What Is the Imformational Card Next to Art Work in a Museum Called
Pointers on Wall Labels for Your Art Exhibition
Approach the making of the wall labels you identify side by side to your artwork with thoughtfulness and common sense.
The Nuts for Exhibition Labels Next to Your Fine art
Many art exhibitions open with a argument by the curator or artist. Those longer labels give context to what the viewer is about to see and are placed at the entry to the bear witness.
And then there are individual labels side by side to each artwork.
Your art labels should include your name, object title, and media/support/technique—at a minimum.
A retrospective of your piece of work should also include the dates.
In a i-person exhibition, your name need not exist as prominent on labels and you might, instead, make the title larger and put information technology earlier your name. When showing with other people, distinguishing between artists is more important and names should be offset.
If in that location are multiple rooms in the exhibition and your prove's title text doesn't appear anywhere virtually your works, you might need your name on every label.
If your work is hanging at a restaurant where a customer could stare at information technology for longer periods of time, your proper noun should be on every label.
If the exhibit is pocket-size or in a unmarried room and there'due south a large sign with your proper noun on it, you probably don't need your name on every characterization.
Size of Wall Labels for Your Art
The size of your labels depends on the size of the art, the size of the font y'all employ, and the size of the crowd expected. Museums that expect huge crowds for blockbuster shows demand larger labels and then they can be read from farther away and over other people'due south heads.
Just large labels look featherbrained next to small works, like Margaret Kasahara's in the epitome above.
Labels used to be a lot smaller—call up business-card-sized—until studies showed that they were hard to read. Brand the font size at least xiv points. Larger is improve when you want the majority of your audience to be able to read the labels.
No demand for large margins around the text on a label. Crop it closely.
Yous can include more than one artwork on a characterization (equally in the image to the right) as long every bit viewers can discern which information belongs with which piece.
1 Fine art Label, 3 Ways
Traditionally, titles of artworks are italicized. You could, instead, brand them assuming, all caps or larger than the other text. Distinguishing the titles is specially important if they give clues about the content of your work, such as the location of a mural.
"Mixed media" isn't a medium. Using it is like saying something is a "painting" instead of "oil on linen" or "sculpture" instead of "bronze." Spell out the various media you use inside each mixed-media artwork. A curator is going to inquire you that later anyway, so you lot might also commencement treating your fine art like information technology's in a museum now.
If the work is for sale, bear witness the sale price on the label next to the art.
Labels tin can be printed on cardstock and stuck on the wall with rolled masking tape or something like Elmer's Tack removable adhesive putty. I don't recommend using the latter on textured walls because the adhesive gets caught in betwixt the bumps.
For a more polished presentation print labels on regular newspaper, adhere the paper to mat board with spray glue, then cut out with a mat cutter.
Labels within an exhibition should all exist the same size unless at that place is demand for longer, explanatory text.
Identify object labels to the correct if at all possible. Large sculpture may require that you lot place a characterization on the nearest wall or floor.
Hang all labels at the same height and utilize a level to brand sure they are parallel to the floor.
Fine art Label Cheat Sail
- Viewers must exist able to see your proper name when looking at your work.
- People shouldn't have to guess what your work is made of.
- The price, if for sale, should be clear.
- Exhibition labels should be thoughtfully made. Any crooked sides or torn edges will backbite from an appreciation of your work.
- Above all, the labels should be consistent throughout the exhibition.
Your Art Exhibition Installation
Compose your art bear witness just as you lot would a composition. Each attribute can contribute to the success of the show or make it seem less than impressive.
It begins with curating the work, just at that place is so much more that goes into a successful exhibition: grooming, installation, documentation, marketing, self-promotion, follow-up and more than.
Click the graphic below to download a gratis comprehensive checklist for your show.
This post was originally published September iv, 2012. It has been updated with comments left intact.
- by Alyson Stanfield
- August 8, 2019
This plan emphasizes your express capacity. Information technology'due south non well-nigh balance.
It'southward nigh being fulfilled—about enjoying the life of an artist. To practice that, you seek to optimize how you spend your precious time.
Information technology's not a social media course and it'south not most posting more!
Be intentional with your creative person life.
In ii hours a twenty-four hour period I walk you through steps that will consequence in a plan that only you could make because information technology's based on your goals, your electric current commitments, and how you want to run your art business concern and live your life.
Get real with your time.
49 thoughts on "Pointers on Wall Labels for Your Fine art Exhibition"
Source: https://artbizsuccess.com/wall-labels/
I've plant that clear labels work the best. They await professional person, adhere well, and can easily be moved and removed. They come in various sizes (I utilise the aircraft label size (2″ 10 4″ ).
