Artificial lighting
 

This is in response to Michelle's report of the lighting used in Tony Ryder's workshop. I question the validity of using incandescent bulbs due to the fact they reduce the sCount of colors that can be accurately seen by the eye. In natural light the eye perceives all colors.

Natural light has a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 100. CRI refers to how well the light from the bulb reflects true colors. An incandescent bulb has a CRI of approximately 50. The lights I use in my studio have a CRI of 98. They are fluorescent tubes made by Lumichrome.

I totally agree with Mr. Ryder on the point that that the light source illuminating one's canvas should be equal to the one on the model. So I would caution anyone who was trying to emulate the work of Mr. Ryder from using those bulbs. A far better alternative would be to use bulbs made by Sunwave. These are compact fluorescent bulbs that can screw into any lamp and they have a CRI of 94, far better than thatof 50. The Sunwave bulbs generate far less heat and use much less electricity.

I admire anybody that can paint in artificial light. I did it for years when I did illustration but I can not seem to make it work for painting.

My studio faces southeast and I augment the light with 12 Verilux bulbs on the ceiling, the screw in kind.

I know, south light, difficult. However, in the northeast it actually is a boon as we have so many dark days. I just filter the sunlight with a curtain, actually it works better than I expected.

I tried working at night, but except for drawing I miss so much of the color subtleties, especially the blues. When I review any color work I have done at night, it invariably has to be redone. This drives me nuts because I work best in the late afternoon and evening. I never thought I would be the kind of person who would get up at 6 in the morning, but my model comes at 10, yikes!

If you tried the lumachrome bulbs you might feel differently the next morning. These lights are above and beyond the call.

Marvin: Where does one buy the Lumichrome tubes? Where did you get yours?

I have tried the Verilux screw in flourescents, and 94CRI is not quite good enough.

Sharon: I also have to repaint in daylight anything I painted at night. If I am foolish enough to use my halogen Tota-Lite which is for photography, my flesh tones come out too reddish in hue.

Marvin, I use the Lumichrome tubes but need screw in bulbs for on location portrait studies. Could you please post where you purchase the Sunwave bulbs? Thanks.

Here is the link for the Lumichrome tubes: http://www.lumiram.com/html/LRBLumi2.html

Sunwave- http://www.sunalite.com/s_lightbulbs.cfm

Lumichrome- http://www.mmlights.com/Lumichrome.htm This distributer sells all the different lengths from 18 to 48". Most only carry the 48" length.

Marvin,

It was late at night, i was confused as usual, I meant the Ott-lites, not the Verilux. Are yours better?

Sharon,

Ott-llites vs Lumichrome?

Water soluable vs oils?

Red Sox vs Yankees? (Sorry, couldn't resist)

Picasso vs Bouguereau?

Ginger vs Mary Anne?


I used to have Ott-lites in my studio. Now I have Lumichrome. You could say I've seen the light.

Aargh!
 

I just spent a minor fortune outfitting my studio with Otts.
I will probably change if I see the light and if the Sox win the series.

I can only use the screw in type as I have no fixtures on my ceiling for tubes, just for screw-ins. I have a very high ceiling appx. 9 1/2' and 12 fixtures. My studio is appx. 20' x 30'. What do you think would work better in bulbs that the very expensive Otts I have now.

Thanks.

Thanks, Marvin.

I just received catalogs from Jerry's Artarama and Art Supply Warehouse. They are now carrying the Lumichrome fluorescents.

Marvin, I'm very sorry, but your information on light sources and the CRI index is incorrect. First the CRI of incandescent lamps at 2800K is 100. It is used as the basis for all comaprison to warm lamp sources. However, CRI is only an index used to compare light sources of similar Kelvin Temperature. The CCT or Kelvin rating is a rating achieved by heating metal to a Kelvin temperature that mimics the color of the lamp 2700K being standard 130v incadecent lamp perceived as a yellow/white or warm white. mid day sun light at 6000K significantly bluer/cool white and is the basis for the "daylight" flurescent lamps you refer to. Late afternoon and morning are a different story. At these tmes daylight is much warmer.

