It List: Art wall DIY

I've often looked at and loved art walls.  But I didn't feel ready to try it myself until recently.  It was triggered by my new graphic print poster. I had several new pieces - all of which I liked, but they didn't look right by themselves.  So I decided to try my hand at a large grouping and I'm so glad I did!

I started by gathering together my prospective pieces - each one added a unique element to the mix.

I put them on the floor to see how they looked together and played around with grouping. I wanted to spread out the colors and shapes and sizes for interesting contrasts.  I also wanted it to feel centered - not symmetrical, just solid and pleasant to the eye.

I traced each piece onto paper and cut it out.  I used painter's tape to tape them to the wall, moving them around until I got them just right.  Masking tape would work better - the painter's tape kept coming undone.

I LOVED this method.  Because once I had the paper where I wanted it, I could mark on the paper the spot I wanted my nail to go through, then just nail through the paper and pull it away.  I'll definitely be using that again.

Then I hung each item one by one, and it came together magically.

I'm very happy with the end result. It draws the eye in and looks perfect in this space with a high ceiling.  It's big, bold, and eclectic. And it makes me feel good every day when I'm sitting at my desk to work.

For more art wall inspiration, check out these links: 
Hello, Gallery Walls by Abbey Goes Scouting
A very cool virtual ArtWall where you can discover new artists
The art of display by sfgirlbybay
Home inspiration: Frame walls by A Cup of Jo
Artful arranging by Material Girls
                                                                                                       
p.s. As I was researching this, one of the fascinating things was that everyone calls these something different... I saw them referred to as "picture walls", "gallery walls", "art walls", and "frame walls".  I was thinking "art wall" myself, but I like the ring of "gallery wall" too.  Is there any consensus on this?