Do You Decorate With Your Husband's Art?  That's the question my wife often gets asked.  "Sometimes" is the answer to the question.  Here's a picture of a 24x36 Metal Print she used to re-decorate our master bath. 

And below, you will see another 30x45 Metal Print she just installed in our master bedroom.  And below that one, is a 40x60 Metal Print that another customer recently purchased for their master bedroom.  So, how do you decide which photo, what size and what medium to order?  Let me share some practical tips. 

MEDIUM -- This is a decision you need to make when you order fine art.  Will I have the photo printed on a traditional paper print, on metal, acrylic, canvas or wood?  There was a time when there was only one option, paper.  Now there are many types of paper plus all of the other mediums of recent years.  A few years ago, canvas became popular.  Gallery wraps are the most common type of canvas prints.  In the last five years, metal prints have become cutting edge.  Honestly, metal prints are my very favorite.  You can see that in these photos.  The colors really pop off the metal and they will last for a really long time with no fading (as long as you don't put it in direct sunlight).  More recently, acrylic and wood prints have gained popularity and they have unique looks and advantages.  

Obviously, your taste and preference is primary when it comes to choosing a medium. Paper is the least expensive.  And then the investment grows with canvas, metal, wood and acrylic in that ascending order.  But don't forget, with traditional prints on paper, there are additional costs that have to be taken into consideration: matting, frame, and maybe glass in front of the print.  Metal, acrylic, wood and canvas do not need any framing or matting. 

SIZE - This website has two amazing features to help you make a determination of the size you will want for your particular location. Both features will work on a computer and a smart phone.  One of the features will only work on a smart phone or tablet.  

Wall Preview is a simulator that allows you to get a sense of scale and to experiment with wall colors.  This works great on a desktop and it will also work on a phone.  You can choose 8 options for room settings (living room, bedroom, nursery, restaurant, etc.) and nearly an unlimited number of the most popular colors from the paint companies.  While in Wall Preview, you can experiment with colors and the size choices to get a feel for what you are going to need in your environment.

Live Preview is an "Augmented Reality" (AR) tool that allows you to try a piece of art right on the wall that you plan to hang it on by using the camera on your device (smartphone, iPad, etc.)  You just need to stand at the distance from the wall that your device tells you to stand so the image is in proportion to how it will actually be in real life.  For my iPhone, it is 10 feet from the wall.  Then you can adjust the size of the image and move it around on your screen so it is just where you want it on your wall.  It is an incredible cutting edge tool that is still very rare on photography websites.

There's more that could be said about choosing an image for your home or office, but these are a couple practical tips to get you started.  If you need any help, don't hesitate to contact me via email at DGingerich@me.com and we can arrange a call so I can walk you through the process at your convenience.  ~Dennis G.