Consider Large Art for Average-Sized or Odd-Sized Walls

Looking for a way to make an decorative impact at your home or office?Large art might be just the solution you need.Here’s how to decide if large-sized paintings are an option worth considering:Look at the wall spaces you have to choose fromIf you take inventory of the walls in your home or office, you might see that your average wall is between 8 to 10 feet in height and maybe 15 feet in width. You might think that one or two 30″x24″ paintings on such a wall would be the only solution to use that space, but I am suggesting you reconsider your options.Your wall space could be set off perfectly by a large painting as the centerpiece or focal point. You might not immediately consider that a painting that is… say… 7 feet tall by 5 feet wide will work there. Sure, it may not be the most pleasing of sizes on a particular wall, but there are times when it might be your most pleasurable.Here is a good gauge to use when considering what might work on a wall: Think of that wall having a mural painted on it. What might that look like? A mural would often go from edge to edge on all sides of a wall space. It would essentially fill the wall with imagery, such as a Tuscan landscape or a faux texture of some kind or a jungle scene. Hold up a photo in a magazine or look at a mural online, and be in the same room as that wall so you can look at the mural and look at the wall together. If you can picture that in your mind and you find that the picture might look great on that wall, that is your indicator that a large painting could go well on that wall.How to choose between a painting on canvas or a muralA mural, as mentioned above, often stretches to fill an entire wall space from edge to edge. I love murals. They can transform a room into a completely different environment. There are a ton of options for mural treatments in a home or office and your vision of the extent of that transformation is given full voice in that option. If you think you have a mural in your future, call me and we can discuss your vision and what your options are.So, a mural is a large statement and is a terrific solution to just the right space. But, how do you decide between these choices, and which walls would a mural look best on?1. A great way to know is to simply get a photo of the wall(s) and have someone superimpose a shape on the wall digitally until you see what size of square or rectangles seats into that space comfortably.2. Create a paper cutout using newspapers or cardboard and tape it onto the wall. You should see right away what might work best for you.3. If you have a video projector that is transportable, you can actually shine an image onto the wall and consider the space usage that way.4. If none of those methods are practical for you, you still can hold up a photo and eyeball it.Advantages for muralsThey look spectacular. What a statement — Full immersion into an environment limited only by one’s imagination! For some spaces, there’s nothing like it.If you aren’t aware of it, the tried and true way of having a mural in your home or office by having the artist working right there on the wall in person is only one way of getting it done. Now, artists can size up the wall space and create a canvas, work on it at his or her studio, and then adhere the finished product to the wall.There are several advantages here, but the main — to me as an artist — is that the artist can work on a piece in full privacy and can work longer at a stretch than if he or she were working onsite. This can be a benefit for the home or business owner, too, because there is no mess, no noise, not distractions, and no issues with having workers hanging around.The main disadvantage is that once the painting is on, it’s typically there permanently. I did a painting once for my sister’s room that had horsies and rainbows and clouds and meadows. It was 8×15 and took a lot of work. Fast-forward our lives 10 years into the future, and our family moved away. The mural was great for a young girl’s room, but maybe not a good solution to sell the home if potential buyers had no girls and planned on using the room as an office or workout room. It became somewhat of a liability, and my folks ended up painting over it after we moved. Too bad.Advantages for traditional paintingsIt might be that a large painting on that space would be best for a piece that hangs on the wall rather than being painted on the wall. I would suggest using the four methods above to see if a traditional painting on canvas would work best for you in that case.It can be framed. It have depth off the wall. It can fill just the amount of the wall that you want with untouched edges. It can be moved around, too.Odd sized walls need… what?I can hear you saying, “That odd-sized wall is a bit different than the main walls, but I’d never consider putting a large painting there.” To that, I would say to open your mind! You could be pleasantly surprised!Your odd-sized walls may be a hidden gem, and all it needs is your call to try something large there and see what happens. Again — use one of the 4 methods mentioned above and test it out. You can mitigate your risk so you will have a great idea ahead of time if it will work in that space or not.Are your walls a good candidate for a large painting to make it shout for joy?Think large art in a small space!Try it!