French village painting back in progress; plus a blog award!

I managed to slip away for a few short hours yesterday to work on the oil painting I'd sketched out before Christmas. I have some real challenges with photography at my temporary painting site, so the photo is not great. But hopefully it can give an idea and I can figure out a better way to photograph as I move further along. Here I'm just trying to establish a good sense of notan in my design (AKA: my pattern of light and shadow):

In looking at the digital image of this painting, I am seeing too much busy-ness in the shadow pattern on the ground, so I should probably benefit from simplifying this somewhat. This is where positioning a large mirror across from your painting station really comes in handy. The reverse image in the mirror really helps to provide an alternate view so that you can see errors and make adjustments. I'm lacking a mirror right now in my temporary studio setup. In addition, I have very little room to step back. So it's often not until I get home and download my digital shots that I am able to see the "fresh view" .

In addition to finally getting back to work on this painting, at long last I'd like to thank lovely artist Amy Sullivan for her kind recognition of my blog some time ago with an Art y Pico Award. I am just embarrassed it has taken me so long to respond to this, but I guess it speaks to the sense of overwhelm I've been experiencing during these last couple of months. In any event, I hope it's not too late to pick up the torch.

The Rules:

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award through creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogger community, no matter of language.

2. Each award should have the name of the author with a link to their blog.

3. Award winners have to post the award with the name and link to the blog of the person who gave them the award.

4. Post a comment on each recipient's blog so they know they've been picked.

5. Show these rules and this paragraph explaining the awards origination. "The Arte y Pico Award" has arisen from the daily visits that I make to many blogs which nourish and enrich me with creativity. In them, I see dedication, creativity, care, comradeship, but mainly, ART, much art. I want to share this prize with all those bloggers that entertain and enrich me day to day. Doubtlessly, there are many and it will be hard to pick just a few." ~Without further ado, please check out these wonderful artists~

~1~ Marilyn King, a wonderful artist whose work and blog has grown by leaps and bounds ~ check her out~

~2~ Rick Nilson, who makes truly unique and imaginative paintings, mostly of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, with cryptic quirky comments to go along with them. I always enjoy my visits to his blog, and I'm sure you will too.

~3~ Dianne Mize, for her wonderful work on her Bagatelles and Meanderings blog. From what I've read on her blog she's run out of "Tag Steam". I can actually understand. This tagging stuff takes time, so in a way I hate to harass her ;-)  But even if she can't participate I couldn't help but mention her blog any way--I really love her paintings and drawings and the thoughts she shares about her processes are wonderfully interesting.

~4~Keith Wilkinson~I first learned of his blog, The Filbert and Rigger from Marilyn King and I've really enjoyed following his work and seeing his newest, mostly e plein air paintings. Very inspiring!

~5~ Molly Young~my niece. Her blog is relatively new, but every time I visit I am impressed by her growth and her willingness to try new things. Go Molly!

Merry Christmas

Like so many others today, I'm wrapping up loose packages and getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner. So for now I'll leave you with this year's Christmas card, which is derived from one of my fondest painting experiences of 2008. Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a bright and beautiful 2009!

Getting lit during the holidays

If you thought this was going to be a post about raucous overindulgence at Christmas parties, you'll be sorely disappointed. ;-) This post is about something else I've been consuming (or rather, something that's been consuming me) -- information about lighting for the new studio.  This post may have limited appeal, but since there is such an overwhelming amount of information both online and off in regards to full spectrum lighting, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts for other artists who might have some of the same considerations. As I'd mentioned in my previous post, I believe the best choice I've found for general non-directional studio light from an artificial source is in the form of full-spectrum tube fluorescents. Of course, full spectrum is a bit of a misnomer, because NOBODY is going to mistake fluorescent lighting (or any artificial light, for that matter) for natural daylight. But what fluorescents do provide is a more even lighting that can't easily be achieved by track lights or other kinds of task lights I've researched. Here are some other things I've discovered:

Fluorescent Full Spectrum Lighting

There are a lot of products out there claiming to be "Full Spectrum" fluorescents, and while fluorescent lighting has come a long way from the lights you've seen in old office buildings or "big box" retail stores, fluorescents simply cannot truly mimic the spectral rendering achieved by natural daylight. The reason for this is that even the best full spectrum fluorescents experience mercury spikes, particularly in the blue and green ends of the spectrum, as well as dips or gaps in the reds. Compared to daylight, where the full spectrum is rendered without gaps, spikes, and dips, it's understandable why some people complain that full spectrum fluorescent lights can seem "cold" or "harsh." Nevertheless, advances have definitely be made in these lamps so that they give off a much cleaner, whiter light than the old yellow fluorescents of yore.

Color Temperature and Color Rendering

I also previously mentioned that the Kelvin temperature of daylight ranges from around 5000K to 5900K.  Actually, this is a bit inaccurate, as there are different temperatures of daylight. But for my purposes, this range is supposed to give me a clean, white light with all colors being more or less balanced with little to no color bias.

But color temperature alone doesn't tell the whole story. Two lamps stating a color temperature of 5000K can still render colors differently, so it's also important to consider the color rendering index (CRI) of the lamp. Wikipedia gives a good definition of CRI in the excerpt below:

"The color rendering index (CRI) (or colour rendering index in British English; sometimes called color rendition index), is a quantitative measure of the ability of a light source to reproduce the colors of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal or natural light source. Light sources with a high CRI are desirable in color-critical applications such as photography and cinematography. "

In the world of fluorescent lighting, lamps with a CRI of 80 or above are considered to have high color rendering. But in graphics, photography, and film, there is a big difference between a CRI of 80 and one of 90, so I'll be looking closely at lamps with a CRI of 90 and above.

Quality Vs. Quantity

Okay, great! I know I'll get pretty good quality of light if I can find a lamp in the 5000K range with a CRI of 90 or above. But here's the rub. Typically fluorescent lamps with the highest CRI's have a lower lumen output per lamp (meaning they aren't as bright). So when shopping around, it's important consider the "design lumens" of the bulb or you might not get as much light from your lamps as you expect.

T12's, T8's, or T5's?

Fluorescents come in a number of shapes and sizes. The most common tube-type lamps are probably the T12's, though the smaller diameter T8's are quickly gaining ground and in my town I'm seeing more and more T8 lamps stocked in the "big box" stores. The benefit of the T8 lamp is its ability to give off the same amount of light as the thicker T12's, using fewer lamps (hence less energy) and less mercury. T5's are even thinner, and the same principle applies in terms of light output and energy use, though since they are among the newest offerings they aren't as readily available in my area should I be in need of a quick replacement.

On the up side, any one of these lampsinstalled in the appropriate fixture should last a good long while--several years, in fact. Most lamps claim an average life-span of about 20000 hours. Compare that to about 3000 rated hours for better halogen bulbs like Solux, and you can see the advantage of the fluorescents for general lighting (especially on a 15 foot ceiling!)

Let there be light!

So what have I concluded? I'm going to start with some 4-foot T8 fluorescent fixtures and lamps that offer the best color rendering/color temperature/light output that I can find. I suspect I will have to experiment with different bulbs and/or combinations to find a level and quality of light that I'm comfortable working with (see links below for an interesting "studio lighting experiment" and discussion). I also plan to have track lighting installed and will outfit some of the track fixtures in my work area with Solux bulbs and diffusers.  It's my hope that blending these light sources with the natural light from my windows will give me a good combination of clean, balanced, diffused light for my new studio.

Further Reading:

Studio lighting experiment: Check out this discussion on WetCanvas! complete with visuals showing the quality of the fluorescent light with bulbs of different color temperatures.

Is it really full spectrum or a marketing ploy? This Wikipedia entry casts doubt on the benefits and accuracy of products marketed as full spectrum lighting.

More than you ever wanted to know about fluorescent fixtures: This article compares the use of fluorescents versus Metal Halides in commercial lighting, but has some good general info about fluroescent fixtures about half way down the page.

