SETTING UP A STUDIO
Designating a space for making art is a great way to stay organized. However, many of us are limited when it comes to space and resources, and we must work with what we have. More than anything else, comfort, convenience, and good lighting—not expansive space or fancy equipment—are the most important elements of an effective workspace.
PURCHASING MATERIALS
Access to art supplies is easier than ever for today’s artists. Below are a few ways you can expand your own studio. Remember that higher-quality materials yield higher-quality results and less frustration for the beginner, so purchase the best you can afford.
Art & Craft Stores
Seeing rows and rows of materials just waiting to be used provides instant exhilaration for most artists. Art & craft stores, which carry many of the basic art materials found in this book, offer a tactile experience, allowing you to hold the materials in your hand and see true pigment colors before purchasing. Chain art stores are predictable in what they carry and sometimes lean toward the hobbyist, providing affordable alternatives to professional-grade materials. (See “Student Grade vs. Artist Grade,” below.) Independent stores can vary widely in what they carry but offer an inspiring assortment of traditional and modern products.
Student Grade vs. Artist Grade
Art materials come in two grades of quality: student and artist (or professional). Artist-grade materials are more costly than student-grade paints; they contain less filler, yield richer colors, afford the artist more control over the medium, and are less likely to fade over time. Purchasing artist-grade materials up front will likely save you frustration in the long run.
Online Retailers
For artists familiar with the colors, brands, and specific tools they need, online retailers can provide discounted prices while shipping conveniently to your home or studio. Online shopping is also a great way to find rare items unavailable at stores near you. As you compare prices, though, be sure to factor in any shipping costs.
Estate & Garage Sales
An estate sale can be a great place to save on art supplies. You might find desks, easels, storage units, and still life props (such as vases, bowls, or silk flowers) at bargain prices. Some drawing pencils and well-maintained brushes could also be useful, but it’s best to purchase fresh media, such as paint and pastels, as they can dry out or spoil over time.
SKETCHBOOKS
There are all kinds of sketchbooks available, but spiral-bound varieties are great because they lie flat when opened. Sketchbooks come in a variety of sizes, from 6” × 9” to 11” × 14”. Stay clear of books with thin paper; denser papers are better able to handle washes of color without bleeding through or warping the paper.
Spiral-bound sketchbooks allow you to remove and replace pages—an advantage if you like to share or frame your sketches.
Sketching on Location
One of the great advantages of keeping a sketchbook is that it’s small enough to go with you anywhere—from outdoor flower markets to historical buildings! No matter where you are or what you’re surrounded by, you have before you a wonderful opportunity to sketch—and don’t feel as if you have to wait for the perfect image to begin sketching.
TOOL ORGANIZATION
Keeping your materials organized and easy to access plays a huge role in your efficiency as an artist. Consider enlisting the following tools for storing or transporting your materials.
Taboret
A taboret is a small storage unit with cupboards, drawers, trays, or shelves for holding art materials. Taborets can double as tabletops; artists often use them to support a palette, brushes, and mediums during a painting session.
Wooden Art Box
Sometimes called “pochade boxes,” wooden art boxes are available in a range of sizes and shapes. They often come with dividers that create compartments of varying sizes. Some are available with removable trays that allow you to stack layers of tools.
Simple drawers lined along shelves are handy for categorizing tube paints.
Bins, Drawers & “Found” Organizers
Plastic bins and old drawers are great open-topped options that keep tools categorized while offering easy access. Old tackle boxes are great for storing or drawing on the go. Garage sales, thrift stores, and dollar stores are good resources for these items.
WORKING SURFACES & EASELS
Your working surface should depend largely on the medium you use most often. For artists who draw and work with dry media, a flat or slightly tilted surface is best; for artists who paint with oil or acrylic, an easel is the traditional choice.
Drawing & Drafting Tables
Drawing and drafting tables feature large, smooth surfaces that tilt to varying degrees. Often made of wood, composite wood, or tempered glass, these desks sometimes feature ledges or compartments along the side for holding pencils, erasers, or other drawing materials. Some even include straightedges on the surface, wheeled legs, and drawers for storing materials.
Drawing Boards
A drawing board offers a sturdy, smooth, and portable surface for supporting your paper as you draw or paint. You can use it in your lap and rest it against the edge of a table; and, if you wish, you can secure your paper to the board with clips or artist tape. Many wood-surfaced drawing boards feature a honeycombed core to reduce weight; others are made of composite wood or plastic. Drawing boards are available in a range of sizes, but an 18” × 18” board is a great size for beginners.
Studio Easels
Studio easels are sturdy, freestanding canvas supports. Traditionally they are made of wood, but you can also find lighter-weight metal varieties. Studio easels often fold flat, so you can tuck them away into a corner of the studio if needed; however, they are more cumbersome than portable easels (such as box easels, shown here). Below are two common studio easel formats.
An A-frame easel is perhaps the most common format. The main frame, which is shaped loosely like an “A,” is supported by a third leg. This easel requires a good amount of floor space, and the legs are vulnerable to accidental kicks.
An H-frame easel is a classic format that can support large canvases. An adjustable main frame is anchored to a small base, which sometimes features wheels for easy pushing.