Again, the CRI of incandecent is 100, fade to 97 as the lamp "burns in" The necessity for a CRI comparison is due the the various mix of phosphors used in flourescent lighting. Originally developed to save energy and increase lumens/watt ratio the early flourescents were horible CRI performers. BUT view your 8 color chart under incandescent 100 watt unfrosted lamp at 100 CRI and then a Chroma75 falling at 7500K CRI 90 and you will see what I mean. Colors ae percieved as completely different.

There is no such thing as the "true" color" of any material; the perceived color is a function of the light under which the material is viewed.

If you want to render a painting that creates a feel of late day/or evening by the fire, use incandesent. If your painting is to model mid day sun use the flourescents with 6000K BUT be an informed consumer, The self-ballested lamps you're buying from art magazines for $30.00 each are the same lamp made by the same offshore factory as the one labeled for Phillips and GE and Sylvania sold at Graybar or Hughes or Graineger for $8.50

Select the temperature you are striving for and THEN select a high CRI in that temperature. And remember that your painting will be viewed under an incandescent source most likely a halogen at 3500K to be at full oad or dimmed to 2700K in most instances.

Lifting my hat
 

Hi ReNae,

You keep it so "surprisingly" simple. KISS.

I too believe there is no "true" color. Being a trained decorator painter (house painter) I

Composition
 

Allan, absolutely!!!!

The question that you have to answer when forming your composition, what color DO you want us see?. What is the mood and feel you're shooting for. Then select the light sources that will facilitate your choice and paint what you see. You are the creator. The key for me is to have ENOUGH full spectrum light = foot candles, at the task to see what I'm doing. And yes it should/must be the same temp. as what is lighting your subject. Consistency. That's why artists used North light before electricity, because it was more consistent throughout the day.

Color perception is subjective. But the technology behind various light sources is not. The above mentioned CRI reference was applied incorrectly to the subject and being that my day job is a commercial lighting and electrical designer/distributor I thought I'd throw some light on the subject. ;) . CRI is a grade. Think of a 4th grade student who gets a 98% on his science test. Is he a better scientist than my 5th year bio/chem daughter who got a 92% in molecular what ever? Not really related. Doesn't mean the kid's not smart, but it's relative to the class.

I assumed that Marvin, like so many others had been misinformed by a lighting manufacturer who wanted him to buy their expensive lamps. Think about this. If fluorescent light was a good full spectrum light source, why do cosmetic counters, art museums and studio stage designers use halogen? I'm not saying the light Marvin mentions is bad. It's not, but bang for your buck, a Solux 5000K MR16, selling for $8.00 can be placed nicely in a track lighting set up, manipulated with gels, filters and barn doors, to get anything you need. It's dimmable and low harmonic with the right x-former.

I've used fluorescent in the past at home, when I first started painting, but as I woke up and started applying the knowledge from my day job to the problem of task and set-up I realized that the power bill was the least of my worries, when trying to paint at night. Hit the Solux web site for all of the technical blah blah if your head is not swimming enough yet.

RaNae, with all due respect for your professional acumen, there are many sources of information that refute your contention concerning that the CRI of incandescent bulbs is 100. I don't make up numbers or information. Many "experts" in any number of fields disagree with each other. It may be your opinion that I am incorrect. You offer far from conclusive evidence to satisfy me.

You quoted the soltex website. They have an agenda of proving their lights are superior to fluorescents and so they have listed data that serves their end. In the printing industry where color is extremely critical, color corrected bulbs are utilized. If you've tried the soltex bulbs, you would know that they are expensive, due to the cost of the fixtures. They are harsh and not soft. They generate far more heat than fluorescents.

In my experience most museums and galleries light their paintings poorly. They use warm bulbs to try to punch up the color. It is virtually impossible to see real color nuances. In the American Wing at the Met there is a gallery where the paintings are lit by skylight and augmented by halogens. Again in my opinion the color during mid day is far superior to the paintings in the museum's other galleries.

In terms of your contention that the CRI of incandescent bulbs is 100 I would site the CRI listings on the following link: http://www.gaiam.com/retail/gai_cont...article_id=583
I don't see 100 CRI listed anywhere. Are they also incorrect?

