The return to standard time has made it clear to me why most major winter celebrations–Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Solstice, and so on–feature light in some form.
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| Lisa Thorpe will teach you how to make these lovely luminaria to bring creative energy to your art studio or home. |
On the shortest days here where I live, it gets dark at 4:30 p.m. So if I want to get any artwork done after that, I need lots of artificial lighting.
Day or night, light is crucial to an artist. Here are my tips for maximizing the light in your art studio, particularly when days are short.
How to maximize studio light:
Go natural. If possible, choose a space to create in that has lots of natural light, preferably with a northern exposure. Northern light is not harsh, so it's easier on your eyes and materials.
Make the most of the windows you have. Position your worktable under a skylight, for example. Or hang mirrors to bounce the light around the room.
Choose window treatments wisely. Install blinds or shutters that can be open to let in all the light during the day and closed for privacy in the evening. If you need more privacy during the day, choose sheers or gauze curtains (this will help diffuse harsh light, too).
Flip the switch. Gray days happen. Night happens. Basement studios happen. So get some artificial light, preferably the full spectrum kind that lets you see true colors and also saves energy.
Get creative. Use your art skills to make window treatments that showcase your talents while letting in the natural light.
Lisa Thorpe has a lovely technique for creating artistic luminaria Matte Dura-LarTM Film by Grafix® that can stoke your creative energy, especially around the holidays. You can use them in your own home/studio or give them as gifts.
Lisa will teach her technique in a live web seminar on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Register now and attend the live event (if you can't make the time, registering now gives you access to the seminar recording that you can access at your convenience).
P.S. Do you hang festive or artistic (or both) lights in your studio? Tell me about them!