Cognitively stimulating wall art
March 8, 2024 10:21 AM Subscribe
I work from home, and have a large blank wall on my side. I like to take breaks from the screen, and was thinking that having something on the wall that actively helps me do that rather than a piece of art would be nice.
I enjoy looking at public displays consisting of posters with facts and trivia, but if it's in my room and I'm looking at it every day, I would need novelty. Something like a map, where you can go arbitrarily deep and never really run out of things to learn -- but not a map.
I briefly looked into e-ink displays where I can refresh it with new material, and realized they're too expensive for the size I want.
I do want it to be somewhat aesthetically pleasing.
I have a print of a foreign language dictionary page, which I quite like, but I don't want another one of those.
I don't want anything that takes effort on a regular basis, like printing things out for a noticeboard.
It shouldn't be something too esoteric.
I enjoy looking at public displays consisting of posters with facts and trivia, but if it's in my room and I'm looking at it every day, I would need novelty. Something like a map, where you can go arbitrarily deep and never really run out of things to learn -- but not a map.
I briefly looked into e-ink displays where I can refresh it with new material, and realized they're too expensive for the size I want.
I do want it to be somewhat aesthetically pleasing.
I have a print of a foreign language dictionary page, which I quite like, but I don't want another one of those.
I don't want anything that takes effort on a regular basis, like printing things out for a noticeboard.
It shouldn't be something too esoteric.
Best answer: I'd definitely get a huge world map and stare at that, but you want something else.
I've always wanted an excuse to get one of the cool posters from PopChart (birds, space exploration, architecture, etc.)
posted by hydra77 at 10:52 AM on March 8, 2024 [5 favorites]
I've always wanted an excuse to get one of the cool posters from PopChart (birds, space exploration, architecture, etc.)
posted by hydra77 at 10:52 AM on March 8, 2024 [5 favorites]
Get a small roster of whatevers (maps, photos, paintings, charts) and rotate them weekly. When not in use, store the others in a closet.
posted by cupcakeninja at 11:40 AM on March 8, 2024
posted by cupcakeninja at 11:40 AM on March 8, 2024
Do you visit your local library? If so, what about an easel that can hold fairly large format children's books or coffee table books? I'm thinking of things like The Timelines of Science or The Complete Human Body. You could check out a handful each week, and rotate through them every few days.
posted by kristi at 11:44 AM on March 8, 2024
posted by kristi at 11:44 AM on March 8, 2024
MC Escher drawings, or mandalas do nicely here.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 1:02 PM on March 8, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 1:02 PM on March 8, 2024 [2 favorites]
I've always thought one of those wall gear toys would be fun. There are bright plastic ones and also wooden ones.
One of those big magnetic wall scrabble boards might be good.
Maybe just browse wall toys and see if anything catches your interest. Then look for an adult version if you want more sophistication.
posted by BoscosMom at 1:48 PM on March 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
One of those big magnetic wall scrabble boards might be good.
Maybe just browse wall toys and see if anything catches your interest. Then look for an adult version if you want more sophistication.
posted by BoscosMom at 1:48 PM on March 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
How about a couple prints from Useful Charts? They're constantly coming up with new posters, too - they have a Youtube channel where the creator does a deep dive into all of their newer charts and gives more in-depth info.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:51 PM on March 8, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:51 PM on March 8, 2024 [2 favorites]
One of the best things you can do on a screen break is focus your eyes for a while on the far horizon. I would choose a mural that provides opportunities for that kind of eye focus. A beach scene, a city scape, or some other fairly simple scene designed to pull your eye into a longer focus.
posted by shock muppet at 2:44 PM on March 8, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by shock muppet at 2:44 PM on March 8, 2024 [2 favorites]
I am a big fan of magnetic poster hangers. Just google that or look at them on Amazon - they are, essentially, two wooden strips, top and bottom, that hold posters or photos or art on paper in place with magnets. You can get them in literally any size and they look nice. I use them so I can change out the art in my office regularly and it's working super well. If you got one for the width of the space you want to fill, you could print charts, posters, infographics - anything, really, that can be printed on demand to size. Then you would never need to worry about getting bored.
