Skateboard Wall Art Sets: How to Choose and Hang a Diptych or Triptych

A single deck on a wall is a nice detail. Two or three decks hung together become a centrepiece. That is the whole idea behind a skateboard wall art set: one artwork, or one clear theme, spread over several decks and read as a single piece. In this guide I explain the difference between a diptych and a triptych, how much wall a set of 3 really takes, how to space and hang it, and which of my sets suit which room.

Two decks, one image: the Mystical Hand Eye diptych.

I hand-print every DeckArts deck myself in my Berlin studio, on 7-ply Canadian maple pressed in Butzbach, Germany. Sets are what people ask me about most, so here is everything I tell them.

Diptych, triptych, set of 3: what the words mean

The terms come from art history. A diptych is an artwork made of two panels, and a triptych is one made of three panels that belong together. Many altarpieces were painted this way, and some of the most famous paintings in the world are triptychs. Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights is one of them.

On skateboards, I use the words like this:

• Diptych (2-deck set): one image split across two decks, or two decks designed as a pair.
• Triptych (skateboard wall art set of 3): one image split across three decks. Each deck shows a part of the picture, and the full artwork appears when they hang side by side in the right order.
• Curated group: separate single decks you choose to hang together because they share a colour, an artist or a theme. That is a set in spirit, but not one continuous image.

The difference matters when you buy. With a true triptych the order and the gaps are part of the artwork. With a curated group you can rearrange as you like.

Why a set works better than one big print

• Rhythm. The gaps between decks break the image into panels, and your eye moves from one to the next. It feels more like a gallery piece than a poster.
• Shape. The rounded nose and tail of each deck repeat across the wall. That repetition is what makes three decks look designed rather than simply hung.
• Scale without weight. A set fills a wall the way a large canvas would, but each panel is a single deck that you can carry and hang on your own.
• Flexibility. You can hang decks vertically side by side, or turn them horizontal and stack them. A large framed canvas only hangs one way.

How much wall does a skateboard wall art set need?

My decks are about 85 × 20 cm. You can calculate the space a set needs from that and the gaps you choose:

So a vertical set of 3 with 5 cm gaps is about 70 cm wide and 85 cm tall, which is close to the footprint of a medium framed painting. It is not a whole-wall project. It fits above a sofa, a sideboard, a desk or a bed.

A simple rule for proportion: above furniture, keep the set narrower than the piece below it, so the wall doesn't look top-heavy. On an empty wall, think of the set as one picture and centre it at roughly eye level.

Spacing and alignment

With a split image, consistent gaps matter more than the exact number. I suggest you:

1. Cut paper templates the size of each deck and tape them to the wall. Live with them for a day.
2. Start with an even gap, for example 3–5 cm, and look from where you usually sit. Narrow gaps keep the image together. Wider gaps make each deck read as its own panel.
3. Use a spirit level and one baseline. For vertical decks, align the bottoms (or tops) exactly. Half a centimetre of drift is visible across a split image.
4. Keep the order. Number the back of each deck in pencil before you hang it.

For more layout ideas with several decks, see my guide to creating a skateboard art gallery wall.

How to hang a set: the mounts

My decks come bare, with nothing fitted on the back, so they are not ready to hang out of the box. The wall mount is sold separately, which lets you choose the display that suits your wall.

For horizontal hanging I use the DeckArts horizontal wall mount. It is an acrylic block, usually black and sometimes clear, with two stainless-steel threaded rods that pass through the deck's truck holes, so the deck floats just off the wall. Each mount is sold individually and you need 2 mounts per deck: 4 for a diptych, 6 for a triptych.

Other options:

• DeckArts 360° rotating wall mount, if you want to set the angle yourself.
• DeckArts floor stand, if you can't drill. Stand one or two decks on a sideboard or on the floor.

Not sure whether to go vertical or horizontal? I compare both in How to Hang a Skateboard Horizontally or Vertically. If you'd rather keep a deck behind glass, read the skateboard frame guide.

Skateboard wall art sets I'd start with

All my sets are in the triptych collection (sets of 3) and the diptych collection (sets of 2). These are the ones I recommend most often.

Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights: triptych

Bosch painted it as a triptych, so a 3-deck set is a natural fit: paradise, the garden, then hell. It's endlessly detailed, and people discover something new each time they walk past. See the Bosch triptych.

Van Gogh, The Starry Night: triptych

The Starry Night is a wide landscape, and its swirling sky flows across all three decks. It's a strong choice above a sofa or a bed. See the Starry Night triptych.

Klimt, Tree of Life: triptych

Gold spirals, warm tones and a strong ornamental rhythm. It suits calm interiors and wooden furniture. See the Klimt Tree of Life triptych.

Mystical Hand Eye: diptych

If three decks feel like too much, start with two. This graphic pair of red hands on cobalt blue works in a hallway, a studio or a narrow wall. See the Mystical Hand Eye diptych.

Build your own set from single decks

You don't have to buy a ready-made set. Three single decks that share a colour palette or a theme also make a strong group, and you can add them one at a time. One deck I often see people start with is the pop-art Sacred Heart: on its own it's bold, and next to two other religious or pop-art decks it becomes a series.

The Sacred Heart pop art deck in a living room.

Tips for a curated set:

• Pick one link: colour, artist, era or subject. Two links are even better.
• Put the strongest image in the middle.
• Hang all decks the same way (all vertical or all horizontal) and keep the gaps equal, so the group reads as one piece.

Which set for which room

• Living room, above the sofa: a wide landscape triptych such as The Starry Night. The long, low shape echoes the sofa below.
• Bedroom: calmer colours and ornament, for example Klimt's Tree of Life. Hang it a little lower above the headboard so it feels connected to the bed.
• Hallway or narrow wall: a diptych. Two decks need far less width and still read as one piece.
• Home office or studio: something with lots of detail to look at between tasks. The Bosch triptych works well there.
• Kids' or teen room: bold, graphic colour, and a floor stand if you'd rather not drill.

Whatever the room, light matters. Avoid hanging a set opposite a window where glare hits the print. Soft side light shows the colour best.

Common mistakes with skateboard sets

• Hanging a triptych out of order. Number the decks before you start.
• Uneven gaps. Measure from the edges of the decks, not from the mounts.
• Too high. The centre of the set should sit roughly at eye level, or about a hand's width above the furniture below it.
• Forgetting the mounts. The decks come bare. Order the mounts with the set: 2 horizontal mounts per deck.

FAQ

What is a skateboard triptych?

Three skateboard decks that together show one artwork. Each deck carries one part of the picture, and you see the whole image when they hang side by side in order.

How big is a skateboard wall art set of 3?

With my 85 × 20 cm decks hung vertically with 5 cm gaps, about 70 cm wide and 85 cm tall. Stacked horizontally, about 85 cm wide and 70 cm tall.

How many mounts do I need for a set?

With the DeckArts horizontal wall mount, 2 per deck: 4 for a diptych and 6 for a triptych. Each mount is sold individually.

Are the decks ready to hang?

No. The decks are bare, with nothing on the back. The mount is sold separately.

Where are the sets made?

I hand-print every deck myself in Berlin, on 7-ply Canadian maple pressed in Butzbach, Germany. Every set ships from Berlin.