Generally speaking it s best to hang heavy pictures on a wall stud.
How to hang heavy stuff from adobe plaster walls.
Simply hanging something heavy on a plaster wall can result in damage to the wall and the object if you don t tap into the supporting structure behind the plaster.
How to hang heavy things on plaster walls using a wall stud.
Hanging things on plaster walls is easy if you have a drill and screws.
Therefore it s the strongest part of the wall and the ideal place to hang pictures from.
Adhesive picture hooks are the best way to prevent damage when hanging a picture but pre drilling the hole will usually prevent cracks and chips from forming as well.
Make sure you leave half an inch out of the wall so you have space to hang your artwork.
All you need to do is pre drill a hole slightly narrower than your screws then use the drill to drive a screw into the hole.
For lighter items simply screwing into the plaster with a 1 1 4 drywall screw is usually enough to get the job done.
As mentioned earlier the wall stud is where the wooden lath attaches to the wooden frame behind the plaster.
The best option mostly.