Have you ever encountered this issue? You just bought a beautiful artwork and hung it on your wall, but it doesn’t look quite like a gallery exhibit yet. Perhaps it doesn’t stand out and your living room is too dark. The solution? Using the right lighting. With lights you can add museum quality to your favourite artworks. Our in-house art experts will explain how to light your artworks here.
Type of Light
Our in-house art experts recommend using LED lights for your artworks. Whereas halogen lamps for example radiate heat, which gradually damages your paintings, LED lights do not. They also don’t emit infrared and ultraviolet rays, keeping your work in a mint condition. And last but not least, LED light is energy saving and is therefore much more environmental friendly than other kinds of light sources.
When choosing LED light for your artwork, make sure though you choose the right type. Low quality LED lights can make your room look impersonal and cheap. But with the right LED lights, your home will look beautiful with your artworks taking centre stage. Choose lights produced by a quality manufacturer, with a warm colour temperature. The intense colours in your work especially, such a red, will look much more vivid with quality lights.
LED lights don't radiate heat, don't emit infrared and ultraviolet rays and save energy making them the perfect choice for lighting your artworks
Positioning
Make sure your painting is not exposed to direct sunlight, because sunlight emits UV and infrared. While you can hang your artwork anywhere in the house, our in-house art experts advise not hang a work between two windows. Why? Because the eyes won’t be able to adjust because of the light from outside and therefore your work will not be seen properly. When it comes to the direction of the lights, choose lighting positioned from the top rather than from the bottom. When a painting is lit from below, it will create shadows and gives it a dramatic look.
Picture Lights vs. Ceiling Lights
Our experts are often asked whether they recommend picture lights or ceiling lights. The answer is that this depends on your works and the mood you want to create in your home. Picture lights can be mounted on the frames of each work individually. These lights should not be too bright, because they are close to the work. They create an intimate atmosphere and work really well in traditional interiors with classical paintings.
Picture lights can be mounted on the frames of each work individually
Lights mounted to the ceiling will give your space more of a modern gallery feeling. Since the direction of the spots can be changed, this option is perfect for people who like to move their works around, rearranging their collection frequently. When mounting the lights, an angle of 30 degrees is perfect. When the lamp is mounted too close to the work, it will create shadows, but too far will create a reflection.
Lights mounted to the ceiling will give your space more of a modern gallery feeling
With these tips, you can give your artworks the attention they deserve. Are you looking for new works to expand your collection? Have a look at our Classical Art or Modern Art auctions. At Catawiki, you’ll be surprised every week with the impressive selection of art we have on offer. Anyone can participate in Catawiki’s online auctions; you only need one account to bid, buy and sell. Create your free account today and explore our weekly auctions curated by our team of in-house experts.
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