I love it when someone explains something important in a very simple way. Ive seen a few videos about lighting, but this one really does it well. I'm looking out for some cheap lighting options and this information is going to really help. Thank you, John
Thanks for sharing these! I have a tiltable drawing desk and am going nuts looking for the right lighting. Your video helped a lot in clarifying what I should look for - thanks!
Hi there. Thanks for the information on such an allusive subject. I love the light panels and would like to know what "brand" the ones you show in the video are. Maybe you could list a few "models" to look into.
Thank you for the lighting video. I like your Led panel and how you can control the temp and intensity. Would you tell us the brand and where we might find them
CRI Should be >90. Preferably >95. Not to difficult to find. But unless you live in a major town you’ll likely have to order. Although I recently found out that even though both 5000K and 6500K fluorescent tubes with very high CRI are well available and relatively cheap, fixtures for actual fluorescent, non-LED tubes was impossible to find. But somerimes you can find them for free at industries who are updating to LED-panels. Or perhaps you can offer to buy from friends who still have them or give them some reasonable LED supplements instead. But you should have those with High Frequency circuits, and not 60/50hz. The latter becomes very annoying for your eyes. 5000K LED panels with CRI >90 can be found. And common LED 💡 Since it’s necessary for the graphic design industry. But is a bit more expensive. But LEDs also last longer and use less Wats per lumens. 5000K is graphic design industry standard for evaluating images. And then also used as dim “surround light” when working with computer graphics. Around 5600K is considered direct sunlight midsummer midday in central Europe (without the added light from the blue sky). And is often used by photographers (flashes and studio lighting). Studio lighting as shown here is getting cheaper. Some can as demonstrated be configured to be set at different temperatures. Although most can’t get colder than 5600. But you can find a few that go up to 6500K or even higher. But for the same output (lumen) compared to fluorescent tubes, they are quite expensive. 6500K is sunlight + blue sky (midday midsummer central Europe). So that would equal if you sit outside in the sun painting. Its also the “temperature” of white on most displays. Since I live close to the polar circle, I have a bunch of 6500K LED panels at home. Like everywhere. More energy... less depression during winter. My neighbors ask me about by electricity bill. But because it’s LEDs is doesn’t cost much. Although those are only CRI 80-85, since I haven’t found 6500K LED panels with higher CRI. But then they’re also relatively cheap. The high CRI stuff stays in the studio. But many artist who paint outside sit in the shadow (even if they paint sun lit objects). And having that dream studio with huge windows to the north similarly receives blu-sky light only. The temperature of the blue sky light without the sun can vary from 8000K to 14000K. I have some 8000K tubes, although there is no such tubes with high CRI. Really there doesn’t seem to be anything of good quality for the light that the impressionists preferred to work under. Mine have around 80-85. I once ordered some fluorescent tubes made for aquariums. Was said to be 10000K. But the light was kind of magenta as they also produced red light to gain vegetation. Now there is a massive amount of LED aquarium lighting. That can produce anything from 5500K to 20000K. But I haven’t dared to buy some to try out. Since they’re expensive. And I would have to do some “special solution” to be able to light my easel instead of an aquarium. The Impressionists also sat in a green surrounding when choosing a spot for their easel. So some green must have been reflected to their canvases. But I have never tried to add some green light. Also... if you work in a room with warm colors on walls and furniture, you may have to use a bit colder light. And vice verse if you have colder/bluer stuff around you. Serious graphical designers and photographers have boring neutral grey all around them. And no windows. I usually prefer to mix high CRI 6500K fluorescent together with best CRI possible 8000K fluorescent. But have wood (warm) furnitures and yellow ochre walls. But when it gets later in the night, I turn to a little bit dimmer 5000K.
I wish you had shown the panels and stands, as you have them set up, instead of just showing what they are. Movable lighting is one thing that I don't really have in either my house or studio. I use both since I live in Minnesota and getting to the studio in my backyard, is impossible once snow piles up. Really informative video, regardless.
Very clear and informative. But as a hobby painter/crafter I don't know if I can invest in a LED panel (def not two) but I gives me some ideas on what other solutions t look out for
I use a bulb , fit on a arm fixed to my easel, from up to down . Is very rare to used, I always paint with natural sunlight ! I live in Portugal, we have summer days with several hours of light ! we are lucky.
I live in northern Sweden, we have summer days where the nights are kind of days too. Although in winter it’s as dark as your midnights most of the time. But I invested in 6500K LED panels all over my apartment to simulate daylight. My neighbors ask me what I’m up to.
Dining room-that's me. Overhead dim chandelier-flunk. Have one adjustable clamp-on lamp with a "natural light" incandescent bulb. It either glares off my flat work surface, or leaves areas in shadow. Dark colors all look the same. Frustrating. Not a big space to work in either. Maybe two of these lamps? Maybe adjust the wattage? Definitely the biggest challenge. Thanks for the very helpful info.
Don't forget solux bulbs! That's what museums use because they have 100% color rendering and a balanced white. But if you want to achieve the same results but want more lumens for your money, put a regular incandescent flood light bulb into a PAR can fixture and put a CTB filter on it and shoot it through diffusion fabric. BAM! Its affordable, ample brightness, balanced white, can be direct or diffused and most importantly has a perfect color rendering index which neither LED nor fluorescent will ever have.
Awesome video cleared many of my doubts! One quick question though, when I am filming my art on flat surface I still have glare issues even if I have set up my LED panels (from Neewer) at 45degree angel as shown in your video. Is there any distance and height at which the lights should be placed from the table? If so then how much should that be. It would be of much help if you let me know this. Thank you !!
