Help with new studio lighting please

Joan Breckwoldt · 10-10-2009, 03:57 PM

Dear Clayton, not only are you a contributing author to that article, your beautiful paintings are featured in the article! I had to go downstairs to get the magazine from the living room - I've spent hours dreaming about the studios in that magazine sitting on my sofa! - and I had bookmarked the page containing your painting of the nude on the sofa! Beautiful work, also the head is amazing two pages later.

I did read that article and it was very helpful with regard to artificial light, I will be using artificial light too. I have a north facing window and now we're adding a dormer on the roof with a 5' wide x 2' tall window. Surely that'll get me a good amount of north light. The window will be vertical (thanks Marvin).

I'm not sure where to put the artificial lights. I bought two flourescent boxes holding 4 lights each. In my mind they should supplement the artificial light so they should be as close to the windows as possible. Maybe one right below where the dormer starts? That's about the only place it'll fit. If I put it above where the dormer is cut out, it'll basically be overhead lighting. Oh, maybe on either side of the window in the wall. I think I'll have to post a photo to make all this clear.

Thank you Clayton for your advice about making the studio what I need and not what any other artist needs. I do have the advantage that I've been painting in that room so I am familiar with the lighting as it is (without the addition of the roof dormer). And I'll be painting models from life, and a client when I can get one to pose, so that at least narrows down the conditions I need.

Joan

Joan Breckwoldt · 10-10-2009, 04:08 PM

Clayton, in the article it says you have a diffuser over the tray of flourescent light tubes. What kind of diffuser? When I went to Home Depot to look at the light trays, some had clear . . I imagine it was textured plexiglass, and some had a diffused acrylic covering. I was afraid that particular covering would alter the color, it looked to have a yellow tint, but then again was standing in Home Depot and didn't have the best circumstances to judge the light output from the sample lights.

We talk a lot about lighting the model, but sufficient light needs to be on my canvas and palette too, right? I've always heard it should be the same light. I don't think I'll be able to position my easel to catch as much north light as the model will get, the room just isn't that big. How do you suggest I light the room? A bank of these tubes up on the ceiling, but not too bright that it disrupts my shadow patterns on the model? thank you!

Joan

Debra Norton · 10-13-2009, 05:04 AM

Joan, I'm going through the same process you are right now, so I'm enjoying reading what you're doing. We're nearing the end of building our house which includes a studio for me on the second floor. I have four 5x5 windows on my north wall with a 2x9 window centered above the four. We have four windows on two other walls (put there for resale value - and the view) that I plan to cover with blinds when I'm working.

I plan to put some "helper" lights above the painting windows for our overcast northwest Washington days. Color corrected of course.

I have two west facing skylights that I have to deal with also. I debated a long time whether to put them in or not and finally decided that it would be a lot easier to cover them or diffuse their light than have my husband refuse to cut a hole in the roof later.

I bought fabric to make curtains for the north windows today. I ended up getting cotton duck canvas. I hope that will be heavy enough to block the light. If it isn't, I'll line them.

I'm hoping to be moved into the studio by Thanksgiving. Still have to put in doors, trim, sink and a cabinet. I've been painting in a little 8x10 room with an east facing window for the past two years, so I'm really looking forward to that north light! And space!

Joan Breckwoldt · 10-13-2009, 10:50 PM

Hi Debra,

How exciting! Your new studio sounds fabulous. Mine is only 10'x17' but I feel truly blessed to have that space all to myself.

I thought about skylight, actually I bought them and then returned them. I ordered them with roller shades that come down over the skylight and block out the light. There is a motor to control the shades and a keypad on the wall. You might want to look into that since that's easy to do with new construction. I bought Velux brand, they seemed to have some great options.

I still need to figure out the helper flourescent lights. I went to Home Depot but they don't have the right tubes, I'll have to search on line for the right specs. And I'm not real sure exactly where I'll mount them, probably between the window on the wall and the dormer in the ceiling.

I've been thinking about curtains too but haven't bought any fabric yet. I am really hoping to be in my new studio by the first week in November. I hope you'll post photos!

Joan

Debra Norton · 10-15-2009, 01:16 AM

Hi Joan,
I'll be putting my helper lights above the 5x5 windows. I'll have to find them on-line too.

I do plan on posting pictures when I get into my studio, and I hope you will too. And I'll look into the Velux blinds, thanks for the suggestion.

I hope I won't be sorry about the skylights, but I painted the figure under skylights while in school and it seemed to work out fine. Although for portraits I prefer side lighting rather than overhead. My main reasoning for getting the skylights is for teaching purposes. They are centered along one of the long walls and I could set a model there and probably get 10 or so students in a semicircle around the model stand.

You will probably end up with your lights before I do. I would appreciate if you let me know what you get and what you think of them.

Debra