Portable Easels
Also called a French easel, a box easel is a great option for artists who work outdoors. This portable unit collapses into a compact box and features a handle for easy toting. The easel has three adjustable legs that support a wooden box; the lid serves as a canvas support with a ledge, and the box acts as a drawer holding materials.
Box easel, closed and ready for traveling
Box easel, open and ready for painting
Aluminum watercolor easel
Image courtesy of Alvin & Co. www.alvinco.com
Watercolorists who paint on site often choose to work on pads or spiral sketchbooks, while others stick to single sheets attached to a hard board with clips or artist tape. To support your paper while painting, consider a watercolor easel that allows for a slightly tilted surface. Many are available in collapsible, lightweight metal formats, making them easy to carry on site.
Tabletop Easels
This type of easel sits atop any flat surface and holds your work upright as you paint. They are usually mini H-frames or mini A-frames in format. Tabletop easels are sometimes used to display finished artwork on desks or countertops.
Standard H-frame tabletop easel
Box-style tabletop easel
CHOOSING A WORKSPACE
Every artist’s dream is to have a large, airy studio with a north-facing window. But the reality is that any place you find to paint—a spare bedroom, a basement corner, or the kitchen table—is suitable. Choose your workspace to match your style. Some people like to stand to allow free arm movement; others sit at a table for more precise work; and some prefer to sit in an oversized chair. Select an easel, table, or lap desk to hold your paper while you work. And wherever you do work, you will need good lighting, such as a floor lamp, desk light, or clamp-on light. As an artist, you may prefer to use a “natural” or “daylight” bulb, which mimics sunlight and is easy on your eyes.
DRAFTING OR DRAWING TABLE You can angle these tabletops for comfort. If space is short, get a folding table.
LAP DESK A laptop board with an attached pillow allows you to put your feet up, lean back, and draw.
EASEL An easel will hold your work upright, so you can work standing or sitting.
LIGHTING
Traditionally, the best lighting for artwork is plentiful natural light coming from the north. This shows color and values in their truest forms, prevents rays of light from falling directly on the work, and reduces eyestrain for the artist. An ideal studio features large, high north-facing windows. Artists who don’t have the luxury of north light or who work at night must use artificial lighting to illuminate their workspaces. There are myriad possibilities for lighting a studio; ultimately, personal preference will guide the way.
Shown is the same drawing board under three different types of light: cool light from the shadows of late afternoon (A), a warm incandescent bulb (B), and a full-spectrum daylight bulb (C). If natural northern light is not available, full-spectrum daylight bulbs (or a combination of warm and cool lighting) bring out the truest colors and values.
STUDIO LIGHTING CONSIDERATIONS |
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Temperature |
The light in your studio should be neutral in color, so avoid a setup that leans too cool or too warm. Some artists use a combination of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, while others rely solely on daylight simulation bulbs. |
Direction |
Most professional studios feature both general overhead lighting as well as task lighting, which focuses light on a smaller workspace. Both overhead and task lighting should be positioned so as not to create shadows of your hand across your work. For example, if you are right-handed, light should come from above and from the left; if you are left-handed, light should come from above and from the right. |
Presentation |
Artists can often find out how commissioned artwork will be displayed and lit. Many find it beneficial to paint their work in the same lighting conditions to help control how the viewer will see the colors and values. |
TECHNOLOGY IN THE STUDIO
An artist’s studio today can look very different from a studio 50 years ago; it might even resemble an office. If you have the urge to keep modern technology from encroaching on your art space, consider that technology can actually help you simplify several creative processes.
EDITING SOFTWARE This software allows you to manipulate digital copies of your artwork. Once you open a scan or photograph of your work in the program (such as Adobe® Photoshop®), you can adjust the brightness, contrast, color, and other aspects to bring the work closer to the original or to your vision.
LIGHT BOX This illuminated table or surface allows artists to view lines beneath paper, making tracing a cinch. Many artists today use a light box to transfer the outlines of a sketch onto a fresh sheet of drawing paper, which helps avoid early erasures.
DIGITAL CAMERA A high-quality digital camera can be an artist’s best friend when it comes to gathering references. It can capture fleeting scenes and allow you to work in the comfort of your studio. Digital cameras take away the stress and cost of film and prints, so you can take several photos of the same scene. You can also photograph your finished work in a well-lit environment. Make sure the camera can produce decent-sized prints such as 8.5" × 11" at 300 dpi (dots per inch).
PRINTER AND SCANNER Often available in one unit, printers and scanners are useful tools for the artist. Use a printer to print reference photos or to print a light sketch on your drawing paper. Some printers are even compatible with canvas paper. A high-quality scanner is invaluable for artists who want clean, large, and evenly lit digital copies of their work.
OPAQUE PROJECTOR This device uses light and lenses to display an image of your choice (such as a printed photograph) at a large size onto a nearby surface. To bypass the sketching process and ensure correct proportions, some artists project their reference photos onto paper or canvas and trace the most important lines and shapes.
COMPUTER A computer has become a staple in the studios of many artists. From storing references to acting as a new medium for creating or altering work, the perks of a computer are many.