Do the images of your artwork include the mat and frame? Do you photograph your artwork mounted on a piece of white foamboard? The background behind your artwork makes a difference in how good your images look, and in this article I'll explain why.
White Is For Gallery Walls
We've all gone to the opening of a new show at a gallery and admired how great the artwork looks. The white walls give any exhibition a clean, crisp look that really shows off the artwork. No distractions ... just the art. That's why most art gallery walls are painted white.
Similarly, most professional artists use a white mat around their artwork when framing it. They understand that a colored mat can affect how the brain perceives color in the artwork and is potentially distracting to a prospective buyer. Almost any piece of art looks best against a white mat.
... Not For Images
But a white background is not the best choice for images of your artwork. Gallery walls and the mat in a frame are reflective media, and the brain essentially ignores the reflected white light when viewing the artwork.
The images on a computer screen and slides, however, are transmissive media. The transmitted light from a white background or mat around your artwork is distracting and causes the brain to perceive duller, less vivid colors in the artwork. On the other hand, a black or neutral grey background helps the eye see the true colors in your artwork.
These two images illustrate the effect of different backgrounds behind the same piece of artwork.
White Is For Gallery Walls
We've all gone to the opening of a new show at a gallery and admired how great the artwork looks. The white walls give any exhibition a clean, crisp look that really shows off the artwork. No distractions ... just the art. That's why most art gallery walls are painted white.
Similarly, most professional artists use a white mat around their artwork when framing it. They understand that a colored mat can affect how the brain perceives color in the artwork and is potentially distracting to a prospective buyer. Almost any piece of art looks best against a white mat.
... Not For Images
But a white background is not the best choice for images of your artwork. Gallery walls and the mat in a frame are reflective media, and the brain essentially ignores the reflected white light when viewing the artwork.
The images on a computer screen and slides, however, are transmissive media. The transmitted light from a white background or mat around your artwork is distracting and causes the brain to perceive duller, less vivid colors in the artwork. On the other hand, a black or neutral grey background helps the eye see the true colors in your artwork.
These two images illustrate the effect of different backgrounds behind the same piece of artwork.
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Less Is More
For flat artwork that will be viewed on a computer screen or projected, you should always crop the image to the artwork and eliminate any background. With an irregularly shaped piece, use a black background or, if it is already matted, crop the image close to the artwork to eliminate most of the background. Also use a black background for slides if the proportions of the artwork differ from the standard slide frame size. But in the case of darker artwork, use a grey background instead of black to provide contrast and help the artwork stand out from the background.
For sculpture, a grey background is best. As with flat artwork, a white background is too bright and will distract from the artwork. A black background, while it may accentuate the colors, also effectively flattens the artwork by eliminating the shadows around it that help the brain perceive dimensionality.
So, crop your images to eliminate distractions and use a black or neutral grey background to help the juror or prospective buyer see your artwork at its best.
And click here to learn more about shooting your artwork in the Learning Center at ShootMyArt.com™.
(The artwork “Lilies” is used by permission of Candace Law © 2001.)
For flat artwork that will be viewed on a computer screen or projected, you should always crop the image to the artwork and eliminate any background. With an irregularly shaped piece, use a black background or, if it is already matted, crop the image close to the artwork to eliminate most of the background. Also use a black background for slides if the proportions of the artwork differ from the standard slide frame size. But in the case of darker artwork, use a grey background instead of black to provide contrast and help the artwork stand out from the background.
For sculpture, a grey background is best. As with flat artwork, a white background is too bright and will distract from the artwork. A black background, while it may accentuate the colors, also effectively flattens the artwork by eliminating the shadows around it that help the brain perceive dimensionality.
So, crop your images to eliminate distractions and use a black or neutral grey background to help the juror or prospective buyer see your artwork at its best.
And click here to learn more about shooting your artwork in the Learning Center at ShootMyArt.com™.
(The artwork “Lilies” is used by permission of Candace Law © 2001.)
