Good Lighting

[dogsbody]

I'm about to start trying to use my airbrush and I'm wondering about the lighting in my room. There is a single bare bulb ( I forget the wattage ) in the ceiling, near the centre. I also have a 100 watt bulb in a small clamp-on unit above the table and a 40 watt bulb in the magnifier arm.

 

 

 

I've set up my little filter fan unit just to the left of the chair. I also have a two-tube florescent unit that can be hung from the ceiling. What I would like to know is what is the best tubes to use? Soft White; Warm White; Bright White or Daylight?

 

 

I'm not sure if this is the right place to be asking this. If I should be asking elsewhere, please let me know.

 

 

 

Chris

[dnl42]

My preference is daylight with a good strong light. In particular, I want to create a grazing light on the model as I paint so that I can keep an eye on how the paint is hitting the surface.

 

On a side note, that's quite a stash you have there! 

[dogsbody]

As it's a basement room with only one small window, it doesn't get much light, even though it faces south. Also, my garden shed is only about 8 feet away.

 

Or did you mean the Daylight option for the florescent tubes?

 

I just did a quick count of the stash and it totals 752 kits. Does that make me a collector or a hoarder?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

Edited November 22, 2018 by dogsbody

[Rob G]

First step is to get rid of the fluoros- very nasty light and the flicker is bad for you.

 

Second step is to get some quality (ie not cheap Chinese ones from eBay) 6500K (daylight white) LED strips and install them.

 

Step three- enjoy the clarity of vision and more accurate colours. (And power bill savings, but meh.)

 

If it were an option, I'd suggest good old, old fashioned clear light globes at 60/100W. But apparently, they're 'bad for the environment' (don't get me started...) and will condemn us all to a lingering death if we use them. Gah, where's the grump thread?

 

 

Edit to add: too much light is almost never enough. Apart from making it less tiresome to see what you're doing, bright light makes your pupils close down, which increases the depth of field of your vision, which makes it easier to focus on small bits. Add extra lights chaps, we're none of us getting younger!

[dnl42]

Sorry, yes, I meant a daylight color lamp. I agree with Rob on his LED suggestions. LED lights cost a lot less to run and don't get hot like an equivalent brightness incandescent or halogen lamps. I have a 100W equivalent daylight color LED bulb in a Luxo lamp for my work area. The coolness of the LED lamp means that I don't burn myself if I accidentally touch it.

[dogsbody]

Well, I’m kind of limited on what I can install. There is one ceiling light in the drop ceiling and three wall outlets. I’ll have to look into the LED option, to see just what you’re talking about and to see what’s available locally.

 

 

Chris