What about this page: http://www.survivalunlimited.com/litebulbs.htm These people are also lighting professionals aren't they? At the bottom of this page is box containing the following statement: Standard incandescent bulbs have a 40 CRI.

Personally I don't really care about scientific hairsplitting. I go for what works for me.

The bottom line for me is color perception as it relates to painting portraits. In the case of incandescent lights, it is very difficult for me to perceive subtlety in skin tones. All colors look out of whack. In terms of my being able to differentiate color nuances, when compared to incandescents my Lumichrome bulbs are like the difference between light and day.

Understanding
 

Marvin,

Incandescent is the BASE LINE for CRI comparison in the warm range of 2700-3400K in the industry. The reason it is not listed in most literature is due to the fact that CRI relates to gas filled phosphorous light sources. Regardless of what you have read, in promotional literature, it is clear that you don't understand the science behind lighting, and the manufacturing process. If you like the fluorescents, have a ball. I prefer Halogen. Referring to the light s "yours" and defending its sales claims, as your own, to me seems quite odd.

I really don't know what to say, so I won't say anything more.

You're absolutely right I don't understand the "science" behind lighting. I wasn't defending any sales claims as my own. I was pointing out that there seems to be a lot of conflicting facts on the subject. I do, however, understand the practical application of lighting as it relates to my paintings and my studio situation.

I pride myself in the knowledge I've cultivated regarding the painting process. I'd like to humor myself and think that some others out there may agree. I'm well aware that there are those would strongly debate that fact. I consider myself an idiot savant regarding portraiture and although I may be clueless regarding life in general, when it comes to painting I am very discerning and not capricious with my choices.

Just because a so called expert may express certain "agreed upon" theoretical tenants, I accept nothing until I prove to myself that there is validity there for me. With painting, for example, I'm often eschewing popular notions because I want the best solution possible. I often find the answers doing the exact opposite. My students are proving over and over that my theories bear themselves out. If a problem arises I reevaluate and dogmatically search for a better answer or a better explanation.

Science is based on experimentation and testing. That is exactly how I have approached the choices I've made regarding my studio lighting. I have painted under every type of color corrected bulb throughout my career. When I tried halogen bulbs I found the light to be very harsh with hot spots, casting sharp shadows from my hand and brush onto the painting surface . The halogens also generated a lot of heat. The lower wattage and softer quality of the Lumichrome bulbs give off far less heat and illuminate the painting on my canvas with an even and diffused light. I've always searched for the possible best solution and I've never been satisfied. That is until I found the lumichrome T8's. The color rendition is virtually flawless.

You say incandescents are the BASELINE for CRI comparison in the warm range of 2700-3400K. It was my presumption that a CRI of 100 was based on the color rendering index of natural daylight and not artificial. Incandescent bulbs, again according to my understanding, are not comprised of the full spectrum, so how can they possibly allow one to differentiate between colors? Even Soltec doesn't claim their lights to be 100 CRI. They say 98 or 99. I think that 2700-3400K is far too yellow anyway for my needs so I consider it a moot point.

When my students bring in their painting assignments there are always huge problems with the color, if they have incandescent bulbs in their studios. When they switch to the bulbs I recommend those problems seem to evaporate.

The bulbs I use are a near perfect match to the north light that enters my studio. during the winter months. Unfortunately there are trees outside my window that block the sky so I need additional light for the other half of the year. I sometimes continue working past sundown and never regret the nighttime color choices I've made the following morning.

It works for me.

fixtures and uses
 

I'm desperate at this point. I have one of those day jobs (graphic designer) therefore I do most of my painting at night. Even when I paint on weekends, my set up still does not have sufficient light... not even near enough. I would like to make or purchase what ever is necessary to see colors correctly.

Marvin,

I'd like to know and see what type of fixtures you use your Lumichrome bulbs in. I would also like to see how you use them.

1. When painting a model live, do you use this on the model and on your painting?

2. When painting from a photo, do you have a fixture that lights the photo and canvas together?

Does any of these variable change from daytime to night, seeming as you may use daylight to light the model and or your canvas?