The LED panels look top notch and good info but regular LED bulbs for regular fixtures are out now, I got them and they are great, both Compact Florescent and Incandescent are kind of obsolete now I think:)
Thanks so much for your lighting ideas. What Fovitec light or lighting product do you suggest for a beginner who is painting on an easel? Thanks in advance.
Helpful video, thanks. What LED panel do you use? And do you know roughly how many lumens you would want for each of the two lights positioned in your set up? (45 degree angle at say 0.5m above the desk). There are 10W 600 lumen lights and 35W 2500 lumen lights. Not sure which ones to go for
This is very helpful; I'm still struggling with proper lighting in my studio. So, am I to understand that the total temperature of all the lights in my studio should add up to about, 5000K? my room is 16' x 18' with about 8' celling, and one window, I think it's a south facing window. Thanks :)
Goodday sir. For contrast purposes could i use low lumens for blur affect or dull affect, then accurate lighting for saturation once cri 90+ and degrees kelvin is 5000k 5500 or 6500 on a single drawing.
Hi, great guide thank you! I currently look for a suitable light for my little work room and have a question about CFLs lamps. I get a feeling that they spread the light more like wave than a constant light. Don't know really if it is my feeling or it is real? It's a kind of disturbing to my eyes. Many years ago when these lamps came to market they were known as low energy consuming and typically light up slowly in the beginning. Is there any way to know more about it? Any specific expression or word I can google and learn?
Do you mean Fluorescent lamps? You are correct that fluorescent light is not constant. Most such bulbs and cheaper tube-fixtures are low frequency and “flashes” 50/60Hz (depending on where you live). You need good quality fluorescent tube fixtures with High Frequency circuits. Unfortunately it seems like all production of fixtures for fluorescent tubes has ceased. Those tube fixtures that are sold now are for special LED tubes only. But one can replace either the cheaper 50/60Hz circuits or the LED circuits with HF circuits. You likely must have an electrician to do it, depending on what the laws are where you live. Most will also not know how to do it themselves. Possibly you can find fluorescent tube fixtures for free at industries who are going LED to save energy costs. Or perhaps some friend has one that you can offer to replace with a LED lamp. Strangely, while there is a lot of high CRI (artist should use high CRI of 90+ lights... CRI value representing how correct it is compared to the suns spectrum) fluorescent tubes with temperature from 3500-6500K to buy, there is no fixtures to buy. People are turning to LED. But there is only 5000K high CRI LED panels or bulbs to buy. Since 5000K is graphical industry standard. Personally I prefer 6500K (approx sun+blue sky, midday midsummer in central Europe). But for LED, then very expensive photo studio light as shown here is needed.
Hi there! Is your value scale atop a sheet of black paper or dark gray paper? Also, thanks for creating this video. It has helped me so much! I just purchased the lights, stands, etc. and am excitingly figuring it all out!
Hi .. im not finding 5000 kelvin light for my art studio in india , is there any alternative for that , i have 6500 k bulbs but that temperature is slightly cooler side how to fix this problem .plz help
Can’t help you with where to find it in India. But perhaps you can get in touch with someone who sells equipment for graphical design studios. Or a graphical design studio can possibly give you advice where to buy. 5000K is standard for the graphical design industry. So there exists both fluorescent tubes, and LED bulbs or panels with high CRI values. However since it’s high CRI light (light with a spectrum that is close to the sun’s) they are a bit more expensive.
I’m not sure there are 6000K lamps. 5000K is graphic design industry standard for evaluating images. And then also used as dim “surround light” when working with computer graphics. Around 5600K is considered direct sunlight standard (midsummer midday in central Europe... without the added light from the blue sky). And is often used by photographers (flashes and studio lighting). 6500K is sunlight + blue sky (standard for approximately midday midsummer central Europe). So that would equal if you sit outside in the sun painting. Its also the “temperature” of white on most displays. But many artist who paint outside sit in the shadow (even if they paint sun lit objects). And having that dream studio with huge windows to the north similarly receives blu-sky light only. The temperature of the blue sky light without the sun can vary from 8000K to 14000K. I have some 8000K fluorescent tubes, although there is no such tubes with high CRI*. Really there don’t seem to be anything of good quality for the light that the impressionists preferred to work under. Mine have around 80-85. I once ordered some fluorescent tubes made for aquariums. Was said to be 10000K. But the light was kind of magenta as they also produced red light to gain vegetation. Now there is a massive amount of LED aquarium lighting. That can produce from 5500K to 20000K. But I haven’t dared to buy some to try out. Since they’re expensive. And I would have to do some “special solution” to be able to light my easel instead of an aquarium. The Impressionists also sat in a green surrounding when choosing a spot for their easel. So some green must have been reflected to their canvases. But I have never tried to add some green light. What “temperature” you use it your choice. What you’re comfortable with. Unless perhaps you want to paint objects that is lit with a certain temperature light and having a different temperature light illuminating your canvas/paper. You eyes adapt to the light temperature relatively fast. I would say anything between 5000-6500K is fine. But artist have painted in anything from 2500K candlelight to 20000K northern light studios. Myself, I commonly use 6500K lamps together with 8000K lamps. But have wood furniture (=warm colored) and ochre colored walls that makes the light in my studio warmer when it reflects against the surrounding. But I also have some 5000K lamps. *High CRI is probably more important than “temperature”. High CRI represents that the frequency spectrum is close to the suns. It should preferably be >90.
