We thought it was important to add some information on lighting your fine art piece as this is an element that is often overlooked and customers end up wondering why the piece has lost some flare and doesn't look as vibrant as is did in the gallery. I always stress that if you buy a beautiful feature piece of art it should always be partnered with dedicated lighting to have it displayed at its full potential.
Lighting your artwork doesn't have to be a big job and in most cases can be achieved by existing lighting in your home or set up reasonably cheap and quickly by a local electrician.
Your piece may not have to be specifically lit if the room has an abundant of light already and happens to nicely light the artwork naturally but even still a dedicated light will always be the best option. You want to avoid hanging your art in a dimly lit room without its own light source.
Here are some tips to help when considering your art lighting options. With a small amount of effort your beautiful new piece of art will be looking the best it can be and transforming the look and feel of your area.
“There’s nothing better than a beautifully lit piece of art,
beautiful art enlivens everything in a home.” Richard Mishaan
Types of Lighting for Art
Ceiling-mounted accent lights
Best for: making the art—not the light source—the focus
One of the most ideal ways to illuminate artwork is to use spotlights that direct their light on to the work. Ceiling mounted accent lights can be surfaced mounted or recessed as they allow the direction of the light to be adjusted. As a general rule the lights should be positioned so that they hit the centre of the artwork when at an angle of 30 degrees. If the angle is too far below this then the lights are too close to the piece of art and will cast long unwanted shadows over the art. If the lights are angled too much over 30 degrees and the light is pointed too directly you will suffer a glare on the painting.
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Track lights
Best for: a constantly changing display
Track lights are an incredible way to light an art gallery. With track lighting, you have a few options you can have mounted lights or for higher ceilings you can bring the light down to a more convenient level by using pendant lights. Track lighting can meet an array of criteria including a minimalist look that offers a more crisp and cleaner lit gallery and track lighting can be easily adjusted to accommodate changes to the galleries art whether that may be a new piece, the removal of a piece or a piece of artwork being moved to a new location.
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Wall washers
Best for: a flexible setup
Wall washers offer a wide distribution of light and can be found as ceiling lights, wall lights and floor lights. Many contemporary collectors prefer the technique of using wall washers to create well-lit walls with art on them rather than walls with well-lit art on them. It is a more casual and popular way of lighting art that offers flexibility when moving art in the gallery in future.
Whilst these lighting techniques are best served in art galleries they can also be use to achieve fantastically lit art work at home as well as simply offering amazing lighting regardless of the artwork.
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Picture lights
Best for: an intimate display—and renters
Mounted on the wall or frames of individual pieces and typically using a low wattage lamp, picture lights bring the light close to the painting. This close lighting creates a sense of intimacy and beckons people closer to the picture to view it more closely. Furthermore, picture lights are decorative pieces which are pieces of art in their own right. Picture lights add to the feel and look of the room as a whole by enhancing its overall artistic appeal. Picture lights are also one of the most traditional ways to highlight your favourite paintings in the home.
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Avoid Natural Light
Placing artwork in direct sunlight exposes it to UV and infrared light, which will cause it to fade.
Make sure pieces are positioned away from strong natural light sources to avoid damage.
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