Laurie: But don't use them on textured walls. They look terrible! And they look bad when they first coming off from the wall, and so work all-time with shorter exhibitions. I've seen clear labels that look really bad. Gotta keep tending to them.
Exceptionally useful advice…wish I'd had it last week! LOL
Deplorable I'k late, Victoria. You'll go 'em next time!
Just what the md ordered. Thank you Alyson!!
Yes, you lot have a bunch of exhibits coming upwards, don't you Susan? Glad yous found this helpful.
Whatever thoughts nearly including the size of the painting on the label?
Jennifer: I don't retrieve that's necessary since the artwork is correct in front of the viewer.
Hello Jennifer and Alyson,
Slap-up advise on the labels. I ever include the size of the painting. The reason beingness that some people recollect in numbers. They need to know how big a painting is to exist able to envision it on the wall of their living room. Some customers don't need that data at all.
Question:
When should you NOT put a price on the label?
Col: When it's not for sale, when it'due south shown in a museum, or when the guidelines of the venue dictate.
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Great tips for labels… I don't know if your suggestion to put labels to the right covers this, but my preference is to put the labels at middle level abreast the painting. I have shown with a number of artists who similar the label beneath the painting and the price in a prove guide. The argument is that it looks professional. My thought is "Why brand people work and so hard to acquire virtually your work?"
Sandy: At that place's all kinds of inquiry on this. What is "eye level" for you might not be heart level for someone else.
This certificate gives a wide range of 36-67″.
In the museum, we were very concerned with accessibility problems, so nosotros placed them lower for people in wheelchairs. It'south an eye opener to go through your exhibit in a wheelchair!
Cheers for providing this helpful info. I'll try the color-full labels at my next art festival.
Neat info! This is on my "to-practise" list. Thanks!
How most including a small QR code with link back to your site/info?
John: Sure, that works, too. Exist very conscientious that they don't go to your home page or a sales page. They MUST go to juicy data that pulls people in.
I may exist pessimistic, only I encounter QR codes as a waning fad. Whenever I use the QR codes at the museum, I notice I'grand the merely 1 doing so. Are y'all finding more positive results?
I'grand near to use QRs at an exhibition. They each get to a blog post that shows the whole beginning-to-finish procedure of the slice of work. Might be successful, might not, I'1000 new to the whole business organisation!
Beloved information technology, Suzanne. I'd similar to know more!
I've struggled for years for the best way to practise price labels for outdoor or indoor festivals. Everything in the booth is my work and my name is in several places, plus on the artwork, so name doesn't seem necessary. Everything needs to go up adequately quickly and the artwork is slightly different each fourth dimension. I've settled on using tags which I prepare in batches with a trivial swish of watercolors. I put the championship and the cost. Since I exercise Mixed Media, I very much like the idea of calculation the "ingredients" of each artwork. Skilful topic!
Cheers for the tips, Alyson. Only wondering. Many of the galleries employ numbers adjacent to the work and then accept a typed up list for the patrons to concur every bit they walk through the gallery, with the information regarding the painting next to the corresponding number.
What are your thoughts regarding this type of identification?
Wonderful communication as always! I'yard starting to offer prints of certain paintings and am considering putting that information on my labels for my upcoming open studio consequence. Something similar "Original $1500; Prints available". Would you suggest besides putting the cost of the print on the label (or not mentioning them in that location at all)?
Awesome advice! I've had a couple of shows at odd venues (ie: in the lobby of a local independent former movie house) that didn't really have good places for business concern cards and the like. I decided to put QR codes on my tags that linked directly to the Etsy page of the painting.
To adhere labels, I utilize Scotch Foam Mounting Squares, specifically the removable ones. They easy to use, potent, attach to near any surface, and come off quickly. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QMQ12E/
I actually use the Avery clean edge business cards for my labels: one side has all of the information most the artwork, the other is a business bill of fare. This gives a consistent size and format for the labels (you can set upwards templates only like for address labels), is easy to print and a breeze to detach – no cutting involved! Then when the work sells, the collector takes abode the detailed data about my piece AND has a business card with all of my contact information. Another option is to employ the self-print postcards if you need a larger size to fit more information, like a story about your artwork, or a mini-artist statement. The postcards don't take every bit prissy of finish/print quality equally the business concern cards though.
Great tip almost the Elmer's poster tack – I volition definitely be using this instead of scotch tape. Thanks!
