Hanging Paintings: Eye-level means…what?

Question

Often, I hear that I should hang a painting at eye-level. But, how high IS eye-level? If you take eye-level for someone to be the distance from their eyes to the ground, then it seems an easy distance to measure. However, not all people are the same height. Eye-level for someone 6'01" (184.5 cm) will be different than for someone 5'04" (162.6 cm). So, I ask again, how high IS eye-level? Is there a generic height that is considered universally to be eye-level?

Also, what part of the painting should be eye-level? The top-third? The middle? The bottom third? Something else?

Answer 1

there is a generallized height, this can be found in almost all ergonomics books, or you find images with specific heights on the web if you look... try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergonomics, then try searching google images.

it also depends on the picture, the space, and how the artist wants it to be seen. Having something really high, like a portrait can give ther effect of greatness, and having something low can make you feel different things. Explore each image, as there is no defined height, or top centre or bottom of any image in my opnion...

maybe rothko's work is the best way to explain this: instead of painting images he created moods, every image, like a song, projects a mood, so maybe just explore your space, exhibition or home,and decide what works for you...

be your own curator, people will probably enjoy something more if it isnt set on a white wall, and all specifically at an exact height, think how the user must interact with each piece...

hope that helped

Answer 2

I think that the focus of the painting, where your eyes are drawn towards, should be at eye level. If that's the bottom, top, middle, side, corner, wherever...the focus, or what you want people to focus on, should be at eye level.
Now as far as the height to hang it, is the painting more for you to look at? If so, hang it so the focus is at your eye level.
If it's for others mostly to admire, hang it so the focus of the painting is between 5 and 6 feet up.

Answer 3

Well, I don't think it's meant to be exact. Just general eye level for an average height person. I hang my artwork at my eye level (5'7") hey the world revolves around me anyway, tee hee! Most of my paintings are faces so I have the eyes of the portrait at my eye level. I think you just know when it feels right. Not too high or too low...

Good luck. May your paintings be well hung. Ha ha.

Answer 4

generally the middle should be at eye level... its best to sort of estimate an average range of what height you want you're work at. Its not going to be eye level for everyone, but at least it should be somewhere in that range for most people.

Also one main thing to consider is that your work is all at a similar level so as not to look messy (i.e. all of the top edges are aligned, all of the bottom edges are aligned, or all of the centers are aligned). As long as it looks neat or at least intentional, it shouldn't be too much of a real problem for anyone.

Answer 5

I dont think they are that bad actually, I think I pobably would hang one up. I would like to know how the prison warden who placed them in the sale comes to have them in his possesion though? I've got a mate in prison serving life, he makes models out of matchsticks but has had loads of them stolen by the screws. Sometimes it's hard to judge who are the biggest criminals. I have actually got a decoration which was made by a prisoner doing life for murder.

Answer 6

I read somewhere that the average height is like 5'8". So, center your pieces at that height...or, hang 'em how you want. Who says you have to hang 'em a certain way?

Answer 7

The middle is where the eye-level is. look at the avg. height of people.