Presentation of your artwork
Ideally the presentation of work should be considered at the design stage.
We often don’t think enough about the presentation of our work. We are so pleased to have it finished that we don’t leave sufficient time for this very important part – the presentation. Try to allow at least a month after finishing a piece to think and experiment with the finishing touches. Poor presentation will really undermine an excellent piece of work. Make sure you know what the hanging requirements are for each exhibition venue as they will vary.
Tips and tricks
· Wall hangings sometimes need hanging for a month so that they hang straight
· Card mounts need not be white but can be coloured, preferably taking one of the colours from the work. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
· Work that goes over boards needs to have felt underneath to take up any slack. The edges are best laced across the back both ways and not stapled. The corners should be mitred and stitched
· Staples should never be down the side of an artist’s canvas. If used, they should be placed at the back. Enough fabric should have been allowed for this in the design stage.
· Sleeves for hanging should always be loose enough to contain the rods so that there is not a bulge at the front.
· Eyelets at the end of dowling rods are often not large enough for the hanging system hooks so further rings may need to be attached to the eyelets.
· Mirror plates if required are best positioned 2/3rds from the bottom at the sides.
· D-rings are added at the back if required and also at least 2/3rds of the way up a piece to stop the work, particularly if framed, hanging away from the wall at the top.