Thanks for the tips. Very useful weblog!
Thanks for this info Alyson. I just saw a fabulous exhibit at The Portland Art Museum (Portland , OR) and the wall titles were semigloss letters adhered directly to the wall. It was cute and elegantly understated but very legible.
Does anyone know what material that is? How it was done? Thank you!
Hullo, David. Yes, those are probably vinyl. Any sign store can impress them for you.
Hullo Alyson,
Thank y'all for your communication.
I volunteer as function of the hanging squad for a gallery that has very express funds. Today they had the data on business cards and affixed a piece of Scoth Brand clear tape folded over on itself in each corner of the card. I am convinced there has to be an equally inexpensive way to affix the cards to a wall.
I would most grateful for whatsoever suggestions you may have.
Warm regards,
Astrid Adler
Astrid: I can't tell if you mean that they taped the artists' business organisation cards or they printed on something the size of a concern bill of fare.
Either way, masking tape (rolled) on the back would wait much better. Nosotros used masking tape to hang well-nigh of our signs in the museum!
For vinyl messages yous could utilize a cricut machine.
And, I use gorilla brand gummy putty. Information technology tin can be constitute at your local arts and crafts store in the craft/glue section. I then use a discount coupon that takes the price downwards to less than scotch tape.
I am thankful I found this site. It is reassuring to know I'm on the right track.
I am in a show this weekend where each artist hangs their ain art. I am curious how the labels are going to look because five different artists are each bringing their ain.
That certainly is an event, Mechel. Sounds like yours volition stand up out higher up the rest.
I am manager of a minor customs arts centre with a cute little gallery space. We have a variety of artists showing in our space – some bring very nice looking labels and others arrive with glutinous address labels that pare off very easily or just don't work well in our infinite for whatever reason. Growing tired of this, I recently purchased plastic acrylic holders in standard business card size. Some are apartment and nosotros added velcro dots to hold them on our carpeted walls. Others are "L" shaped for use with 3D pieces on pedestals and in our display instance. Artists can easily ship me a spreadsheet with details in columns. Then I can exercise a mail service merge to an avery template and print on avery business concern cards. It is perhaps a modest improvement, but so wonderful to present a more than polished look in our gallery.
Sounds perfect, D! You are in a position to instill professional person practices in the artists you lot piece of work with. I encourage you to apply each opportunity to educate them.
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Exactly was I was searching for. 🙂 I'k working on branding for an creative person and this was actually helpful for the vignette. The only affair that I'k not certain about, I don't think I saw the size on which they should be printed on…
Hello, Isabelle. I'g happy this is helpful for you. The size kind of depends on the size of the audience and the size of the font. Permit me update this right now.
Added, Isabelle! Unfortunately I tin't exist exact, but I hope those extra guidelines are helpful. Thanks for request.
I agree about the "Mixed Media" description needing to be specific about materials used. My question is, how specific exercise you need to exist? For instance, I often use both watercolor pencils and watercolor from a palette. Do I accept to spell that out or tin can I just say "watercolor"?
The labels you link to aren't cream. And then exercise you use cream ones or the ones in the link?
This is so helpful, thank y'all. Your site has become my "go to" for this kind of question.
I am starting to show some limited edition linocut prints.
My question is – would I put the specific number on the label (E.g. ix/thirteen) or merely say how big the edition is (Due east.yard. Edition of 13)
Many thanks!
Hi Alyson —
I besides really like the no-nonsense approach you offer in your guidelines. I wonder if you lot can recommend a label protector product – acrylic peradventure. We are leasing artwork from a museum for long-term display in the public areas of a Hilton Hotel that will open before long. I need something durable that protects the bill of fare stock label that doesn't expect tacky.
Thanks !
Stephen: Yes! You can put acrylic over the labels. Just make certain it doesn't have as well much of a glare on information technology. You can likewise have fancier labels printed at print shops–on material that is more durable. Many museums apply the paper on top of mat board approach, but they have guards in all of the rooms to make certain people aren't mucking around with the labels. Good luck! And thanks for dropping in.
Hi there, delight could you permit me know what font you have used for these labels?
All-time wishes
I'one thousand not sure which labels you lot're referring to, Rebecca, merely the only ones I "made" were the digital examples of Arthur Jackson. And I did that so long ago (almost 20 years) that I can't retrieve.
what do you advise for labelling artwork in a hospital setting? Do transparent labels work in a long term situation?
Sande: I would do the same characterization. You can utilise plexiglas or something else more than durable for longer term—as long as the full credit is visible. Thanks for asking.