If you want to make a bold, potentially controversial statement in your living space, few artistic styles will fit the bill quite like surrealist art. Where many art styles tend to grab one’s attention through technical virtuosity or by directly saying what the artist wants to convey, surrealist pieces usually take the opposite approach, using dreamlike elements to engage audiences and have them come up with their takes on the piece.
Though surrealist pieces are not for everyone, their subjectivity means they work quite well in spaces where engagement and a bit of intrigue are needed. Creative workspaces, reception areas, and other places where thought-provoking art is appreciated are great fits for surrealist art prints like the ones curated by DROOL. However, there’s more to making these works fit into your space than simply hanging them on your walls. Try these ideas for more success with your dreamy prints.
1) Start with a Large Statement Piece
Using a single large surrealist print rather than several smaller ones can have an especially strong effect, minimising visual clutter and giving your room a strong focal point. This effect can be improved further by positioning it to be immediately visible when you enter the room. You can later add other complementary prints using the statement piece as a visual or thematic anchor.
2) Consider the Mood the Piece Creates
Because they draw inspiration from dreams, surrealist art spans the gamut from whimsical to unsettling. As such, it’s not necessarily the first style you should consider for a calm space. This isn’t to say that you can’t use surrealistic pieces in places for relaxing, but you’ll have to be a bit more calculated in your approach.
For instance, while a playful piece might work well in a guest room, darker, moodier prints might be too unsettling in this context. In this case, the more challenging piece may be best displayed in a common area or anywhere else where active engagement is desired.
3) Play around with Frames
Though there are surrealistic pieces that use relatively few visual elements, many of them can be quite busy and ornate. If you’re ordering from DROOL, opt for clean white or sleek black frames for a modern twist that puts the artwork front and centre. Natural colour frames can work, but they are often more dependent on the colours and design of the actual piece. If you’re comfortable matching frames and want something bolder, order your next print with a fluorescent Glo Frame™ in green or orange.
4) Match Your Dreamy Prints with Other Room Elements
As mentioned, surrealist prints can get quite vibrant and detailed, making some pieces difficult to integrate in already cluttered spaces. If you’re building your display area from scratch, consider sourcing furniture that leans towards the modern, industrial, mid-century modern, or minimalist styles. You might think that more avante garde pieces would work better for these prints, but using cleaner, simpler furniture will make it much easier for your DROOL art to look its best in your space.
5) Curate With Care
Surrealist prints can be more challenging to curate simply because they tend to have more things going on. If you want to maintain coherence throughout your collection, order DROOL pieces with a matching theme or colour scheme. Alternatively, you can collect pieces from the specific artist that you like to simplify the job of displaying a coherent collection.
6) Use Textiles to Complement Your Surrealist Prints
If you want some out-of-frame elements to complement your collection, textiles are an especially suitable choice. The random folds and imperfections in rugs, curtains, and throw blankets call back to the often wavy lines of dream-inspired pieces, avoiding the rigidity that’s often found in a lot of other types of decor.
7) Rotate Your Prints for Freshness
Running out of wall space doesn’t have to signal the end of your surrealist print collection journey. Once you gain confidence in setting up your display, you should be able to easily rotate your wall art with the seasons to make your space appear more dynamic. You can also use the opportunity to clean up your frame and the print’s acrylic protector so that they're ready to hang the next time the mood strikes. If you do plan on hanging up a piece for the long term, you can rest assured that DROOL’s UV-blocking, premium acrylic glazes are up to the task of protecting your prints.
Give Your Space a Unique Dreamlike Quality with DROOL
Whether you enjoy the dream states depicted by surrealist art or prefer other genres, DROOL has them all. DROOL gives you a constantly rotating selection of curated art prints from emerging artists, supporting true creativity and giving you the chance to score some truly unique finds. To make things even more compelling, each print and frame you order reflects meticulous craftsmanship and a commitment to environmental sustainability, making DROOL the right choice for beginning your print collection. Order your first surreal art prints now to see the difference.