Thanks,

Kent

I use the Lowel Light Array (http://www.lowel.com/lightarray/) which I purchased at B&H Photo in NY. It's attached to the wall using a Bogen wall mounted boom arm (http://www.bogenimaging.us/product/t...=229&itemid=50) also purchased at B&H. You can see the pictures below.

I use this primarily to illuminate my canvas since the overall effect is very soft. I usually rig sheets to block the light from hitting the model and put a separate light on the model. I use 18 inch Lumichrome bulbs in a smaller fixture. A smaller fixture gives sharper shadow edges.

The Light Array illuminates my photo reference as well as my painting.

The color changes very little from day to night since the color temperature of the Lumichrome bulbs is closly matched to north daylight. As I mentioned earlier during the warmer months trees outside of my north window block the skylight so I really depend on these lights.

Poor man's light array
 

Marvin:

Your Lowel Light Array is awesome, and I am jealous! Someday .......

In the meantime, please allow me to share my poor man's alternative for those portrait artists on a tight budget:

I purchased a set of four 4 foot T-8 lamps from Just Normlicht in Bristol, PA.http://www.just.de/us/shop/shop.asp?...tstoffr%F6hren

They are 98 CRI, 5000 K, 36 watts, and in my humble opinion, quite good at color rendering; at any rate, the best flourescent lamps available. The set is priced at $119.00. T-8 lamps are brighter and more efficient than the fatter T-12 lamps, and have zero flicker and hum.

To run these lamps one needs two dual T-8 lamp fixtures available from Home Depot, each at $27.00 and change.

To mount these, I got a $5.00 1 x 12 x 4 foot board, and some 2 x 4's, also from Home Depot. I also picked up some electrical wire, 2 wall switches and a plug to fit a standard electrical outlet; all very cheap.

For the first time, I have daylight at night.

Garth

Thank You Marvin and Garth :D

This is exactly the information I was looking for. Priceless info! Great photos to show your usage. Now my only concern will be mounting and placement so it's off to the drawing board.

Thanks Again,

Kent

Garth, I've never heard of this brand of light. I checked out the website but didn't see the CRI published anywhere. You'd think that such a high CRI would be a major selling point.

I've tried other brands of 5000 K bulbs in the past and found them to be too yellow compared to the north light that enters my studio. That was always a big problem for me, the discrepancy. The Lumichrome bulbs I use are a much better match for my purposes, weighing in at 6500 K as well as having a 98 CRI.

I like the Light Array on the boom arm because I can swing it around and change position. I can vary the distance and angle because of the boom arm. This is helpful because I can move it to avoid glare on my painting.

The main selling point for me, however, was the fact it has an electric ballast which means that the lights don't flicker, a big plus while doing hours upon hour of scrutinizing my canvas. A "normal" fluorescent shop fixture has a magnetic ballast which can lead to eye fatigue, I've been told.

My T8 Lumichrome bulbs are specifically designed for an electric ballast.

Lumichrome watts
 

Marvin,

Which model # of the Lumichromes do you use? I see they come in various wattage for each length.

Kent

Last week I set up a light fixture basically identical to Garth's. I bought 2 electronic ballasted strip lights (one from Home Depot for $29 and one from Lowe's at $25). The reason for two different ones is that I had bought one, found that there was a still a slight hum, so I tried a different manufacturer. As it turns out, they both have the same Sylvania ballast. I tried unscrewing the ballast and putting a little piece of rubber gasket between the ballast and metal housing, but it didn't seem to make a difference. In any case, the hum is very low, and I certainly can't hear it when playing music.

Anyway, I mounted them on a white melamined 1' x 4' board. Rather than wiring up in the ceiling, I hid the 2 cords in the plastic sheath you can see in the photo extended down from the lights. They plug in to an outlet strip mounted low on the wall beneath the ceiling to floor windows. I also clamped the power cords in a metal "clamp combination connector" mounted in a hole drilled out in the bottom of metal light housing, so when the cords are pulled they don't rub against the sharp metal housing and cut the cord.

At the top of the fixture is a white curtain rod. I bought a clear 2' x 4' acrylic sheet, the kind that goes under any home fluorescent lights. I plan on velcroing the top of the sheet, as well as the curtain rod, so I can hang the sheet in front of the lights. Although I haven't tried it yet, I can use this to diffuse the light if I have a model and it happens that the light is glaring in their eyes. As with Marvin, I also have a setup for installing curtains to completely block the light on the model and light the model separately.

