Phantom Lighting System

There are countless varieties of low voltage art lighting fixtures on the market, and an almost infinite number of fixtures styles available within each individual type.

Low voltage over the picture lights
These lighting fixtures are also called picture lights because they attach directly to the frame and extend over the top of the picture. The most popular over the picture art lights are low voltage LED units that either operate with a concealed low voltage transformer or eliminate wiring altogether with internal battery power. They are remarkably inexpensive, safe, and easy to install and transport.

Although they do not create the most formal presentations, they often prove invaluably convenient in temporary settings such as picture lighting public art sales, lighting exhibitions and lighting municipal displays where local art or classroom art from public schools is showcased.

Low voltage art lighting with recessed fixtures
Recessed picture lights are so named because they resided in a recessed fixture that is either partially or completely embedded in the ceiling. They can be equipped with dimmers to allow the user direct control over lighting levels. Lenses can also be covered with filters to eliminate UV and IR radiation, placing only the desired portions of the spectrum over the piece.

The primary advantage of recessed accent lights is a concealed light source that can be projected at a precise angle toward a picture(s) on display.

The disadvantage of low voltage recessed art lights is that multiple fixtures must be used to light an entire row of pictures, or a large number of pieces along a wall. If there are too many works in the collection, it becomes impractical to install an equivalently large number of recessed lights in the ceiling.

Low voltage art lighting with track lights
Track lights are so called because they hang suspended from a track that runs parallel to a wall.
They offer an advantage in number over recessed lights. In a gallery where a wall may be full of paintings or photographs from a specific genre, any number of track light installation techniques can be installed to provide an individual light source for each individual work.

The obvious disadvantage to track lighting is lack of concealment. Track lights are impossible to hide and are clearly visible to the viewing audience.

Low voltage lighting with Art projectors
Recessed Projector lights represent the highest level of sophistication in low voltage art lighting. They hang suspended from the ceiling on inverted pedestals. Capable of rotating a full 360 degrees, art projectors can be aimed at any point in the room to illuminate a two dimensional image or three dimensional sculpture.

Most contain some sort of filtration technology as well that strips the light beam of IR and UV wavelengths prior to the light ever passing through the lens. However, many art lighting manufactures are limited by fixed optical systems that prohibit fine-tuning adjustments known as “key stoning”—a technique lighting designers use to eliminate glare and frame shadows. Others are bulky and clearly visible hanging from the ceiling and present an inconvenient challenge to rotate and fine tune. This can result in a “fuzzy” lighting effect, or it can create light “spillage” beyond the boundaries of the frame.

To achieve the level of precision adjustment necessary to completely shape the light to the exact dimensions of the artwork itself, it is necessary to use a projector such as the Phantom Contour projector with a variable optical design that will allow the shutter blade system to be locked into a specific position and fine tuned using custom templates and internal filters. This then allows the light beam to shape itself to the piece, making it look lighted from within.

To learn more about Phantom Lighting and this highly effective and versatile form of low-voltage display lighting with Phantom products check out our lighting blog, contact one of our fine lighting representatives for a demonstration or visit http://www.phantomlighting.com/ for more information.

To be truly effective, exhibition picture lighting needs to address major elements of the artwork itself. It must render color at a fine level of detail, and it must support perspective within the scene regardless of the angle of incident or the distance the viewer stands from the work.

The interplay between light and shadow found in almost every picture must be enhanced, not diminished, by exhibition picture lighting.

While it is the case that photography and painting have perspective and shade in common, beyond this, they diverge into vastly different arenas that carry their own unique sets of requirements for truly effective and supportive illumination.

Photography
Photography as art has gained enormous popularity, and it continues to rise in prestige and demand.

It represents a very unique form of art because of the way it challenges our perceptions of reality as a fixed absolute.

Photography allows for any scene in real-time to be captured as is, but subtly altered by the perceptions and emotions of the photographer.

Photography is often exhibited in black and white, where perception within the mind and the facts of the world surrounding the observer intersect at the points where light and shadow converge.

Black and white forces us to question our sense of absolutes by moving us beyond duality into multitudinous shades of gray.

Picture lights used to illuminate photographic exhibitions must support this artistic intention to be truly effective. Picture lighting in a black and white photography exhibit must be precisely adjusted to avoid diminishing the subtle variations in gray scale.

Many galleries showcase photography using halogen lights that come in “expo” mounting kits. These fixtures usually consist of a mounting bracket that attaches to the wall, an adjustable arm, and a halogen bulb that directs light onto the picture from an optimal angle of incident.

Halogen is a very bright source of exhibition picture light, and it is ideal for rendering both colors and any black and white scene where stark contrasts define artistic tone.

Without special lenses and filters, though, halogen bulbs are rather limited in their ability to properly support special affects photography.

Halogen-sourced low voltage lighting is often too bright for special effects exhibits, many of which showcase pictures taken at night using infrared cameras that add surreal shades of red to the backdrop of a dark, ominous landscape.

Paintings
Expo picture lights can also be used for painting exhibitions, provided they are either UV-filtered to protect the paint and canvas, or if they are used for only a short period of time in a very temporary setting.

Many civic centers, public schools, community colleges, and libraries will exhibit pictures painted in watercolor by local children, and these organizations can find a number of affordable expo lighting kits to accommodate a temporary, “gallery” type setup.

A less expensive alternative for exhibition picture lighting at general community events is the use of battery-powered, LED over-the-picture-lights. LED technology by lighting manufacturers is extremely sophisticated in two respects. Its power-saving design requires only 20% the electricity as halogen light and therefore provides much longer lamp and battery life. It also produces no ultraviolet radiation and is safe to use over oils and acrylics.

Over-the-picture LED lights are also ideal for exhibitions where local artists move from location to location to sell their work. They can be removed, transported, and reinstalled quickly; and they come in a variety of finishes that make local talent stand out exquisitely.

Formal Exhibitions Generally require projectors for picture lighting
Recessed lighting projectors reside in the ceiling above normal horizontal viewing angles. They also provide the most advanced filtration and adjustment mechanism to precisely “fine-tune” the light to the exact dimensions, color rendering, depth and shadow, and overall tone of the piece.

Click here to learn how projector technology works from the world's leading art lighting manufacturer and artwork lighting experts.

Before investing in cordless picture lighting, it is necessary to obtain a sound understanding of how the different types of picture lights operate and what specific advantages they offer the home and commercial decorator.

Because they are either batter operated or install in the ceiling, there is no wiring to conceal. There are also literally thousands of different cordless battery powered picture lights to choose from, a good number of which are very affordable and ideal for smaller households on a budget.

Battery Powered Cordless Lights
Battery powered picture frame lighting fixtures work well for illuminating prints and photographs when high performance is not an issue. They are relatively inexpensive to purchase and do not require a technician to install. Most major lighting manufacturers make them, so one can have name brand equipment at an affordable price point.

Battery powered cordless units are ideal for art lighting any type of print or photograph housed in non glass panel frame. They are also ideal for smaller pictures and fit conveniently over the top of the frame, becoming almost a part of the picture themselves.

Recessed Ceiling Lights
Recessed lights are technically categorized as cordless picture lights because they wire directly into the home or office electrical system as opposed to operating from a power outlet or a battery.

A professional electrician must install these fixtures, and the installer will have to cut into your ceiling to fit them.

If this is affordable and acceptable to you, recessed picture lights will make an ideal source of illumination for larger works of art that require a special spotlight. Multiple unites can be used to light entire collections of prints, photographs, or paintings along an entire wall.

Recessed picture lights can either be low voltage or high voltage, depending on your budget for power costs and the need for lighting intensity.

Low voltage lighting tend to feature pinhole apertures that produce minimal glare. They work very well for any collection where glass panes cover the artwork.

Incandescent bulbs produce a white light that is ideal for illuminating black and white photography. For color photographs, low voltage halogen lighting produce a low wattage, high intensity light with superior color rendering capabilities.

Normally, a lighting company licensed to install recessed lighting also consults with either a lighting design company or certifies its electricians in lighting design. If you have questions about which lights will work best with your collection, your installers should be able to give you sound, professional recommendations on the best fixtures to use or contact a artwork lighting expert.

Fine Art Projectors
When it comes to lighting fine oils on canvas, we really recommend you consider higher price points and more sophisticated technology than battery powered and recessed cordless picture lights. This is because fine art tends to be very delicate and requires light that is completely free of ultraviolet radiation and infrared heat. To ensure the integrity of your art, and to give an original piece the proper spotlight it deserves, consider the benefits of picture lighting with a ceiling-mounted, Phantom Contour Projector.

These proprietary projectors utilize a complex system of lenses and filters to strip the light beam of harmful wavelengths. Like recessed lights, they install above the line of sight into the ceiling of a room.

Click here to read about recessed lighting projectors that are designed for remodel projector applications or replacing an existing accent light without having to patch or paint the ceiling.

Phantom Linear Strip Lights
Perhaps the most innovative way for lighting small pictures like cordless fixtures inside cabinets is by using a linear cabinet lighting fixture.

Phantom linear lighting strips fit directly onto display cabinet shelves and use existing metal shelf standards instead of traditional wiring to conduct electricity. Their low profile position makes them almost impossible for the casual viewer to see, and they can be fitted with incandescent, xenon, and LED bulbs to accommodate any level of lighting and special effects your artwork requires.

Both Phantom Projectors and Linear LED Strip Lights are energy efficient and can be used throughout the night at minimal expense to one’s electrical bill. They are also dimmable, so you can accrue additional savings on power costs by turning the lighting levels down during events or when visitors are either absent or asleep.

Click here to find an United States Lighting Agent who can answer all of your questions on cordless picture lighting and Phantom Lighting products. You may also contact customer service at Phantom Lighting by calling 800-863-1184 X 125 to request literature or further information.