Visual comparison of full spectrum fluorescent lights to Solux bulbs: Keep in mind this is Solux's marketing material, but it does have some interesting graphics showing the spectral spikes, gaps and dips characteristic in fluorescent lamps.

P.S. This is part of a series of posts I've explored while building my new art studio. For my additional in-depth analysis on studio lighting for artists, go here and here.

A painting between contractors- St. Cirq La Popie, France

Well, I've stopped fooling myself that I'm going to get away any time soon to work on larger oil paintings. Setting these kinds of impossible goals when we've scheduled back to back contractors for the new studio (painters, hvac, electrician/lighting) just sets me up for frustration. So the last time I stopped by my temporary painting space, I grabbed my watercolors and a few drawing supplies for a little painting at the "kitchen table studio". It's been some time since I've done any watercolor work, so it took me a while to get a feel for it.  But it sure is nice to focus on something other than lighting fixtures, and the great thing about these kinds of pieces is that I can always later develop these compositions into larger oil paintings down the road:

"Private Garden, St. Cirq Lapopie" 9x12", Watercolor and Conte Crayon

I had the thrill of driving to the beautiful village of St. Cirq Lapopie (St. Cirq is pronounced something like "San Seer") at the tail end of my trip earlier this year to the Lot and Dordogne in southwestern France. It was a thrill because it was a breathtakingly beautiful location; but as well because my rental car felt not that much bigger (or safer) than a tin can, and  the winding road that leads to the village hugs the cliffside that drops a few hundred feet to the Lot River below. This is a view of the village from the overlook near the parking lot:

 

Even though the hike down the near-shoulderless road was also treacherous, I'd have to say it was all well worth the risk. It's a touristed village,  but with good reason. Wonderfully preserved 13th to 16th century Quercy buildings with pitched rooves line narrow streets overflowing with flowers.  Perched high above the ambling Lot river, its "picture-book prettiness" has earned it the well deserved designation of one of France's most beautiful villages. To be sure, I'll be posting more paintings of this village (watercolors and eventually oils) in the days ahead.

Still in the dark about art studio lighting

Now that we have the drywall up in the studio building project, I'm anxious to pick out a paint color and get going on the walls. But since the appearance of the paint color is so dependant on the quality of light you have in your space, I've decided I'll need to tackle the lighting requirements first. I have spent waaay too much time reading about "full spectrum" lighting, color rendering index (CRI), foot candles, lumens, and Kelvin temperature, and I can't say that I'm that much clearer on any of it! I knew going into this project that I would not have the benefit of the full natural northern light that is said to be ideal for an artist's studio. But that's okay. I'm kind of used to working with different lighting conditions, and in any event no amount of northern exposure is going to help any artist on drab or stormy days or after sundown. But what I want for the new studio is as much diffused natural light as possible, and supplemental artificial light that comes as close as possible to the color and quality of daylight.

From my reading I have learned that the balanced color of natural daylight has a Kelvin temperature somewhere in the range of 5000K to 5900K. Kelvin temperatures numerically lower than 5000K turn towards the yellow and then red ends of the color spectrum, and higher numbers tend towards the white and then blue ends of the spectrum. As a point of reference, standard fluorescent lighting is fairly warm and yellow at 3500K, and standard halogen tending more toward the red at 3200K.

Keeping these things in mind, my aim is to light my studio (and especially my painting area) with a light that is as pure, balanced, and near to a clean white as possible in order to better see and mix accurate colors in the studio. (Paintings are always going to look a bit different under different lighting conditions, but I hope to avoid a massive color shift once my paintings leave the studio). I'd also like light that is non-directional so as not to cause a spotlighting effect or glare on the reflective surfaces of my oil paintings.

I have looked at a ton of options online (to the point of brain overload!) so I thought I'd share the leading options I'm considering below. Each have their pros and cons, so the answer will likely be to choose a combination solution that gives me enough light without breaking the bank!

Option 1: Install one or more Solatubes.