I bought four T8, 32 watt, 4 foot lumichrome lamps, two are 5000K (96 CRI) and two are 6500K (98 CRI). Kent, the Home Depot and Lowe's electronic ballasted fixtures can handle a max of 32 watts. Garth I wish I'd heard about the Just Normlicht lights earlier. However the lumichromes were a little cheaper, they were $66.80 from http://www.truesun.com including shipping.

I'm pretty happy with the set up so far.

Holly

Kent- Lumichrome

Marvin,

I couldn't decide on which ones to get, so I got both. The 6500K are bluer and the 5000K are redder. I'm not sure which I like better, but I'm leaning towards the 5000K Originally I thought I'd only need two lights (one fixture), but then with the four lights I decided to use two fixtures. So far I've been painting with both fixtures on, basically mixing the light color. The extra light is wonderful.

I should get around to posting the spectrums of each using the diffraction grating method pretty soon.

Holly

Hum in light fixtures
 

After another solid week of rain here in Houston I must do something about providing light in my 'studio'.

Holly and Garth, it looks like you're both using the same T-8 light fixtures from Home Depot (and one from Loew's for you Holly) but Garth, you mentioned your doesn't hum, but Holly, your light fixtures do.

The light tubes themselves wouldn't cause the humming, would they? As I understand it, it's the ballast in the fixture that may cause humming.

I don't listen to music when I paint, or anything else, so I would prefer to find a quiet set up.

Does anybody have an explanation as to why some light fixtures hum and some don't?

Thanks!

Joan

The transformative HUMMMM!
 

Joan,

My husband, an electrical engineer, has come up with an explanation and perhaps a remedy for your dilemma.

You were right about the ballast, aka, as the transformer being the problem. The bulbs do not hum as you so correctly observed. The transformer in the fixture is failing and depending in the kind of fixture you have, it may or may not have to be replaced. Sometimes a fixture will be equipped with a starter, a 3/4" silver cylinder at either end. If you can find that, remove it and take it with you to a hardware store to get the proper replacement as they often differ. If you cannot find a silver cylinder then you need a new fixture as the transformer is inside.

I hope that will help!

That puts to rest the myth that a partner should have equal interests! His scientific knowhow has bailed me out of many a pickle.

Hi Joan,

I had to turn off my computer to listen for any signs of humming from my T-8 lights. To be honest, if I listen really carefully, there is a very very very very very slight hum, but I really can not hear it. It is quieter than the soft breeze blowing out my window, and many times quieter than my computer. I am sorry to hear Holly's lights do hum, but mine effectively don't.

Garth

Fixtures
 

Thank you Sharon for your response. I haven't bought the light fixtures yet and I was just wondering (before I headed off to Home Depot) why some seem to hum and others don't. It sounds like a brand new fixture shouldn't hum and one that hums is defective in some way? Or, as you said, needs a replacement part becuase of age?

Thank you Garth, a slight hum is fine. Our computer is in my 'studio', which is really the studio/computer room, and I never even noticed the hum of the computer. I am not lucky enough to have a soft breeze outside the window, it's pounding rain and thunder lately.

I am sure my husband will not be excited about this next project, putting up lights! But, I will just have to remind him that this will (hopefully) further my career (i.e. get money for paintings!).

Thank you Sharon and Garth,

Joan

Hi Joan,

The hum is subtle, louder than other fluorescent fixtures in our house (which I can't hear at all), but quieter than the computer in my studio. It's constant, so my brain filters it out and it's certainly not loud enough to bother me. I don't know about bad ballasts, as both are new fixtures by different manufacturers, but both happen to have the same Sylvania ballast. If you're interested in the Lowes or Home Depot electronic fixtures, I would just try one and take it back if it bothers you. I would be curious what you find if you do buy one, however. You could also check if there's a specialty lighting store in your area, one in our area had just slightly more expensive electronic fixtures ~$35.

