lighting in my studio

[justme]

Hi! I am about to start a small figure and plan to turn a spare bedroom into a studio. It has a large window that allows plenty of light from the east. But I don't know what kind of overhead lighting to put in. It must be one light fixture but hopefully with at least 3 bulbs. Or is there a better type of light fixture anyone can recommend?
Thanks,
Julie

[raspero]

I use several kinds of light. For basic building up of the clay figure any bright light will do, but when I get down to refining the shape, I use a single bright light on a floor stand that casts distinct shadows. The shadows bring to view even the tiniest variations in lumpiness and in surface texture, things that tend to escape notice otherwise, but that will be noticed in the final work.

Sculpture requires different lighting than does painting.

Richard

[Art-Deco]

Pretty tough to do but I like my large South facing skylight, best time to add one is when you re-roof, a skylight adds light to the whole room.

[BadGeometry]

If this is going to become a new workshop for you, you should consider track lighting from Juno. http://www.junolightinggroup.com/sys...ls.aspx?id=163. If there was only a lamp in the ceiling, your bedroom will be Single Circuit design . If you had a fan and lamp combo, you likely have a Two Circuit design. I don't know if you could take advantage of the Two Circuit track systems but it is an option.

You can install the track in many configurations that radiate out from, or overlap the junction box in the ceiling. Maybe you want an X pattern pointing to the corners, or a square that is inset from the walls by a couple feet.

With track lighting you can put up and adjust the placement, and quantity, of spot and pendant lights, to suit the need of each project.

[Andrew Werby]

That looks like a nice system - any idea of the cost for a track and the LED lights that go in it?

[Robson Valley]

I need hard shadows to make the planes in my wood carvings visible. A few years back, I bought a couple of 18W x 44LED lamps. Each like 150W incandescent. Noon at 9PM in winter. No regrets whatsoever at $45 each.
BUT
They make a major RF humm-buzz in any local FM radio/stero signal. Speakers from an FM radio 20' away (Sirius/XM signal) works OK.

[raspero]

I said it earlier

I use a single bright light on a floor stand that casts distinct shadows.

but you said it better. I like your choice of words. They get right to it. Hard shadows. That's what I like. Hard Shadows. I can see what's really going on on the surface of my pieces.

Richard

[Robson Valley]

There's no wasted light splashing all over the walls and ceiling of the shop. Since they are focussed in one direction (120 degrees wide, so the pkg says), I can hold my hand up to block that light when need be.

Can you remember the swing arm drafting lights, the ones with the twin fluorescent tubes? I got two junkers and bolted the swing arms together so the LED light base attached to a bench is about 36" away from where I'm carving.