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There's an art to hanging art

Matt Fox, Scripps Howard News Service

Published November 4, 2006 at midnight

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Hanging one piece of artwork is easy when compared with putting together a collection of pieces and hanging them in just the right combination and location to make the collage work.

A collage is a group of related items hung together on a wall to create a more dynamic statement than if each piece were hung alone. To create one, gather items that have something in common with one another - maybe all black-and-white photographs or perhaps all artwork in gold frames.

Add a few coordinating dimensional items, such as a gold candle sconce, a gold-framed mirror, a hanging glass container of potpourri or a coordinating clock. But don't overdo the variety so much that the common theme of the grouping is lost.

Make a conscious effort to bring together subjects that tell a story. For instance, floral prints combined with dragonfly and ladybug artwork make sense because of the subject matter. The frames can be different, yet they'll all still get along together on the wall. Another great collage unifier is color.

If all the prints in a collage grouping are watercolors or pen and ink, they'll make a cohesive display when hung as a group.

Framed photographs also make a great basis for interesting wall collages.

When creating a grouping with photos, it's important that each piece be a part of the whole. There are several ways to achieve a unified look. One of them is to group the photos by color.

Black-and-white photos can create a modern gallery look. Sepia tones work well with traditional and country decor. Full- color photos are best-displayed in a casual setting.

Photos can also be grouped by theme - vacations, family members or special occasions, for example.

When the collage items have been collected, start arranging them on the floor using a space the same size as the available wall space. Using the floor makes it much easier to move things around and get a feel for the overall effect.

Keep in mind that collages don't need to be symmetrical. To give added interest to a montage, use an odd number of pieces.

Matt Fox is co-author with Shari Hiller of "Matt and Shari's Great Weekend Projects" (DRG Publishers), and they appear together frequently on HGTV.