Lighting

[macbrayne]

Next week I move house and will finally be able to set up a workbench and get back into figure painting after a few years off. I am interested to know what other painters prefer for lighting their work area. When I was last involved there was a push towards daylight type bulbs and if I remember correctly a company called OKI had introduced a portable lamp specifically for modellers.


Stuart

 

[IIICorps]

If you're like me, you want all the light you can get.

 

[gordy]

Joe Hudson is a fan of the OTT-Light

I'm running an LED desk lamp, with the plans on getting an OTT-Light ~

 

[Gary D]

I've been using an OTT lamp for a few years now and I like it a lot. I was at Michaels yesterday and they are on sale 40% off which is good as they are a very expensive light. Ott also sells the swirl type compact fluorescent Bulb which looks like you can screw into any fixture. I've also gone to Home Depot and tried daylight bulbs which seem to work o.k. too and they are only a few dollars each.

gary daugherty

 

[Einion]

Stuart, if you can look for a bulb or tube where the CRI and colour temperature are specified by the manufacturer. The Colour Rendering Index is very important for good colour across the spectrum (so aim for 90 or higher) and you want this ideally at a higher temperature (e.g. 5,000-6,000°K).

There is a fair bit of info on this online now if you want to bone up on the technicalities.

Einion

 

[RFL]

Go Cheap IMO

1 year ago I bought 3 very expensive " made in China " OTT/OKI Lights, 2 didn`t work, had to hassle getting them back to Amazon for (free at least ) replacement. Spare light bulbs are also expensive, and also are crap quality controlled. ( check the consumer reviews ratings on Amazon )

I ultimately didn`t care for them for painting but they are excellent for digital mini photography.

I use, and much prefer, the blue tinted GE "Daylight" bulbs for painting now at a $2 each, downside is they do throw a lot of heat.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Well, in the good old days, we starving, bohemian artists used to gather in an attic atelier, where we would pursue our passion by the north light cast by a handy skylight, but that was then.
Nowadays, it seems to make more sense to paint our tiny figures under the same light by which they will be viewed, and that, increasingly, is CFL. One of the nice side effects of this new lighting, I find, is that I can work with a lamp on either side of me without getting too hot as was the case with incandescent bulbs. I also find that I can use them for photographing figures and correct for the light color on Photoshop.

 

[artur_koszewski]

Hi all,

What I use is a shadowless lamp made by Polish company called Benefit.
The exact model I own is: Benefit SL, version E, model 318E/54
I had spotted it in the shop with tools for jewellery craftsman, then found the producer and bought directly from him (in my case some small customization was done)

I must admit that I’m very, very happy with this lamp.

The lamp’s lampshade is quite big – L:640mm (25.2in) / W: 135mm(5.3in) / H: 70mm(2.75in), and contains three 18Watt lamps. It allows to lit quite a big working area – the part of the desk I’m using for modeling is about 1.2meter per 1meter and it is lit very well.

The lampshade is attached, via a ball joint, to two arms every of the length 0.5meter (20in), which makes the lamp possible to be moved and set in every direction.

It could be equipped in various bulbs/tubes depending of the purpose. There is a model marked “G” comes from word “Graphica” available which gives light that matches daylight in 98%. The one I use is not the “Graphica” model as I found the light from “Graphica” too much bluish. The daylight match factor for my model is 93%.

The shadowless feature, makes the light not being as sharp as this from incandescent or halogen bulb - I mean the shadows and highlights on the surface of lit item are softer and similar to these created by the daylight.

And at last one more observation – the lamp is very comfortable, I mean the sight is getting tired much slower than with incandescent or halogen light. This opinion is shared by my wife too, who at the beginning was really against this lamp – you know guys it a big, black, ugly thing which doesn’t attract with its appearance

Personally I find the lamp has only one disadvantage – the price.
Two years ago I bought mine for about 800-900PLN which with the current exchange rate gives $250-300, but find it worth the money.

Here you have the producer’s website: http://www.benefit.com.pl/sl.html - unfortunately in polish language only ( can help with translation if necessary )
I don’t know if they ship worldwide but may find out as well as post some photos of my lamp, if anyone would be interested

Cheers,
Artur

 

[gordy]

Hi all,

What I use is a shadowless lamp made by Polish company called Benefit.
The exact model I own is: Benefit SL, version E, model 318E/54
I had spotted it in the shop with tools for jewellery craftsman, then found the producer and bought directly from him (in my case some small customization was done)

I must admit that I’m very, very happy with this lamp.

Cheers,
Artur

That's a nice lamp!

 

[dinovision79]

Hi Stuart,

daylight bulbs work very well, I use ProLite Helix energy saving bulbs - 20w=75w, not much heat produced, even the half of 8000hours stated is good enough, 1000 lumen and 6400K light temperature, for 4.5GBP. E27 marks the bulb socket/cap size, only found it available in the UK, but I think it should not be problem to use it in Australia.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Prolite-Helix-EVO-B22d-Daylight/dp/B003OB1GL4

Denes

 

[macbrayne]

Thanks for all of the input.

Stuart