Good luck,

Holly

Thanks Holly
 

Hi Holly,

Thank you for your reply. It sounds like the hum isn't bad at all. Right now I'm using a screw-in flourescent bulb in a regular fixture at it is amazing how much it helps! I'm using the same bulb that Chris Saper used to light one of her models that I admired. I took some photos of our babysitter this morning (just posted them) and I used this light to supplement the natural light.

Maybe, just maybe, I can get away with painting with this one fixture, in addition to the overhead light. My husband would be thrilled about that, especially after I showed him the shop light configuration I had in mind! I have four windows in this studio/computer room but again, the sky is dark grey outside. I guess I won't know until I start my next portrait. I'm painting a friends cat right now as a thank you and the lighting is not a big deal (compared to portraits). I hope to start the next portrait in a day or two.

thanks again,

Joan

Can you tell us what kind of bulb that is?

Bulb
 

Hi Michele,

I'm using a flourescent bulb by 'Commercial Electric', I got it at Home Depot. They come in different wattages, I bought a 60 watt and a 75 watt. I think there was even a 100 watt. I used this bulb this morning for additional light on my model since there wasn't enough natural daylight, I just posted that under "resource photo critiques". I also have found this bulb helps a lot when I use it to paint by. It fits in a regular light fixture, I used a standing fixture to light my model.

Hope this helps,

Joan

T12 vs T8
 

RE: Humming Ballasts. There are several types of Ballasts on the market, each designed to operate different lamps. If you have a fixture that takes F32T8 Lamps of any spec, you have a lamp that is 1" in diameter and designed to be pushed by an electronic ballast. This is the most current commercially used set up and should not produce any hum, but harmonic distortion is an issue, however not if you have a single 4 lamp fixture on the line.

The F34T12 RS lamps, at 1-1/2" diameter, are pushed by an electro-magnetic ballast, and these ballasts can make a nasty noise.

These are both called Rapid Start. Look for the RS on your lamp logo. No starter is needed. The starters are still used today in lamps 24" long and under, in any tube diameter.

The problem with the Home Depot style fixtures is that even though the ballasts and lamps are labeled GE or Sylvania, they are mass produced "B" quality for home use, typically garage lighting where hum and VCP, CRI are not an issue.

If you have a commercial electrical supply house in your area, ask if they have the GE UltraMax Ballast and SPX series lamps. This combination all but eliminates hum, distortion and the terrible eye fatigue you will get from residential brands because they have included a very effective Striation Control with this combination.

Try, Graybar.com or search Lithonia Lighting or Genlyte-Lightolier for store locator's.

Screw in bulbs?
 

[QUOTE=Chris Kolupski]I use the Lumichrome tubes but need screw in bulbs for on location portrait studies. QUOTE]

Hi Chris,

Did you ever find anything satifsactory for a screw in bulb?

Thanks,

Joan

I just put in my lights for the occasional evening painting session. I normally will paint with my north window as my light source, but I have learned that a bank of lights are good to have.

I mount mine above my window so my light comes from the same direction and height. I have 4 24 inch fluorescents in a bank.

The bulbs are Phillips Natural Sunshine bulbs - what I could find locally. They are 5000K and have a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 92. This for me is optimal as the 6000 or 6500 bulbs are a bit too cool for my tastes, and I have a hard time recognizing any improvement once the CRI goes over 90 - my last lights had a CRI of 94 and these at 92 look just the same.

Lights
 

Hi Michael,

Thank you for your information. I was hoping to avoid having some kind of set up which required the long tubes. It may come to that though, I'm not sure there is a screw in bulb (I mean the kind that screws into a normal light fixture) that will fit my needs. I do have a couple of screw-in bulbs that are flourescent and they help tremendously. Here in Houston we can get a week of overcast/rainy weather and it's tough to paint if I wait for sunlight!

Thank you again, I'll print out this info and add it to my other lighting info for when I do have to set up a 'bank' of light.

Joan

I've been using GE Reveal screw-in bulbs. They are better than ordinary household bulbs for showing colors, and don't cost very much more. I don't know how they compare to the full-spectrum tubes.

Verilux
 

Joan,

Although I use the 48" fluorescent tubes, I have also used these from Verilux and they work great :http://www.avitec.com/avihealthN.html