How to illuminate artwork with LED light

Art lighting is used in homes and galleries to illuminate and highlight pictures on the wall. When showcasing your priceless piece of artwork, lighting should be a vital consideration. To minimize glare and accentuate details, you must use the right light source for the size and position of your artwork.

At the same time, poor illumination, such as direct sunlight or fluorescent light, can cause harm to the artwork. So, the key to achieving the best lighting for your art is to choose the right lights, picture hanging system, and angles to best show off your art while minimising heat damage.

Here are four main points to consider to properly highlight your artwork:
> Brightness
> Colour precision
> Fixture
> UV and infrared radiation

BRIGHTNESS

The brightness of your light is the first and one of the most important factors to consider. It must be sufficiently bright to bring out the beauty in any piece of art. Finding the right balance can be a bit of a challenge. Apply too much light and the artwork will seem faded, too little light and you won’t see anything. It is commonly understood that the light on your artwork should be three times brighter than the ambient light in the room.

For example, if the overall ambiance of your gallery or room is 1500 lumens, then a spotlight with 4500 lumens of light would be the best to highlight your picture properly.

Colour precision

The color rendering index (CRI) of a light bulb determines its quality. This indicates how realistic colors seem when seen in low light. The more precise the colors, the higher the value. For instance, the CRI of a fluorescent light bulb is low. Colors are less vibrant when viewed in this light. Halogen lights, on the other hand, are used in most art galleries due to their high CRI.

However, LED lights are replacing halogens in more and more galleries because they last longer and cost less to run. LED lighting are more energy efficient than halogen bulbs, and last longer than incandescent bulbs. Most LEDs have a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours. If you use them for an average of 8 hours every day, that’s nearly 17 years. LED lights have very high CRIs, typically 80 or more. 2700K (warm) and 3000K (extra warm) LEDs generally provide the best lighting effects for your artworks.

Fixture

Ordinary ceiling hanging lights are convenient and practical, but they do not produce the finest results for illuminating artwork. What you should search for are directed fixtures such as downlights. The ARTITEQ Combi Rail Pro Light Hanging System provides a direct source of LED lights to illuminate and highlight your artwork. This picture hanging system helps you to guide the light in a certain direction, with narrow beam angle items offering the best appearance. Normally, you want a light with a beam angle of 60 to 90 degrees.

UV and infrared radiation

Infrared and UV light are emitted by traditional incandescent lamps. Such lighting source can cause your paintings to fade, potentially damaging them. LED lights emit neither of these and aid in the preservation of your artwork.

The ARTITEQ Combi Rail Pro Light Hanging System comes highly recommended because it serves as both a picture hanging system and a LED lighting source. This system provides a fantastic effect on any artwork. Overall, whether you need to light canvas paintings or watercolours, LED lights are the best way to highlight your favourite pieces.

IN A NUTSHELL

Every picture needs to be illuminated correctly to achieve the perfect aesthetics. After purchasing a new piece of art, it is critical to consider how to light it effectively. The artwork will appear at its best and be enjoyed by visitors for many years to come if you carefully evaluate your current area and choose the best lightbulbs (LED lights) and picture hanging system.