Lighting

[brian]

Hi All
For the last 10 years + i've been using an Aculite light when i'm painting, which replicates polarised daylight , but for the last few months i've been using an ordinary hobby overhead lamp with a florescent tube which i find a lot less strain on my eyes.I've attached a picture of the acculite lamp i used to use.The one i use now is much the same set up but with a florescent tube.
I thought it would be a good talking point on this forum to find out what other painters use for lighting when they're figure painting.
Brian

 

[Helm]

I use an angle poise lamp with a daylight bulb.

Steve

 

[ausf]

I use three different lights in my shop. For general work, a compact florescent in a posable lamp, for efficiency as well as to avoid slowly cooking myself with 100 watt incandescent.

For painting, I use a daylight bulb and for photos, I use halogens scrimmed down with tuffspun.

I caught an interesting contrast of lighting when I was taking some quick process pics of my Kettenkrad. When I took the photo, I had the both bench lights on. It's painted with Vallejo Dunkelgelb, but if you look closely, you can see the difference between the florescent (on top from the left, greenish) and the daylight bulb (on side from the right, true to how it appears in person).

 

[Einion]

For the last 10 years + i've been using an Aculite light when i'm painting, which replicates polarised daylight , but for the last few months i've been using an ordinary hobby overhead lamp with a florescent tube which i find a lot less strain on my eyes.

That was exactly the problem I found just checking them out at Euro first time I saw them. I presumed you'd get used to it over time but I certainly wasn't willing to fork out the £££ to find out if that would happen for me.

Some previous threads on lighting, with some mentions of Aculites:
www.planetfigure.com/threads/polarised-light.17315/
www.planetfigure.com/threads/what-is-a-good-light-source-for-the-bench.33303/
www.planetfigure.com/threads/lighting.35670/
www.planetfigure.com/threads/what-kind-of-light.39604/

Einion

 

[JonP]

I use an angle poise with daylight bulb too!

 

[megroot]

I use two of these: http://www.lloytronuk.co.uk/llyzc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3387 in two IKEA desklight.

Marc

 

[Mirofsoft]

This kind of discussion, I hear since 40 years
Some says : daylight lighting for color accuracy... but did this means that when you show your work to somebody, you do that in your garden in plain daylight ?
Others says : because your work is inside, on shelves to be seen, you must use normal bulbs
Now, by daylight, the real color ( t° color ) is so much depending of the weather and the time of the day and of the year and the reflection , and the latitude and the ... that I think there is no real answer.
I usualy paint during the day with a large window on my left ( I'm right handed ) and a strong bulb above . Reality is : do what is best for avoiding eyes strain and avoiding shadowing the figure while you are painting .
By the way remember that now, in Europe the max Watt for a bulb light is 60W . I would avoid LED and if using low consumption lamp, wait some minute before beginning .
Best

 

[combatartist]

Interesting topic. 20 years ago I worked for a design company, and we used magic markers to "render" our concepts. The boss decided that the ceiling fluorescent lamps needed to be replaced with 1600 kelvin/daylight adjusted bulbs. We had to replicate PMS (Panatone matching system) numbers very closely. Well, we made our renderings, took them to the clients office for a presentation, and they DIDN'T have the adjusted bulbs. Needless to say the renderings looked really strange and the client thought we went goofy. Moral of the story; consider the venue that your figures will be viewed in. Most halls have standard lighting. If they have windows, it changes everything, depending on time of day, season, etc.

As a professional fine art painter, there is nothing that can beat natural north light. But we are painting small figures - if you are interested in Competitons and color accuracy insofar as uniform colors, use what works for you. I have used Ott lights, special color corrected bulbs ($$$) - I now use a 100w color white bulb, screwed into a cheap clamp shop light and have fluorescents hanging above. For me, 24" above subject with 100w daylight works fine.

 

[Mirofsoft]

Interesting topic. 20 years ago I worked for a design company, and we used magic markers to "render" our concepts. The boss decided that the ceiling fluorescent lamps needed to be replaced with 1600 kelvin/daylight adjusted bulbs. We had to replicate PMS (Panatone matching system) numbers very closely. Well, we made our renderings, took them to the clients office for a presentation, and they DIDN'T have the adjusted bulbs. Needless to say the renderings looked really strange and the client thought we went goofy. Moral of the story; consider the venue that your figures will be viewed in. Most halls have standard lighting. If they have windows, it changes everything, depending on time of day, season, etc.

