Download the Creative Studio Checklist here: (I've created a quick FREE checklist for you to set up your painting studio!
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Do you ever find yourself scrolling through Pinterest, looking for pictures of the perfect art studio, and only dreaming about one day owning a similar one? Well, I do! Not all of us are lucky enough to either have the budgets or resources to rent out a beautiful studio space, or have that space in our homes.
I know that a lot of artists believe they can't paint till they have a perfect space, which inspires them, houses all of their supplies and makes it easy and convenient to create. I'm here to bust this myth and tell you that the most prolific painters have spent their early days of painting with an easel in a corner of their bedroom (yours truly!), or painted at the dining table. As long as you have a few basics down, you're good to start painting.
Here are the 5 most important tips to create the perfect home art studio!
Good Light
Having a well lit studio not only makes it easier for you to look at your art easily and see the right colours, but it also uplifts your mood. Nobody wants to paint in a dingy dark room. Natural light is the best possible source of light, however, it's not accessible in all homes. Moreover, if you have a day job, you might be painting in the evenings when natural light is scarce. In that case, get a good daylight lamp. Make it easy on your eyes!
Good Ventilation
This is important, specially if you paint with oil paints and mediums. They can give off toxic fumes, so protect yourself from them by having a window or air purifier. (Looking out the window to trees is an added plus to uplift your mood!). Do not think that other mediums are completely innocent too. You don't want constant exposure to any chemicals (yes, they're all chemicals - Even something as innocent as watercolors and acrylics). Do not throw away paper towels full of mineral spirits or paints in a bin in the same room. Get them out of the house as soon as you can.
Easy Access to your tools
Do you have all of your important tools at arm's length? It is very important to keep things handy, or there will be so much inertia to begin each session of painting. Specially things like brushes, your most used paints and surfaces - should all be easy to get. At any time, you should be able to start creating within 2 minutes of deciding to do so. If the setup time is more, you will feel lazy and it will seem like too much work to set everything up for a painting session. Make it easy!
Good Ergonomics
Just like it is important to take care of your lungs through ventilation, it is very important to take care of your posture and your back by making your creative sessions comfortable and stress free. Get a chair which is good for your back. Try to stand and paint. Make sure your easel is set to the right height, and you're not bending over to paint most of your painting. Move your arms instead of your wrists to paint big paintings. If you're working on a computer, make sure you have a good elevated monitor to reduce stress on your neck. And make sure you walk around for a minute or two after every 30 minutes of work or painting. All of these will go a long way, I promise!
Other Small Conveniences
While all of these might seem small, they add up and make so much difference to your creative experience. You want enough power sockets, speakers for entertainment and access to running water and paper towels when you're painting. Also having your reference material handy and any art reference books that you like in your studio helps you get rid of roadblocks that you might face in your painting. Don't underestimate the power of these little things, to make your studio and creative experience a delight!
Tell me more about your own creative studio in the comments below. Is it inside your home? How do you decorate it? How big is it? Is it messy? Is it in order? Tell me everything!
If you are just setting up, I have created a checklist to help you prioritise the most important aspects of a creative studio. You can download the free PDF by clicking below:
