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How do I choose the right wall art?
1. First, define your style. Is it casual or formal? Traditional or contemporary? Themed (for example: coastal, cabin, country, mid-century modern)?
2. Identify the main and accent colors in your room.
3. Decide the role your artwork is going to play.
- It can be the main star by creating the focal point in your room - adding impact and drama.
- It can play a supporting role enhancing your overall design, quietly pulling the look 'together'.
- It can be a stand-alone conversation piece, much as you see in an art gallery.
Ultimately art is subjective and your choice is subjective and personal. Choose something that inspires makes you happy when you look at it. Also don't be afraid to let your own sense of style influence your decision. We are here to make the experience fun, exciting and rewarding for you.
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Checklist for making your selection
1. Are you attracted to the piece(s)? Does the art inspire or excite you?
2. Does the art contain at least one or more accent colors found in your room? You are not looking for an exact match, but picking up some of its colors will send a message that the art belongs to the environment.
3. Does the art support the style or theme of the room?
Question #1 is critical. For the rest, we can offer advice or solve the challenge with you (see our CUSTOMIZATION page)
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How do I pick the correct size?
First identify the wall spaces you want to fill. The size of the available space and the width of any furniture piece(s) below it will determine the size and quantity of art to select. Groupings of smaller wall art pieces should be thought of as one unit.
Wider and taller spaces are perfect for:
- Large-format art
- Split images
- Multiple-piece set or groupings
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Consider the space available and the relationship the art will have to surrounding furnishings, accessories, etc.
- A general guideline for 8' to 10' ceilings is that artwork should be hung so that the center point of the picture or grouping is at about eye level for the average person.
- A good rule of thumb for art above furniture pieces is for the art to be only 2/3 to 3/4 as wide as the furniture below it, with the bottom edge of the art starting at 9-12" from the top of the furniture.
- Wall art above a console table immediately draws complementary accessories placed on the table into a unified whole, giving the room a designer look.
- Pay attention to balance. It need not be obvious. Asymmetry adds visual interest. Rather than focusing completely on one element, the viewer's eye is guided, enhancing appreciation of the overall composition.
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How should I group and align multiple pieces?
To group different sized artwork, a good starting point is to decide on the overall shape of the arrangement first. A large collection of similar pieces looks best grouped tightly - no more than an inch or two apart. Align the edges of two or more adjacent pieces; mix and match the alignments (top, bottom, left or right edges) in a way that keeps the look clean.
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How can I open up smaller spaces?
- Landscape art is one good way to visually open up a smaller space. The view of a distant horizon acts as a sort of "window," giving the impression of a faraway vista.
- Darker walls that complement that wall art help add the illusion of depth to the room.
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What hardware do I need to hang my wall art?
EyeDance wall art comes with hardware, ready to hang. Your canvas is inherently lightweight and stretched onto a sturdy wood frame. Larger pieces (any dimension 36" or greater) come with pre-installed dust cover and mounting hardware, meaning all you need do attach the anchor to the wall. A smart alignment guide is included with multiple-piece sets to make even mounting quick and easy.
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How do I know which anchor to use in the wall?
It depends on what your wall is made of, and what's behind it.
If your interior walls are made of drywall (gypsum board), you need to determine if the spot you selected to hang your piece has a stud behind the drywall. Any time you can screw directly into wood, your anchor will be very secure. Not a stud to be found? Drywall anchors - those funny, spiral-shaped screw-in sleeves of plastic or metal that come boxed with their own screws - will do the job nicely.
Do you have an unusual wall surface, or one that may have another layer of something located beneath it? Enlist the help the local hardware store's fastener guru.
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How do I keep from making too many holes in the wall?
The "Measure twice, cut once" motto is a good one to remember.
- Measure the space for your wall art.
- Decide the overall dimensions of the art grouping.
- Place masking tape on the floor outlining those outside dimensions.
- Lay your pieces out on the floor within the tape outline in an arrangement you find pleasing.
- Measure between the required mounting locations of each piece, from center to center of each piece.
- Install your anchors in the wall at the location your layout indicates.
When completed, you may find you're a tad off...in which case, you'll adjust it and no one will ever know you goofed.
A few things to remember before you begin:
Despite what your grandmother told you, straight pins will NOT hold the same weight as a nail.
You'll find plastic anchors packaged far too often with ready-to-hang artwork, but they are for use in block or brick walls, not in drywall.
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How do I keep wall art from shifting on the wall?
Adding a clear, self-adhesive cabinet door bumper on the back of the frame in each lower corner eliminates this problem. This also keeps the piece level vertically, so it doesn't tip outward at the top where the mounting hardware is located.
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How should I light my wall art?
Ideally, your piece will be lighted from a distance using recessed or surface-mount ceiling spots, track lights, monorail systems, or specialty fixtures.
The optimum choice for lighting art is LED lamps, now available in multiple color temperatures. These emit less drying heat and damaging UV rays than incandescent or halogen lamps. To show off your art in its true colors, choose the closest lamps to natural daylight, which fall into the mid-range color temperature of 3500K to 4000K. If your goal is to enhance warm tones (reds, yellows), consider warmer lamps with a lower color temperature of 3500K or less. To bring out cool tones (blues, greens), use lamps with a higher color temperature of 4000K or higher, which have a cool or bluish-white appearance. Be aware that extremely cool lighting will appear to "suck the life out" of any warm tones in the piece, just as cool fluorescent lamps make your complexion appear greenish.
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How do I maintain my wall art?
Dusting periodically with a feather duster is all it should need. Do not use any cleaners directly on the canvas.
The inks used in EyeDance canvas prints are ultra-violet resistant. Even so, keeping them from direct sunlight or lighting that is high in UV rays will prolong the rich colors in your piece.
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What if the art doesn't work in the room?
"Not working" usually means the art is out of place in its setting.
- First try making some changes in the room, such as moving furniture and rearranging accessories. The changes are minor compared to giving up a piece that truly speaks to you.
- If that doesn't work, try the piece in various rooms on different walls. You may be surprised at how it springs to life in another location.
- Check your lighting. The right light can make a dramatic difference, not only in accentuating detail and texture, but bringing out key colors and making them "pop".
- If all else fails, we will be happy to replace your selection with a different one, or refund the cost of the piece less shipping.
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