As a professional fine art painter, there is nothing that can beat natural north light. But we are painting small figures - if you are interested in Competitons and color accuracy insofar as uniform colors, use what works for you. I have used Ott lights, special color corrected bulbs ($$$) - I now use a 100w color white bulb, screwed into a cheap clamp shop light and have fluorescents hanging above. For me, 24" above subject with 100w daylight works fine.

I have seen you site and looked at what you do
I liked that
Best

 

[JonP]

I was chatting to a few folk at Euro about the effect of lighting when you paint. As it happens the windows in the Channel Suite at Folkestone pretty much face the same direction as my work room window at home and my figures seemed to look pretty much the same in both places even allowing for the flourescents at Euro. If I decide to be sociable at home and paint in the lounge , which faces the opposite direction of my work room, without a daylight bulb the light is totally different and the early evening sun can make the paintwork look dreadful (well that's my excuse )

 

[Mirofsoft]

And now about sparing money in electricity
Euro Gov do not allow more than 60 W bulbs
So let's make some calculation
In my entry, I have actualy 3x 100W bulbs in spot mount , because I have some serigraphy and object I like to see when passing by, meaning lighted less than 10min a day
Now I would have to replace a bulb; so for the same illumination, ( LED actualy is max 33W lighting consumption 18W ) I need 3 pieces for one... but I have 3x 100W so I need 9x LED and also to buy 9 mores spot mounts ( I can not find the older version anymore ) . meaning costing at least 9 LED at 25E each , 9 new Spot mount at circa 50€ each, investment 695€
Rufly the economy in lighting I will do will take more than 300 years before I cover the investment . By the way a normal 100W bulb cosy 1.5€ .
This is the first time that a governement ( any ) took a decision before it is needed ( usualy they decide 10 to 50 years to late )
Where goes the real profit ? To the LED and spot mount makers ... almost all in China
Nice thinking
Best

 

[megroot]

I think LED light is not the solution.
I said it before, daylight bulbs are the best solution. I bought 3 years at Euro these: http://www.lloytronuk.co.uk/llyzc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3387 . They cost me € 12,- for two.
Never had such a good lighting, and it has a colortemperature off 5600 Kelvin and that is absolutely a great color so close to daylight. It take's 15W from the net and deliver 65 W light.
What could you want more????

Marc

 

[Mirofsoft]

Dear friends
I forgot something
for artificail light, even more important than the T° colour, is the IRC ( colour rendition), this is a measured between 0 and 100, 100 beeing the most optimized daylight condition . So look for the info. on the package . Companies who produce with a good IRC will be proud to show it . Others !!
Best

 

[Einion]

As a professional fine art painter, there is nothing that can beat natural north light.

I don't know about that. I love to sculpt under it... when it keeps up. My main gripe is the same one that's often voiced - it's far too variable. And in some climes during parts of the year it's actually far too blue anyway, even if it's fairly consistent for about 4-6 hours per day.

I think LED light is not the solution.

At the moment it's definitely not. Far too expensive usually and the light they put out can be poor.

Dear friends
I forgot something
for artificail light, even more important than the T° colour, is the IRC ( colour rendition), this is a measured between 0 and 100, 100 beeing the most optimized daylight condition . So look for the info. on the package . Companies who produce with a good IRC will be proud to show it . Others !!
Best

It's CRI, short for Colour-Rendering Index. This is mentioned in the threads I posted above.

CRI is an important thing to look for but it's just part of it - it can't be looked at in isolation, it must be considered in combination with the colour temperature in Kelvins. The CRI of regular incandescent lightbulbs is 100 for example.

Einion

 

[Mirofsoft]

I don't know about that. I love to sculpt under it... when it keeps up. My main gripe is the same one that's often voiced - it's far too variable. And in some climes during parts of the year it's actually far too blue anyway, even if it's fairly consistent for about 4-6 hours per day.



At the moment it's definitely not. Far too expensive usually and the light they put out can be poor.



It's CRI, short for Colour-Rendering Index. This is mentioned in the threads I posted above.

CRI is an important thing to look for but it's just part of it - it can't be looked at in isolation, it must be considered in combination with the colour temperature in Kelvins. The CRI of regular incandescent lightbulbs is 100 for example.

Einion

You are correct
CRI is in English
IRC is in French
Best

 

[IIICorps]

Anything and everything which works. I have a magnifying lamp with incandescent bulb which I have grown to like.