| Paintings are common in fine homes as well as | | | | To date, the best source of this type is a halogen |
| office space. This is not surprising when we | | | | bulb. These bulbs produce an intense, white light |
| consider that painting has been with in one form | | | | that renders color at levels near that of sunlight. |
| or fashion for at least 40,000 years. Light in | | | | Halogen bulbs are found in recessed ceiling fixtures |
| paintings themselves determines the tone of the | | | | that shine light down on artwork. They are also |
| work by creating the illusion of three dimensional | | | | housed inside modern art lighting projectors, which |
| spaces with the interplay of light and shadows. | | | | also install in the ceiling. |
| Lighting for paintings should not cast shadows, | | | | When used in lighting paintings, recessed lights |
| however, but rather must discover and magnify | | | | have to be filtered. All art lighting projectors, |
| the luminosity of the scene and animate the | | | | because they are intended only for art lighting, |
| action between objects and characters. This | | | | are manufactured with filters in them. |
| method of lighting paintings is as old as Lascaux, | | | | Lighting for paintings must be adjustable and |
| where firelight was used to make the seemingly | | | | dimmable. |
| crude stick figures of hunters and animals | | | | Paintings must be lit from the correct angle of |
| suddenly spring to life with the illusion of three | | | | incidence to avoid spill light shining past the |
| dimensional substance and physical movement. | | | | boundaries of the frame and to avoid glare than |
| To create this sense of vivid life and realism, art | | | | can reflect off the canvas back into the eye. |
| lighting for paintings must be sourced from special | | | | Picture lights are difficult to adjust like this and are |
| types of fixtures and controlled in such a manner | | | | generally not recommended for home or office |
| that enhances the work without damaging the | | | | decoration. Also, they can burn very hot at times |
| piece or limiting the aesthetic. | | | | and are extremely difficult to filter, making them |
| Only filtered light can be used for safely lighting | | | | unsafe as well. |
| paintings. | | | | Recessed lighting and projector lighting are much |
| Oils and canvases are sensitive materials and will | | | | better sources to use because they allow the |
| deteriorate if exposed to UV light. Infrared light, is | | | | decorator to change the direction of the light at |
| not as damaging as ultraviolet light, but it | | | | will. Some recessed fixtures can be adjusted in |
| nonetheless produces large quantities of heat that | | | | this manner more easily than others, so it is |
| will dry out paint and crack the canvas. Because | | | | important to make certain before purchasing |
| sunlight contains both UV and IR radiation, it must | | | | them if the models being ordered were made |
| never be used to light paintings, because it will | | | | specifically for lighting paintings. |
| quickly destroy them in a short period of time. | | | | Projectors offer even more adjustability because |
| Sunlight is also way too intense to light a painting | | | | they hang suspended from the ceiling and can be |
| because it overpowers the combination of | | | | positioned anywhere along a three-dimensional |
| shadows and light in the painting and flattens the | | | | access. Some projectors are easier to adjust |
| perspective of the image. | | | | than others. It is best to talk to an picture lighting |
| It is therefore necessary to use a filtered artificial | | | | specialist here at ILD to find the model best |
| lighting source that strips the light beam of IR and | | | | suited to a particular home, office, or museum |
| UV radiation. | | | | application. |
| Use a light source with a high color rendering | | | | Call a professional firm to have your art lights |
| index (CRI). | | | | installed. |
| While artificial light is much safer than sunlight to | | | | Lighting simple prints or photographs is something |
| use as lighting for paintings, sunlight's ability to | | | | most people can do with retail picture lights. |
| render color is unmatched because sunlight is a | | | | Lighting a painting as art is something completely |
| perfect blend of all natural colors of the spectrum. | | | | different. It takes commercial grade equipment |
| Nevertheless, it is simply out of the question as a | | | | that can only be obtained by a design firm from |
| light source for residental art design, so we have | | | | the manufacture. It also takes knowledge of art |
| to find an artificial, close approximation to sunlight | | | | and design to truly create a masterpiece of |
| to effectively illuminate art without damaging its | | | | lighting. |
| integrity or quality in the process. | | | | |