Lighting Art With Precision

When lighting artwork, the primary objective is to ensure the work, in its environment, is exhibited optimally, without being overly harsh or underlit. Colours, tones and textures should be vibrant such that the art is not only celebrated but that it contributes positively and in balance to the general ambience of the architectural space. We explore here how this can be best achieved.

 

Relative Luminance

 

Relative luminance is a crucial property of an architectural space when presenting artwork successfully in a setting. It's value relates to the brightness of an object as perceived by the human eye, relative to its surroundings.  

 

Contrast & Visibility: It is critical to ensure that artwork is well-lit in relation to its surroundings. Too much contrast (where the artwork is much brighter than its surroundings) can make the piece feel disconnected or glaring, while too little contrast can cause it to blend into the wall, diminishing its visual impact. Achieving the right balance allows the artwork to be the focal point without overwhelming the space or straining the viewer’s eyes.

 

Achieving a balance between the luminance of art piece and backdrop is achieved by managing the material qualities of the work alongside the light absorbing or reflecting qualities of the backdrop with existing light conditions and any proposed art enhancing incident light. Relative luminance is particularly significant in situations where works are valuable and/or light sensitive. By managing ambient conditions additional light flux for accent lighting is optimised.

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Highlighting Details & Textures: For artwork that includes intricate details or textured surfaces, such as oil paintings or mixed media pieces, controlling light flux is essential to revealing those elements. If the luminance is too low, fine details can be lost, while excessively high luminance can flatten textures, reducing the depth and richness of the work. Proper luminance helps bring out the subtleties of the art, enhancing its visual and emotional effect.

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Preserving True Colours: Lighting that’s too bright or too dim in relation to its surroundings can distort the perceived colours of a piece. For example, overly bright lighting can wash out colours, while dim lighting may cause them to appear dull. Ensuring that the luminance of the lighting enhances rather than detracts from the artwork allows for more accurate colour rendition, keeping the artwork's true colours vivid and true to the artist's intent.

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Creating Focus Without Glare: The goal of proper relative luminance is to direct attention to the artwork without causing glare or reflections, especially on framed prints behind glass. A well-calculated balance in luminance prevents strong light reflections, which can obscure the viewer’s ability to see the details of the art, while ensuring enough light to make the piece visually accessible.

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Mood & Atmosphere: The relative luminance of artwork also contributes to the overall mood and atmosphere of the space. Art that is illuminated with the right brightness relative to the ambient light in the room will feel more integrated into the environment. This can create a more cohesive, relaxing, and engaging atmosphere where the art is appreciated both for its aesthetic value and its role within the space's overall design.

 

 

Lighting Oil and Acrylic Paintings

 

Oil and acrylic paintings are typically displayed without protective glass, allowing the viewer to focus on the texture and depth of the brushstrokes. The key objective to lighting these mediums is to bring out their richness with light without risking damage.

 

Highlight the Texture: Oil and acrylic paintings often have thick, textured surfaces. Directional lighting is optimal  to emphasise the strokes. A 30-45 degree angle of attack is typically best for to express dimensionality whilst mitigating glare. This acutely angled lighting casts shadows within the paint's texture and can add dimension. 

 

Control Brightness: Oil paintings can be sensitive to light. Acrylic paintings less so, but over time they may fade. The value of a particular art piece may dictate whether an artwork is positioned in a day lit environment, but in any instance direct sunlight should be avoided, and light flux should be managed so that light incident is not excessive.   

 

UV Protection: Oil and acrylic paintings can be susceptible to fading if exposed to UV light. If the artwork is to be positioned in a space with a lot of solar radiation and the art is valuable, you may wish to consider enclosing the artwork under glass. LED lighting for artificial accent lighting is a safe choice as they emit minimal UV rays, protecting your artwork from damage.

 

Light Quality: Colour rendering is a measure of how accurately a light source reveals the colours of an object. To ensure the colours of an art piece remain true to life and vibrant a CRI value in excess of 95 is optimal, and one should strive for 97+. An alternative TM30 metric provided by some LED lighting manufacturers reveals more granular detail in the quality of a light source, as it provides information on light emitted in each visible light wavelength band. Colour Temperature relates to the tone of the light. Daylight is typically a value of 6000k; candlelight 2000k. Colour temperature should be carefully selected to suit the space that the art will occupy, while maintaining the optimum colour rendering properties. 

 

 

Lighting Artworks Behind Glass

 

Art under glass require careful consideration due to the reflective surface that can create unwanted glare and other striations, and ultimately negatively impact the exhibit. 

 

Lighting Positioning: Direct lighting, such as spotlights aimed directly at the artwork, can cause harsh reflections and glare on the glass, so positioning is critical. Position lights at a suitable angle  that will mitigate glare and reflections while evenly illuminating the artwork. 

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Diffuse Light: Use diffusion films to soften the light and reduce glaring. Soft, diffused light ensures that the details of the print are visible without being obscured by reflections.

 

 

Lighting Sculptures

 

Sculptures, whether freestanding or wall-mounted, are a three-dimensional entity within a space that require thoughtful lighting to accentuate form, texture, and shadow play in an engaging way. The goal is to reveal the sculpture’s details without overwhelming the piece or casting distracting or unflattering shadows.

 

Multiple Light Sources: Because sculptures are three-dimensional, using a single light source will result in harsh shadows or uneven lighting. Instead, use multiple light sources from different positions, and use different beam angles to provide key light and focussed light. Track lighting provides good flexibility , but downlights can achieve similar results when planned carefully. Uplights or wall-mounted lights  also can assist greatly in providing balanced yet striking illumination.

 

Play with Shadows: One of the benefits of lighting sculptures is the ability to play with shadows, which can add drama and depth to the piece. By positioning lights at varying angles and positions, you can create soft, artistic shadows that complement the sculpture’s form. 

 

Key Light and Fill Light: Using wide beam and narrow beam angles from different positions of the sculpture, fill light and key light can be applied. Fill light provides general light while key light provides focussed intensity.  

 

Lighting Tone: The colour temperature of the light depends on the material of the sculpture. For metallic or glass sculptures, a cooler light (4000K-5000K) enhances the sleek, reflective qualities of the material. For wooden or clay sculptures, a warmer light (2700K-3000K) brings out the richness and warmth of the natural textures. As with wall art, when choosing colour temperature one should always be mindful of the setting, and moderate colour temperature diversity.   

 

Lighting Tools

 

Track lighting

Recessed downlights

Framing projectors

Picturelights

Uplights

 

 

Final Thoughts

 

Lighting artwork is the best possible way can be a meticulous process, but necessary if your art investment is to be appreciated and enjoyed in the best light.

 

Image courtesy of Olafur Eliasson Studio