Friday, September 16, 2016

The Best Color To Paint Your Art Studio Walls

When I committed 110% to my artwork, I sought out ways to set up the ideal art studio. As with anything else art related, finding answers to my many detailed questions were insanely difficult.

As I focused on working from life, I learned that working in a black studio was recommended. I cringed at the thought of painting a room in my house black. So I went to the paint store and got a gallon of the darkest brown I could find. It never photographed very brown, it was so dark it was more of a warm charcoal color.

My first art studio

I liked this studio, but when I moved, I decided to go for something a bit lighter in value. After more extensive research, I found that most portrait artists recommended Benjamin Moore Mohegan Sage. They say it is a pleasing color with skin tones. I never found out. Mohegan Sage is a much lighter value than what I was used to. At the last minute I panicked and chose the color two values darker. I didn't think it was going to be a big deal. It was.

I did not get this color

Bad color for a studio

I ended up with an awful dark muck green. To make it worse, I didn't have the time to change it. I was running a business and painting in what little spare time I had.

Fast forward to when I made the move to full time artist. One of the first things on the "to do" list was to paint the walls. I realized that having a color cast to the walls did not only potentially effect the color cast of the ambient light in the room, it was also distracting. I needed something I didn't pay any attention to.

As all the ready-made sample chips in the store were no where near neutral, I used a cut piece of neutral grey drawing paper to color match. Also, it is very important to have the flattest paint you can buy. I had planned on using Behr paint (as I loved it for painting my house) but when I bought a few color samples, I noticed that their "flat" was not very flat. It was more of an eggshell. So I made a trip to good ole WalMart. They say that their Colorplace paint is really Kilz. I don't know that for sure, but I do know it was the flattest paint I could find.

Now, the color I have on my studio walls now do seem a bit bluish to me, but, I don't pay any attention to them. And, best of all, it has made the studio a much more comfortable and productive work space.

Here is a short video of me talking about my studio wall color.



What is best for you may vary. But, if you work from life, neutral is best and the darker the better. What color has worked for you? Feel free to leave a comment and share.

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