Best light for canvas, by lee3 on Jan 26, 2019 23:06:36 GMT 1, I've got a fair bit of experience experimenting with lots of different fixtures and types of bulbs in an effort to light a collection without breaking the bank. To be fair, i've been in houses where the collections are lit with no holds barred investment into lighting with box fixtures and that was not my goal. I also live where it's hot so I favor led's as they do not give off heat as a byproduct like halogen which is still favored by many museums and galleries the world over.

I tend to put myself in the sensitive to light category so I've over thought this compared to most. Therefore, I prefer a more yellow light throughout the house in the evening for relaxation vs. white or blue light as one moves up the kelvin light scale. My preference is for ambient light bulbs that are not lighting art to be at 2700 kelvin and the bulbs that are lighting the art itself to be 3000k. I prefer to light each piece (when able) 3-4 feet away from the art in the ceiling as opposed to right on top of it like so many designers or builders favor for ease. If it's directly above, then you often have shadows from the frames to mitigate.

Anyway, these are the products I've used in the past 2 homes I've been in and my wife and I are delighted with the results. You simply hire an electrician to do the installation and these can be inserted anywhere new in your ceilings or where existing fixtures already exist. They are dimmable and directional so you can aim and point them to each piece so you're never staring at a bulb with your eyes directly which can be fatiguing.

This is the housing: www.amazon.com/Elco-Lighting-EL1499-Miniature-Universal/dp/B000QXEH1O

These are the fixtures: www.electricsuppliesonline.com/eleldradri1.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAp7DiBRDdARIsABIMfoA3Z6Yb5tRyp2Srkz0vZFeDfnI1OZa7umF4rKyGP84j534gxkETDqwaAqwtEALw_wcB

These are the dimmable bulbs for art (3000k): www.amazon.com/Bulbrite-SM16-07-36D-930-03-VIVID3-Dimmable-Silver/dp/B00R4LXEDS/ref=asc_df_B00R4LXEDS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198091685650&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10337007016994074549&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032762&hvtargid=pla-349628847771&psc=1

These are the dimmable bulbs for ambient lighting (2700k): www.1000bulbs.com/product/116090/LED-00917.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAp7DiBRDdARIsABIMfoDeartOo9Oiv6lzr76rN4b2qqpHF49fkXp-zn6NfbzsMwZ-4TZPuoYaAqcQEALw_wcB

Bottom line is it costs you your electrician fees and less than $100 in materials to light each piece (larger pieces obviously require more bulbs) and if you have halogen bulbs already, you'll save a small fortune in electric bills in no time replacing with led. More info than you probably cared for but big bang for the investment for my eyes and it helps the art sing.