Lights?

[Firepower]

So I'm having some issues with lighting at my paint station.  My room is lit by a light in the center of my ceiling, but my desk is against the wall, putting my back to the light source (which isn't all that powerful to begin with).  I have some simple desk lamps with adjustable necks, but they're very bright, and result in a glare off the model that washes out color and shadows.  That wasn't a huge problem, but as I tinker further with subtler shades and gradients (particularly of black) the lighting has become a problem.

 

TL;DR-  Anyone have a particularly good lamp/light source recommendation for painting?  Gotta put my XMas cash into something after all. :D

[Carlson793]

Fluorescent plant table. Similar to this:

 

http://i.parkseed.com/images/xxl/96853.jpg

 

When I set up my craft area in the basement, I realized if I flipped the light panel so it faces up, then turned the whole contraption over, I could attach the legs to the ceiling joists and have a lighting rig at just the right height to my work station.

 

I also have a couple angled floor lamps behind the table that I can swing over the table to give me light from other directions.

 

For your desk lamps, maybe aim the lamp at the wall instead of down at your work. Should still get a good amount of light. Or  maybe tape a sheet of paper to the bottom of the lamp so the light is filtered by the paper (being careful, of course, to make sure the paper is far enough from the bulb that it doesn't combust).

[Canadian_F_H]

I could see indirect lighting being a good way to go ... Photography offers a lot of insight there I would imagine ...

 

I have a "natural light" lamp that I point up at the white ceiling in addition to the room light and a small spot light I bring in and out right now... I've only been assembling lately tho, but it looks good for painting...

[Kastor Krieg]

VELLEMAN VTLAMP6. This is what I use and this is what all the top-shelf Golden Demon pro-painters I know use (Bohun, Camelson, etc.).

Here's a review:
http://www.coloureddust.com.pl/2012/09/desk-working-lamp-velleman-vtlamp6.html

Producer's page:
http://www.velleman.eu/products/view/?country=be&lang=en&id=375186

I've found for 80-100 EUR on French EBay, have paid less myself. No idea about availability anywhere in the world, but the makers are apparently German so all Europe at the very least should be able to get it easily. It's worth every single cent you pay for it.

[Grotsmasha]

Try taping a piece of thin paper, like non-stick cooking paper, under the bulb when taking pics. I've a mate who made do this way for years.

 

Cheers,

Jono

[Bung]

VELLEMAN VTLAMP6. This is what I use and this is what all the top-shelf Golden Demon pro-painters I know use (Bohun, Camelson, etc.).

 

Here's a review:

http://www.coloureddust.com.pl/2012/09/desk-working-lamp-velleman-vtlamp6.html

 

Producer's page:

http://www.velleman.eu/products/view/?country=be&lang=en&id=375186

 

I've found for 80-100 EUR on French EBay, have paid less myself. No idea about availability anywhere in the world, but the makers are apparently German so all Europe at the very least should be able to get it easily. It's worth every single cent you pay for it.

 

You can find that lamp and its LED version at Battlefield Berlin, the ship everywhere in Europe and to the UK.

http://www.shop.battlefield-berlin.de/?&group=110170

 

Here is a review of the LED version by Roman from Massive Vodoo:

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.de/2015/12/mu-76-tritube-vs-led-tube-lamp.html

[Ovidius Incertus]

Any equivalent of these lights in the US?  Their US site seems to have a much different selection of light products...like for a disco.  Or my search-fu is really weak.

[Firepower]

Try taping a piece of thin paper, like non-stick cooking paper, under the bulb when taking pics. I've a mate who made do this way for years.

I've tried using used dryer sheets with some success. Buuuut I'm looking for lights for the painting part of the process.

Fluorescent plant table. Similar to this:

http://i.parkseed.com/images/xxl/96853.jpg

When I set up my craft area in the basement, I realized if I flipped the light panel so it faces up, then turned the whole contraption over, I could attach the legs to the ceiling joists and have a lighting rig at just the right height to my work station.

Way too big and clunky for my desk, sadly.

VELLEMAN VTLAMP6. This is what I use and this is what all the top-shelf Golden Demon pro-painters I know use (Bohun, Camelson, etc.).

Here's a review:

http://www.coloureddust.com.pl/2012/09/desk-working-lamp-velleman-vtlamp6.html

Producer's page:

http://www.velleman.eu/products/view/?country=be&lang=en&id=375186

I've found for 80-100 EUR on French EBay, have paid less myself. No idea about availability anywhere in the world, but the makers are apparently German so all Europe at the very least should be able to get it easily. It's worth every single cent you pay for it.

You can find that lamp and its LED version at Battlefield Berlin, the ship everywhere in Europe and to the UK.

http://www.shop.battlefield-berlin.de/?&group=110170

Here is a review of the LED version by Roman from Massive Vodoo:

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.de/2015/12/mu-76-tritube-vs-led-tube-lamp.html

Getting warmer. A good light with an adjustable arm is probably best for my needs: something that I can move when I'm painting in a different spot, and move out of the way when I'm not :)

But I can't seem to pin down a US retailer that carries it. Know of any similar US available lights with that level of praise from the pros?

[NovemberIX]

OTTlights are probably the closest analogue I can think of, they have a variety of form factors and options. Jo-Ann's fabrics is where I got mine, but they are sold pretty widely online.

[JeffTibbetts]

I don't know... I use a couple cheap IKEA lamps most often. They're the type that clamp to your desk and have a wide range of motion. One of mine has a Reveal bulb in it, and the other is just a regular IKEA compact fluorescent one. I have an Ott light I never use (I just don't care for the light it produces, myself) and another lamp I've had for ages but mostly it collects dust. I also replaced the ceiling fixture lights with Reveal bulbs, but I don't think it makes much difference and I don't think I'll replace them when they burn out. Those two IKEA lamps provide most of the light I need, and I can swing them out of the way when I need to. They're metal as well, so I can diffuse the light by using magnets to hold a couple pieces of tissue paper in front of them for quick and dirty light-box like images.