Get to know your wall.
Before you start, it's important to make sure your wall is ready. Not all walls are created equal—some can be too busy or distracting, while others simply aren't large enough to support the look you're going for. A good rule of thumb is that any wall with a window should be painted white or in a neutral tone (like grayish-green) if this color will complement your art well.
If you're planning on hanging your paintings and photographs in the same room, consider how they'll affect each other when placed side by side. For example: if one of your paintings has lots of light colors and the other has dark colors, these two pieces may seem out-of-place next to one another because they look like they belong in different rooms than where they’re currently located.
Explore the uses of both photographs and paintings.
Paintings can serve as a reminder of a happy memory or a place you want to visit. Photographs, on the other hand, can be a moment you treasure forever. Consider using one or both in your home to create an artistic focal point that will stand out from your typical gallery wall.
Consider using these types of art in a mix together.
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Don't overthink it. When it comes to hanging a photograph and a painting together on the wall, you'll want to keep in mind that there are no rules. You can mix-and-match different styles of art and size to create your own unique display.
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Be brave! If you've been feeling stuck in your home decorating, take inspiration from these examples below and use them as an opportunity to try something new with your walls.
How to arrange your photographs and paintings together on the wall.
How to arrange your photographs and paintings together on the wall:
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Group together similar types of art. If you have several pieces of the same medium, like all photographs or all watercolors, consider hanging them together in a specific area of your home. Mixing up the size of each piece will also help make it feel more cohesive as an ensemble.
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Showcase your best pieces. If you have a favorite painting or photograph, consider hanging it by itself on a wall so that it really stands out from its surroundings—this can be especially effective if you have several other works from different artists displayed around it in an eclectic mix!
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Add other types of art to fill empty spaces in your room(s). Not only do they serve as great conversation pieces when guests come over, but they can also help create an overall aesthetic theme within those spaces (for example: if everything else is black and white with lots of geometric patterns scattered throughout then maybe adding some bright colors would look nice too!).
How to show them if you have a small collection of art.
If you have a small collection of art, don't let that discourage you. There are a number of ways to showcase your art without needing a lot of wall space.
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Use floating frames: Floating frames can be used with photographs or paintings and make them feel like they're floating on the walls instead of being attached to them.
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Make use of blank walls: If there's space between the windows and doors in your home, try hanging some artwork there! This area is often overlooked when decorating, but it can look great with just one piece hung above each window (or door).
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Use gallery walls: Gallery walls are a great way to feature multiple pieces at once without cluttering up too much wall space with frames or mats. They also give off a modern look since everything is grouped together on one section rather than scattered about like in traditional groupings where each item stands alone or has its own frame/mat surrounding it individually
Let's take a look at some examples of other people's photographs and paintings arranged together.
Let's take a look at some examples of other people's photographs and paintings arranged together. You can see that there are many different ways to put your photos and paintings on the walls. You don't have to do it like everyone else! Rather than just hanging one or two pieces of art, try switching things up with multiple different styles and themes of art. If you want, you can even use contrasting colors in the same room or on the same wall—it will make each piece stand out more!
You can easily aim for a less-is-more approach and stick to either photographs or paintings for an entire room.
If you have only a few pieces of art, or if you're a minimalist who prefers the clean lines of a gallery wall, mixing photos and paintings could be the way to go. The key is to pick pieces that work well together. For example:
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If all your pieces are the same size or similar sizes, then they can be displayed as one group.
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If some of your pieces are much larger than others, it's best if you keep them separate from each other on opposite sides of the room (or even in different rooms altogether).
