Hanging a Group of Portraits

Squaring Off

• This grouping is all about the square. You can place four small pictures together, for instance, creating the effect of one larger picture. Or you can have one larger portrait and two smaller ones above or below it, coming to the edge of the larger one. You can even have 10 or more portraits in this kind of grouping, as long as they're squared off on all sides. All of these groupings create a sense of narrative, telling a story about the people in the portraits. Placing them together plays off the subject matter of each portrait, and it's an effective way to represent several children in the same family, or portraits from different times in a person's life.

Vertical Effect

• To achieve this effect, line up several portraits vertically, one on top of the other. You can do this with two, three or more portraits, depending on their sizes. Just make sure that the vertical lineup doesn't get too close to the floor or ceiling. Position them, so that someone looking at the portraits straight on would not need to look too far up or down to see them. This can be a good grouping to try if the portraits themselves are shaped vertically.

Diagonal

• Ordering your portraits diagonally can be a creative and unique way to display them. The portraits need not all be the same size, but they do need to follow a rough diagonal line. For this grouping to be effective, you'll want to confine it to a relatively small space, perhaps in a corner or above an end table. If the diagonal spread is too large, it can make the room feel off-balance.

Combined with Other Elements

• Combining portraits with other elements, such as mirrors, can be eye-catching and fun. Consider choosing one large centerpiece, such as a round mirror, and placing the portraits around it. You can also combine portraits with other hangings, such as bud vases, votive candleholders, art or posters. Some of the portraits can be on the floor or on bamboo shelving, yet still be part of the group. Consider, as well, the surface beneath and around the portraits and how it plays with and against them. You can line up portraits along a painted stripe, for instance, or group them together in a wooden frame on the wall.