Art Galleries and Lighting: Why It’s So Important to Position Lights Right

Art Galleries and Lighting: Why It’s So Important to Position Lights Right

A great artwork should be exhibited in your home or in art galleries, and to highlight it, you must adequately illuminate it. Lighting an artwork will bring out its character and provide depth.

Thus, you must use the right lights and position them correctly to avoid damaging your artwork.

The Right Lights Position

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An expert said that when putting lights on your artworks, analyze the room or the gallery where you display the artworks and think of this space as a stage. Then, light the area where the action takes place.

Moreover, do not place the lights too close to the artwork. Different lighting types require different placements and positions. The lights that should be angled at 30 degrees include ceiling-mounted accent lights and track lights. Meanwhile, picture lights or LED lights can be placed closer to the artwork as these lights do not emit many ultraviolet rays. An important point to remember is when you place your hand in the artwork, you must not feel the heat coming from the light source as much as possible. Also, you should not expose your artwork directly to natural light.

The Correct Light Installation

Positioning the lights right when illuminating the artwork is essential because of the following reasons:

  1. Creates an attractive visual experience

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Lighting that is adequately installed creates a beautiful and appealing visual experience. For example, if you want to create a wall washing effect, which is a technique often used in big wall space, you must place the lights 1.5 to 1.75 meters away from the wall and install one light (i.e., track light) for every one meter of wall space. A 38-degree beam angle is ideal. This placement provides excellent illumination on your artwork as well as to the entire wall space.

  1. Makes the gallery inviting

Picture lights are usually installed closer to the artwork. For this reason, the artwork is illuminated properly. The effect is inviting and would encourage the viewer to take a closer look at your art.

  1. Prevents fading of the artwork

Do not expose your artwork directly to natural light because the ultraviolet rays of the sun could age and fade your art. The UV rays are damaging to the pigments of the art. There are different types of lights that you can use to protect your art, such as those found in Banno Lighting, which features elegant lighting specifically for art galleries

  1. Avoids damage

Your artwork will be damaged if it receives too much heat from the light source. That is why you have to install your light correctly as mentioned above. Bad positioning of lights could harm your artworks.

Art galleries must be adequately lit by achieving the correct positioning of lights. The right lighting will enhance the overall effect of your art. By following the principles of gallery lighting, you can be sure that your artwork will be safe from damage and will last long. Apply the tips above to help you choose the right lighting for your artworks.