Studio Lighting part Deux

Last fall I was so happy that I'd found a lighting solution for my studio. Ah...right. This was then.


And this is now. I figure I lose one light every three months. This is not your simple light bulb burning out. No, it doesn't matter how many times I replace the bulbs, how I work them in the sockets to get contact. I figure at the rate of failure I have six months left before I am totally in the dark...heh...some might say I'm already there.

In the mean time I have found this lamp that looks like a reject from the 60's. I call it the octopus. Actually it's very functional, and it was a lot less money than the fancy ceiling fixture.

Using Photoshop to Improve Your Reference Photos

While I love the idea of plein air painting, I'm more of a studio painter. I do go out and take my own reference photos, and have recently learned how to use the photomerge command in Photoshop Elements (I'm using an older version, 2.0, without a lot of bells and whistles). I've always struggled with the fact that the camera is limited in what it takes in, but by taking a series of shots and then combining them into one, I can come closer to recreating the feel of the location, the scale, the light, all those elements that make a difference. The image above is the result of about 4 or 5 photos merged together.

March Studio Tip

This month's studio tip has to do with cleaning your brushes - those used for oil painting. I would not recommend this for watercolor brushes.

If you paint in oils you know one of the worst end-of-day jobs is cleaning your brushes. I read about this tip on another blog - I wish I could remember which one, now, so I could give credit. But it works, I've been using it for several months now quite successfully.

Take a bar of natural handmade soap or Ivory soap and put it in an old mason jar. Fill with just enough water to come half way up on the bar of soap. As the soap softens it turns into a gross looking goo but it still works. After a cursory cleaning in oderless mineral spirits I put the brushes into this soap and water mixture. I've - gasp - even left them soaking for several days. I won't admit to anything over a week here. I might scrub the bristles over the soap a bit and then rinse in running water and - presto. They are clean and even those with dried in gunk come out in much better shape. I think it might have something to do with the lanolin that is still in handmade or natural soaps and removed by chemicals in the commercial soaps. The lanolin conditions the bristles - at least that's my theory. Anyway, it works better than anything I've tried to date, is cheaper than most commercial products, and uses up all those hundreds of bars of homemade soap I've received as gifts over the years.

Hey, not that I don't love those soaps or the fact that you thoughtfully gave me a gift...

Fixing the Wobbly Easel Problem

If you have one of these A-Frame studio easels you are also probably familiar with the tendency for the easel tray/support to wobble when you are painting. For years I tried all kinds of fixes, putting in way too much thought and creativity into something that continued to frustrate me. And then came an idea so easy a caveman could have thought of it: I used wood shims. Now it's easy to adjust my height and get a stable work support each time. Duh...

Studio Tip for the New Year - New Palette

For years I had been working on a 12 x 16 glass palette. It fit nicely in my work area and I had an old cookie sheet that I inverted over the wet paint to retard drying. Then I discovered a large piece of glass packed in with some old sketches and decided - why not? It's 18 x 28 (probably came from an old watercolor). I cut a piece of medium gray mat board to size and taped the glass and mat together with painter's tape. I could not believe the difference this made. I was so afraid it was too large and I would hate it - but quite the opposite.

Christmas Paintings

Winter Scene, 5 x 7 oil on panel

Christmas Girl, 7 x 5, oil on copper leaf on panel

This year I had the opportunity to create and donate several paintings to Christmas Auctions that benefit local charities. The challenge was to paint a "Christmas Card" image. I haven't heard yet about the opening night but I am hopeful that all the cards sell. The various approaches in different mediums was very inspiring - these could really make great gifts any time of the year.

Studio Lights

new fixture replacing old florescent

My studio is in a spare bedroom in my house - a common situation for many painters - and the standard ceiling lighting is inadequate. A few years ago I replaced the ceiling fixture with a florescent fixture, which flooded the room with bright light but made it difficult to accurately judge color. I added a fixture above the west-facing window and used a floor lamp in one corner, but these fixes still did not give me the lighting I desired.

A month ago I decided to research studio lighting and discovered that many experts suggest a variety of lighting sources and types. I've included links to some of those sites at the end of this post. I understood the obstacles to lighting that I had: West and North facing windows, a ceiling fixture, a room about 11 x 11, and not wanting a major lighting project that would make it difficult to convert the space back into a bedroom if the need arose.

The research I did led me to conclude that I needed multiple light sources that I could control, a way to avoid glare and, conversely, shadows by diffusing the light. I needed task lighting that I could direct down on my work space, and I needed lighting that could work for me both in daylight and at night.

I ended up with a compromise in what I could do. First, I replaced the ceiling florescent fixture with one from the home improvement store that allows me to direct the light. This fixture uses 50 watt GU10 bulbs and the light does have a yellow cast.


Using this light alone I can create a wash of light on the wall and my easel.

But I needed a way to countermand the cast shadows created by this light source. I decided to use floor lamps that direct the light upward to wash across the ceiling. These lights are slightly more blue/white.
One lamp in one corner, another lamp in the opposite corner. The newer lamp uses a 3-way natural light bulb, I'm not sure what is in the other lamp. Above the window I have an adjustable fixture, plus a clamp on light with a GE 50 watt Reveal daylight bulb

I use another clamp on light with a 50 watt Reveal bulb to light my palette and control cast shadows. I also use an Ott Lite above the easel.

While not the ideal if I were planning my dream studio, I find this assortment of lighting sources to be far more flexible than the single wash of light from the florescent fixture. I can control the light and direct it where I want, or increase or decrease the illumination, and it was quite affordable. I would eventually like to purchase a floor stand and a solux light bulb, too.

The above photos were taken at night, with each source "on it's own" - but with all the lights the working environment is comfortable. During the day, when I do most of my work, the ambient light is brighter, more neutral, and yet with all the flexibility I desired.

Useful Links:

An Artists Network PDF on Studio Lighting

A Blog Post From Pastel Artist Daniel Wise

Utrecht Art Fixtures

Solux Fixtures