posted by mygothlaundry at 4:05 PM on March 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by mygothlaundry at 4:05 PM on March 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I suggest making one yourself (zentangle or dot art is a good option if you're not super artistic). I say this because I've observed that when your eyes look at something you drew/photophgraphed/etc previously, it subtly takes your mind back to the state it was in when you drew it. So one day when you're on top of the world because of some work-related success, start a giant zentangle/drawing/painting/dot art/whatever. Then each time your eyes fall on it, you will be subconsciously taken back to that feeling of power and effectiveness. (Or feeling of peace, or feeling of excitement, or whatever you want it to be).
posted by bluesky78987 at 7:57 AM on March 9, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by bluesky78987 at 7:57 AM on March 9, 2024 [3 favorites]
The Library may have art you can swap out. I recommend a big coloring page and markers. If there's a window available, look outside, into the distance; your eyes need the exercise.
posted by theora55 at 8:34 AM on March 9, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 8:34 AM on March 9, 2024 [1 favorite]
Sciencey Things Made With Love – the kurzgesagt shop.
Came for M.C. Escher. A giant poster of deep space sky imagery would be nice as well. Wendy's (the fast food joint) back in ages past had tabletops/wallpaper that was old ads from the 1800's like, ancient Sears & Roebucks catalog that were fascinating, mail-order a house delivered and built for $200.
posted by zengargoyle at 4:44 AM on March 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
Came for M.C. Escher. A giant poster of deep space sky imagery would be nice as well. Wendy's (the fast food joint) back in ages past had tabletops/wallpaper that was old ads from the 1800's like, ancient Sears & Roebucks catalog that were fascinating, mail-order a house delivered and built for $200.
posted by zengargoyle at 4:44 AM on March 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
How's your near vision? There's a company called Spineless Classics that prints the complete texts of classic works as attractive, stylish posters. I have one, and it's excellent, but the print is very small indeed, definitely not something you would be able to read without getting up from your desk. But there's something to be said for moving around more during the working day...
If that appeals at all, they have about a hundred titles to choose from. Here's The Hobbit, for example; Pride and Prejudice; On the Origin of Species; Three Men in a Boat. They're UK-based, but ship worldwide.
Alternative suggestion: you could relax your eyes with an autostereogram poster.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 5:54 AM on March 10, 2024
If that appeals at all, they have about a hundred titles to choose from. Here's The Hobbit, for example; Pride and Prejudice; On the Origin of Species; Three Men in a Boat. They're UK-based, but ship worldwide.
Alternative suggestion: you could relax your eyes with an autostereogram poster.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 5:54 AM on March 10, 2024
What worked for me, at least for a few years, was a print of this famous isometric drawing of St. Paul's Cathedral. The original was drawn over about four and a half years between 1923-1928. It's quite large, and has enough detail and depth to give your eyes room to wander, and things for your mind to contemplate — drawing methods, construction techniques, architectural style, scale and proportions, how you might renovate it, etc. And only £7.
For something more colorful and organic, I'd suggest this panorama poster of the Human Cell by Dr. David Goodsell, a master of molecular art. (Available here)
Breaking your no-map rule: I've also been admiring Anton Thomas' enormous and meticulously hand drawn maps of North America and the World.
posted by Kabanos at 4:12 PM on March 11, 2024
For something more colorful and organic, I'd suggest this panorama poster of the Human Cell by Dr. David Goodsell, a master of molecular art. (Available here)
Breaking your no-map rule: I've also been admiring Anton Thomas' enormous and meticulously hand drawn maps of North America and the World.
posted by Kabanos at 4:12 PM on March 11, 2024
redlines: "Something like a map, where you can go arbitrarily deep and never really run out of things to learn -- but not a map."
I adore my large-format print of James Turner's Map of Humanity (background). It looks like a traditional map but the hundreds of physical features and places are named after various philosophers, leaders, and legendary locales from history and fiction, all grouped into logically coherent regions. You can buy a copy here.
posted by Rhaomi at 5:52 PM on March 15, 2024
I adore my large-format print of James Turner's Map of Humanity (background). It looks like a traditional map but the hundreds of physical features and places are named after various philosophers, leaders, and legendary locales from history and fiction, all grouped into logically coherent regions. You can buy a copy here.
posted by Rhaomi at 5:52 PM on March 15, 2024
Response by poster: These are all great. I went with the PopCharts because I do love birds, but will come back to this thread to switch it out for others in a few months.
posted by redlines at 12:01 PM on March 18, 2024
posted by redlines at 12:01 PM on March 18, 2024
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posted by picopebbles at 10:42 AM on March 8, 2024