Pros:

• Bright, evenly diffused and true natural daylight when it's at its best.
• Less expensive than skylights without the spotlighting and worry about "hot spots" sometimes associated with them.
• Uses solar energy, so there's a potential for lower overall electricity requirements.

Cons:

• Costly to install, so even though they require no electrical power, it would likely take many years to recoup costs with energy savings.
• Just as with studios that have northern lit windows, an alternative light source is required for nighttime work, and even likely on cloudy days.

Option 2: Installing high bay, high output compact fluorescent fixtures. (Note: High bay fixtures are optimal in my case due to the cathedral ceiling height of my studio.)

Pros:

• Offered by many manufacturers in a variety of styles and color temperatures, including "daylight" bulbs. (A few resources are listed here.)
• Availability is catching up to  tungsten and halogen bulbs, and daylight versions are even being offered in the big box stores like Home Depot.
• Bulbs last much longer than incandescents, sometimes lasting for years.
• Much more energy efficient than incandescents and most halogens (fewer bulbs/energy required to achieve the same amount of lighting).

Cons:

• Difficult to dispose of. While there are more and more recycling options being made available, these bulbs create a pollutant due to the toxic mercury within. It can also be dangerous if care isn't taken to handle the bulbs properly in the event of breakage. (The up side of this is that assuming the bulb realizes a natural life cycle, you won't go through as many bulbs as you might do with incandescents due to the extended bulb life of compact fluorescents.)
• I am not convinced that the fluorescent "daylight" bulbs can achieve the effects of full spectrum light, no matter what the packages say, though these newer bulbs certainly are an improvement with a much better CRI than the old "office" type fluorescents of the past.
• Cost: While the fixtures can be relatively inexpensive in comparison to Solatubes and some track lighting, if high bay fixtures are needed the cost quickly edges upwards. Bulbs touted as "full spectrum" are also on average typically priced much higher than incandescents, ranging from $8 to $15 a piece.

Option 3: Solux bulbs used in track or other fixtures.

Pros:

• Chosen by a growing list of galleries, museums (including the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the Musee d'Orsay in Paris) as well as artists for the clean natural quality of the lights.
• Versatile. Bulbs offered in a number of different Kelvin temperatures  and can be used in low voltage track lighting to illuminate artwork or work area, or in task lamps that can be moved to different locations.
• Small bulbs are a lot easier to store than 4' long fluorescents!
• Long-lasting

Cons:

• These are essentially "directional" lights, with limited spread. While they appear excellent for lighting artwork and even small focused tasks such as reading, they are not going to light up a room or achieve a diffused ambient light. And I'd likely have to focus a number of these lights on my painting area to blend the beams for a large enough  spread.
• More potential for glare on my canvases, due to the directional focus,  though I could purchase the optional diffusers which may help with this somewhat.
• Cost. These bulbs are relatively inexpensive if used selectively, but could be prohibitive if used widely, as bulbs range in price from around $8-up, and the fixtures are not cheap. Task lighting fixtures are also rather expensive.
• Halogens generate a lot more heat and use more energy than compact fluorescents to achieve similar lighting levels.
• I have heard reports that colors shift over time towards the warmer end of the spectrum as the bulb ages (but this is true of most halogens and fluorescents too.)

So there you have it. Okay so I may be overthinking this, but since lots of quality light was on the top of my "ideal studio" list from the get-go, it's pretty important to me. But even after all of the research, I'm not sure if I've really shed much decisive light on the subject! Ideally I'm leaning towards a combination of Options 1 and 2, with #3 reserved for the occaisional supplemental light, if I happen to install tracks down the road.  But let's face it, I also have the very real consideration of a budget to deal with as well, so I'll have too see how well reality meets up with the ideal. I would really welcome any additional suggestions, thoughts, ideas or experiences on this topic, so please feel free to leave your comments on the blog.

P.S. This is part of a series of posts I have explored while building my new art studio. For my additional in-depth analysis on studio lighting for artists, go here and here.