Phantom Lighting System

What makes art lighting fixtures different from other types of lighting?
Art lighting fixtures come in a variety of design types, each of which offers scores of individual models and lighting controls from which you can choose. Art lighting fixtures have to matched to both the type and genre of artwork they illuminate, and they have to aesthetically compliment the interior design of the home, office, or gallery surrounding the art. Some are made to be visible, yet attractive; others are made to minimize or conceal their appearance altogether so that you see the light and not the fixture.

What are the least expensive art lighting fixtures I can use?
Picture lights attach to the top of the frame and cast direct lighting downward across the surface of the image. These convenient art lighting fixtures evenly distribute illumination across the surface of the image, bringing out the details of texture, color, and subtle interplays of light and shadow. Due to their close proximity to the image, however, they can damage sensitive oils and canvases common in rare originals and extremely fine art. In such instances, it may be to choose a different fixture type altogether for your art, or to substitute over the picture lights fitted with LED lamps. These lamps use less electricity and emit wavelengths of light that are minimal in forward throw heat and completely free of ultraviolet radiation.

What lighting fixtures are good for illuminating multiple works of art?
Track lights are ideal for arenas where a large number of works in a collection are on display. A track lighting installation consists art lighting fixtures that hang suspended from a rail, or “track” as it is called, that runs near the ceiling parallel to the wall. Track lights are often the preferred art lighting fixtures of high-end photography galleries. Most photography showings consist of a series of images displayed as a thematically representative group. A single track light can be pointed toward a single photograph, placing each piece in its own individual light. They also work very well in contemporary or ultra-modern interior lighting design. Track lights sometimes lack the ability to light exceptionally large canvases and prints, and even though they can be controlled with dimmer switches to create different levels of light, they are nonetheless limited in their capacity to achieve highly customized lighting effects.

Are their art lighting fixtures that you can conceal from normal viewing angles?
Yes. You can use recessed art lighting fixtures, accent lighting fixtures or framing projectors if you need a concealed source. This is also known as “sourceless” lighting and represents the most sophisticated form of illumination possible. Recessed picture lights mount in the ceiling and direct light from an angle onto a piece. Recessed art light fixtures are commonly fitted with halogen bulbs renowned for their optimal color rendering capabilities and extremely bright light.

For less sensitive works of art, such as black and white photography or lithographic prints, halogen recessed lights can be an ideal source of illumination. They work exceptionally well for lighting a small grouping of thematically connected photographs or prints. For more sensitive oils and acrylics, recessed picture lighting fixtures must be fitted with special ultraviolet filters to prevent the light from degrading the materials and paints. This can be problematic even with the best of equipment, however, as some UV light may still reach the canvas and cause deterioration over time. If you are in doubt and can afford to take no risks with the finest art you possess, consider the very wise investment in a framing projector.

Give the artwork lighting experts at Phantom Lighting at call toll free at 800-863-1184.

Contemporary design conveys a style and establishes a sense of class unique unto itself. Through minimalism and differentiation, it is able to suggest universal absolutes but never conclusively or dogmatically asserting their ultimate existence.

In some decorative schemes, the only truly unifying factor in an otherwise disjointed array of shapes, sizes, and colors that speak so strongly of themselves that their only commonality is the light that shines upon them.

Metaphorically speaking, we might describe contemporary furnishings as art, and contemporary light as the visual tour guide that leads the eye through a quantum landscape of stark individuation and divergence.

It is the lighting designer’s foremost responsibility to find points within this landscape that can function as connecting “landmarks” that bring the various elements together.

Objects such as furniture, sculptures, lamps, and other decorations in a contemporary home often represent a form of art that either compliments wall art and sculpture, or in some instances, replaces them altogether.

Full-wall murals and abstract pieces often decorate walls in contemporary living rooms and dens, and these elements require attention from lights that will define their essence and balance their individual presentations with furnishings and interior architecture.

Contemporary lighting also requires heavy attention be paid to fixture style and to lighting angle of incident. Fixtures must either look like contemporary elements themselves, or they must conceal their own presence and illuminate decorative pieces with what appears to be sourceless light.

The following summary represents a few of the major categories of contemporary lighting fixtures and some of the more common arenas in which they are applied.

Wall Lighting
Contemporary sconces often look very different than their traditional counterparts. They can be very futuristic in physical design, and they are often tied to user-friendly dimmer switches that allow people to adjust the light quickly and easily.

Floor Lighting
Contemporary floor lighting unites task with the abstract by heavily relying upon the lamps themselves as decorative fixtures. It is not uncommon to find highly avant-garde lamps in a contemporary den or living room that add both a unique sense of form, but sometimes even a very unique and warm sense of color to the scheme.

Ceiling Pendant Lights
In contemporary lighting, pendant lights are more highly favored as either futuristic pieces or abstract elements that add a touch of the avant-garde to the top of the room.

Pendant lights add depth and dimension to contemporary design by making larger furnishings such as tables and desks stand out. They also act as centralizing forces that concentrate a down light in the center of the room and unite wall and floor lighting with something akin to a latticework effect.

Recessed Ceiling Lights
Recessed lights can be aimed at different angles of incident to produce pinpoint directional lighting.

Some recessed projector lights can be rotated a full 360 degrees, and they can be used to accent photography collections and hanging prints, abstract designs, and some sculpture.
They are limited in two major respects, however, that make them less than ideal for use as art lights.

For one thing, they produce harmful UV light that can damage oils and canvases. Secondly, while recessed lights allow for directional adjustment, they do not allow for precision adjustments of the light beams themselves.

For such requirements, art projectors provide a much better source of contemporary art lighting.

Art Projectors
Art projector lights have a wonderful way of seamlessly integrating into any type of lighting design. Highly favored by galleries and residential art collectors, they provide a clean and hidden source of contemporary lighting.

They can be used to illuminate everything from black and white photography to abstract three-dimensional sculpture.

Because the light appears to come from the subject and not the fixture, objects, paintings, prints, and photos appear to magically glow with their own light.

Strip Lights
Accent lighting plays an essential role in contemporary lighting design, as it does in almost every decorative lighting genre.

Strip lights provide an excellent source of linear accent lighting that can compliment interior architecture, coves, cabinets, and furniture.

Regardless of their actual position, hidden linear lights introduce a floating effect that accentuates contemporary furnishings with subtlety and sophistication.

Phantom Lighting
Contact us to learn more about Phantom Contour Framing Projectors and Phantom Strip Lights.

Feel free to give us a call toll free at 800-863-1184 X 125 to discuss your lighting application or for assistance locating an salesman or representative in your area.

I am often asked what is the main difference between a Wendelighting® optical projector and a Contour projector? The answer is quite simple - new halogen lamp technology, precision optics, user friendly housings and multiple confinement masking methods.

Low Voltage Halogen Lamp Technology

The Contour projector utilizes a special Ushio 75MR16/FO lamp that was originally designed for use in fiberoptic light engines. The optical engineers at Phantom Lighting Systems devised a way to harness the power of this lamp, condense the light and project a focused light beam which can be shaped to illuminate objects of art.

The optical chamber on the Contour projector has been cleverly designed to include an aperture component as well as several Pyrex condensing lenses. The aperture mimics the characteristics of the fiberoptic light engine, by forcing the light through a defined area which is tuned to match the MR16 lamp. The result is a 70% pass through of light. Imagine, more light output with less heat.

User Friendly Housings

Probably the biggest difference between the Contour projector and the Wendelighting® optical projector is the user friendly mounting methods and multiple masking methods. A variety of ETL Approved housings have been created to handle just about any situation or room condition:

Float Finish Housing
Top Access Housing
New construction Housing
Remodel Housing

Multiple Confinement Masking Methods

Gone are the days of the technician flying in to meticuously install a picture framing lights. Now professional results can be achieved by anyone who can follow our detailed instructions. If you are illuminating a square or rectangular work of art, use the shutter system for a fantastic results. If multiple objects, large objects or 3D objects is the task at hand, use our hand cut template method to achieve dramatic results. Our template cutting instructions will guide you through the process.

What do you think?
You be the judge. See for yourself just how effective a Contour projector can be. Contact Us at 800-863-1184 or one of our lighting sales reps for more information or a demonstration on what Phantom Lighting can do you!

WENDELIGHTING® is a registered trademark of Jacksen International, LTD.

I am very interested in using your Phantom Contour Projector. However, I am not crazy about using an electronic transformer. Do you have any models with magnetic transformers?

We recently introduced a magnetic transformer option for all CONTOUR PROJECTOR models that uses a Q-Tran magnetic transformer. Q-Tran has a stellar track record in the lighting industry for making some of the most quiet lighting transformers on the market. The torodial design of the Q-Tran transformer provides superior voltage regulation and a 96% energy efficiency rating. A built-in thermal auto reset breaker protects the product from overloading as well as a built-in filter choke for sound reduction. All Q-Tran magnetic transformers are tested 3 times before leaving the factory for quality and safety. This magnetic lighting transformer is specifically designed for use with all Phantom Contour Projectors.

Thank you for contacting Phantom Lighting System with your specific request. We are delighted that you are interested in our lighting projector and we hope that we have addressed your concerns by adding this new feature. Many lighting designers, architects and electrical professionals prefer to use magnetic transformers over electronic transformers. We now have both to satisfy everyone.

If you need more information on PHANTOM CONTOUR PROJECTORS or our PHANTOM STRIP LIGHTS, please contact us at 800-863-1184.

http://www.phantomlighting.com/