I am purchasing used ProPanels and I need to now the best way to hang artwork on them. I know a lot of people use the drapery hooks, and that is an option. However I know it makes the carpet pucker. I also know that you can buy hanging equipment, but it can be very expensive. I am looking for creative and cost effective ways. I will not be hanging work with glass in them, and most of my work is not very heavy. Any suggestions are welcome.
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I use Prohangers. Have used them for years and never had any problems. Just use 2 or 3 for heavier pieces.
They are inexpensive, EASY, and I can carry them around in a zippered pencil case.
Here is the website:
http://www.prohanger.net/
P.S. On really windy days (like you get at MainStreet) I buy some velcro with the adhesive on the back side. I attach a small piece to each bottom corner of the piece and it keeps the piece from blowing up.
I just bought a full set of ProPanel (38 1/2"SpaceSavers) and decided not to buy the hangers. If I got 2 cable hangers per panel it would have cost $252.00. With 3 hangers per cable that adds $378.00 for a total of $630.00 to hang 54 paintings.
Instead I bought 18 - 5 ft. chains (powdercoated black) for $45.36. Called "Blackjack Chains" at Home Depot. Cut the hanger off of a metal coat hanger and bend a hook on the bottom. Hang chain on hook. Large paper clips can be twisted 90 degrees and hung on chain wherever you want. Total cost less than $50.00 and looks better than the cable hangers. I used the large paper clips, but regular size will hold lighter framed paintings approx. 11" x 14". Works with wire or sawtooth type hangers on the frames.
Some people use the hanger kits by propanels (see the link Larry gave) & they are a good way to go. I personally don't like the way the wide bar of those looks, but that's just me. They also make the cable hangers which are nice (I use a few of the short ones for really heavy pieces that I only hang at the top). They are a nice investment but I don't like the look of them hanging down long for multiple pieces against my BLACK panels they are very noticeable. So I use a few of the short ones only and my pieces cover the whole thing up. I guess I could always paint the hook at the main top black to help hide it. If you have 60+ pieces in your booth, this could be a big chunk of money upfront.
I saw some people that used pieces of wood 4"x2"x 3/4" and had 2 screws located on opposite ends of the wood. They had glued industrial grade Velcro to the back and would hang their artwork on the 2 screws. You could make the strips of wood wide enough to accommodate whatever sizes your pieces are. This worked great also for lightweight pieces. You can buy the industrial grade Velcro at most home improvement stores, fabric stores, or just about anywhere that sells craft stuff. Just remember to use the rough part of the Velcro not the soft part.
I know lots of people that use the drapery hooks, but that's totally up to you. I personally don't care for them.
I use Harmon hooks for most all of my stuff. http://harmonhooks.com I have a ton of them. They are pretty cheap priced but mostly for me, they support a range of my work from the small stuff to the bigger & heavier stuff. You can use one or you can use two, it's up to you. I have them in all 3 sizes. I like how they hold my work closer to the wall then the cable hangers do (makes a difference on windy days). I really love how they are completely hidden behind my artwork. When i have a good show & my booth is looking a little bare I can easily rearrange to make things look fuller without having cables or anything uncovered looking unsightly. You just peel them off and rearrange them. (They are just industrial grade Velcro with a hook riveted through it)
Around Xmas time I sell ornaments & I sewed up a strip of fabric with ribbons on them that I hook the ornaments into (they are not heavy). The whole thing is attached with Velcro that is sewn onto the back of the fabric & I just stick it on the panel. You can use fabric that is the same color as your panels so it doesn't stand out any. You can use this same idea to dress up your panels for holiday based shows (I have a few that require it).
With a good imagination, you can create anything.
Good luck & hope this helps,
Mel
http://www.prohanger.net/
Always use at least two, three if the work is heavy. After a few years the hook gets weak and can give way. A lot easier on the fingers than the drapery hooks and easier to move when you need to move something an inch up or over to line things up. I also use the propanels hanging system but only for the top row. The extensions tend to float out from the wall too much.
drapery hooks also breaks down the styrofoam. I prefer to use Pro panels hanging system that goes over the top of the panels. And when I rent my panels I provide the hangers and I tell the artist not to use drapery hooks.
I use hanger kits with extensions:
http://www.propanels.com/hanging-systems/
They're a little expensive but will outlast the panels.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100