Help with studio lights.

[fc...@cme.com]

Hi,
I'm having some problems with the lighting in the room I use as a
studio. I've been setting up some shadow studies with different
colored objects and backgrounds. Should I always use a "daylight" type
light on my palette and canvas or should I use the same light that is
lighting my subject? Should I always use a "daylight" type light on
both?
A second question is what kind of "daylight" lamp do you recommend?
I've seen fluorescent/incandescent combos, incandescent (pink) daylight
bulbs and fluorescent daylight (5000k) tubes.

Just wondering if any of you have wrestled with this.

Thanks,
Frank Cote
fc...@cme.com

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Before you buy.

[Kay]

fc...@cme.com wrote in message <81u2uk$i2c$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>...
:Hi,

:I'm having some problems with the lighting in the room I use as a
:studio. I've been setting up some shadow studies with different
:colored objects and backgrounds. Should I always use a "daylight" type
:light on my palette and canvas or should I use the same light that is
:lighting my subject? Should I always use a "daylight" type light on
:both?
:A second question is what kind of "daylight" lamp do you recommend?
:I've seen fluorescent/incandescent combos, incandescent (pink) daylight
:bulbs and fluorescent daylight (5000k) tubes.

Since I do much of my painting during the night hours, I faced the same
problem. A Halogen light was recommended and it gives a good facsimile of
daylight. Be careful of putting it next to combustables, gets hot!
Kay

:
:Just wondering if any of you have wrestled with this.

[~Artist~]

fc...@cme.com wrote:

> Hi,
> I'm having some problems with the lighting in the room I use as a
> studio. I've been setting up some shadow studies with different
> colored objects and backgrounds. Should I always use a "daylight" type
> light on my palette and canvas or should I use the same light that is
> lighting my subject? Should I always use a "daylight" type light on
> both?

I like to use both because I work at times days on into nights.

If I set up lights for daylight and daylite at nite then I am ready when
the skylights here darken later in the day.

It is very frustrationg though at times because my skylights are sooo big
it is impossible to get that great daylight at nite ever no matter who
much light I fill this place with.

You just learn to adapt to the moment and hope it helps the process the
ability to adapt.

Mattison

[Marilyn Welch]

You can buy full-spectrum light bulbs which fit into any ordinary
incandescent fixture. They cost more but they last for years.
The effect is just like daylight. I picked up mine in a health food
store & most hardware stores are carrying them. I noticed that my
paintings executed the night before did not look so good in the daylight,
until I switched to the full spectrum. Good for reading too.

Marilyn

On Mon, 29 Nov 1999, Kay wrote:

>
> fc...@cme.com wrote in message <81u2uk$i2c$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>...

> :Hi,

> :I'm having some problems with the lighting in the room I use as a
> :studio. I've been setting up some shadow studies with different
> :colored objects and backgrounds. Should I always use a "daylight" type
> :light on my palette and canvas or should I use the same light that is
> :lighting my subject? Should I always use a "daylight" type light on
> :both?

[Bob C]

~Artist~ wrote:

>
> fc...@cme.com wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> > I'm having some problems with the lighting in the room I use as a
> > studio. I've been setting up some shadow studies with different
> > colored objects and backgrounds. Should I always use a "daylight" type
> > light on my palette and canvas or should I use the same light that is
> > lighting my subject? Should I always use a "daylight" type light on
> > both?
>

> I like to use both because I work at times days on into nights.
>

> Mattison

Mattison,

do you assume that your works will be viewed under real or artificial
daylight, or is that so variable and so much out of your control that
you just don't worry about it? Any other artists have an opinion on that
one, I'd like to hear it. I'm assuming that the ideal lighting for
canvas and palette would be the lighting under which the painting is
going to be viewed, which is not necessarily the same as the lighting of
the subject.

- Bob C.

[Degas5]

>I'm having some problems with the lighting in the room I use as a
>studio. I've been setting up some shadow studies with different
>colored objects and backgrounds. Should I always use a "daylight" type
>light on my palette and canvas or should I use the same light that is
>lighting my subject? Should I always use a "daylight" type light on
>both?

>A second question is what kind of "daylight" lamp do you recommend?
>I've seen fluorescent/incandescent combos, incandescent (pink) daylight
>bulbs and fluorescent daylight (5000k) tubes.
>

>Just wondering if any of you have wrestled with this.
>
>Thanks,
>Frank Cote
>fc...@cme.com
>
>
>Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
>Before you buy.
>
>
>
>
>
>

I would have to agree with Bob. I was going to give you the same reply. When
you set up your lighting for a still life, the lighting is placed where you,
the creator of your setup which is probably the most important part of the
finished painting because where and how you set up your objects and light them
is what makes up the design of space and placement on the canvas. For
instance, you might want long strong shadows with lots of contrast or perhaps
more indirect light which would diffuse your value contrast. Now, as Bob said,
the lighting that you use in your studio over your palette and easel would be
the lighting that you intend to place the finished painting in. I try to avoid
painting at night, but when I have to I use an overhead suspended rectangular
lighting fixture that I bought at Home Depot for about $200 (but there were
others available for less) that takes color balanced daylight bulbs which light
up my studio very well. However, the light is not as diffused and harsher than
natural daylight and for that reason try to avoid painting at night, but it is
an excellent alternative. Of course, youi still life set up will have to be
placed away from your overhead light, in a place where it won't be influenced
by this light source. Keep that in mind if you put up a ceiling light fixture.
Otherwise, you'll have two light sources, which you wouldn't want.