or on prominent display at the bottom of the staircase, or on a landing at the top of the stairs where it sits isolated, creating a sort of instant atmosphere that sets the tone for the area it’s in.
These are few and far between, and not many of us have an extensive collection of dominant artworks capable of transforming a dining room into a mini art gallery. Instead, we have one or two gorgeous art pieces and a vast collection of prints.
That vast collection of smaller prints can often be just what you need to create a cluster of photos that add to the feeling of any room, possibly transforming the atmosphere in the process.
Three Types of Art to Consider Displaying in Clusters
Drawings
Drawings of anything can be considered art, but when you’re arranging these together, a cluster often works best when it’s the same type of drawings, such as pencil sketches, sketched portraits of people, pets and places, or even doodles done by the kids displayed in colourful frames, perhaps a little larger than the drawings to use a wide mount bringing the art out more. These types of colourful displays are often ideal for kids’ bedrooms.
Photos
The majority of photo collections rarely exceed print sizes of 7” x 5”. These are ideal sizes to display together in groupings, such as along a wall, above a headboard, or even to arrange along a hallway or up a staircase. You do not need a huge collection to hang a cluster together. If you have loads of smaller sized prints, a gallery wall is an option; however, those are best used with themes.
For large collections of smaller photos, there are usually different themes. When there is, take advantage of displaying themed clusters at different parts of your walls. You could have one theme above the sofa, another above a sideboard, and perhaps another in a corner. Rather than having one huge gallery wall that does not have a distinct theme, separate clusters can be effective to display a few themed collections in different areas within a room.
Small-scale prints
Small-scale prints can be anything under the size of a standard photo. These can include mini-square pictures like Instagram sized prints, A6 flyers and all types of cards from postcards to Xmas cards, special occasion cards and celebration cards.
A variety of prints can be incorporated together, such as a postcard from a holiday destination displayed among photos taken from the trip.
Different styles of prints can create a totally different vibe in a room when they are grouped together and hung in clusters. The key is divvying them up into which ones go together with a common theme and then leaving enough space between each grouping to show the separation between your groupings clearly.