An LED recessed light is the best, most durable, and most accurate form of art lighting available. You can retrofit it into existing fixtures. LED custom picture lights have a great reputation among art galleries and museums. They have been installed in some of the most prominent venues such as The Smithsonian or Sistine Chapel.

However, LED lighting isn’t just for professionals. Art collectors can use its efficiency and power to create their own art. Particularly LED custom picture lights are a great way to create memorable displays.

Custom Picture Lights LED

Why LEDs are The First Choice in Picture Lighting

While LED lighting can be used in many areas, it is best suited to art illumination. There are many reasons this is the case.

Art preservation – Most artwork is sensitive, at most to a certain extent to light. In the presence of art lights, textiles will quickly deteriorate. Watercolors and oil paintings can also fade or crack under intense illumination. This is because of the UV and IR radiation emitted from the fixtures. They are not visible to the eye but can damage artwork beyond repair. An LED picture lamp produces less UV and IR radiation than other forms. LED custom picture lights can be used with any type of artwork, without causing any damage.

Safety – LED lamps are very efficient in generating energy and produce very little radiant heat. A LED lamp is usually cool enough to touch safely. This reduces fire risks, and also the fixture’s overall design. Phantom Lighting makes LED optical framing projectors that are rated IC-rated housings. A housing rated IC can be used with building insulation. This means that the housing can be covered without increasing the chance of a fire. An IC-rated framing projector is a good choice for energy efficient buildings where there is often additional insulation. A projector rated IC is safe to use if it has thick insulation. This is because heat radiates from the housing very slowly. It doesn’t cause any fires or damage anything around.

Longevity – LED lighting is an appealing choice for all types of venues, even though it lasts more than other lighting technology. This is an important reason to choose LED picture lights and especially optical framing projectors. This is because art lights are typically installed within the ceiling, making them difficult to access. Many property owners prefer custom picture lights that last a long time, even if it means less frequent replacements.

LED fixtures have a rated life expectancy that is far higher than halogen or incandescent. An LED engine can provide quality illumination for at least 50,000hrs, while some lights reach the 100,000-hour threshold. A LED lamp that is used 12 hours per day will last 11 years if it is left on for at least 50,000 hours. This is in comparison to an incandescent lamp, which lasts about 1,000 hours, or a halogen bulb which lasts around 2,500. After you have replaced one LED engine, you will need to replace 50 incandescent and 20 halogen bulbs. It will take a lot of time and money to replace that many bulbs over the years.

Quality and aesthetics – If there was one area in which LED lighting was lacking, it was lighting quality. Due to its outstanding color rendering capabilities, halogen was the preferred choice for art lighting until recently. Because color rendering was once the main advantage of halogen lighting, engineers in LED lighting have made strides to produce better color rendering and better-looking fixtures.

High performance LEDs have been used to create optical framing projectors that can render color at a level comparable to halogen for your custom picture lights. Many LED picture lights have achieved color rendering index ratings of over 90. This makes them well-suited to artwork.

Retrofitting LEDs with existing fixtures is also possible

Many galleries and museums, as well as art collectors, will need to have their own plans in order to make the switch from halogen lighting to LED technology. This is a manageable problem, however, as reputable manufacturers offer retrofit options for their art light products.

Phantom’s optical framing projectors were previously fitted with halogen lights, but can now be retrofitted using LED. You can do this using an LED conversion kits. This allows you to enjoy all of the benefits that a new system would offer. Only a few components must be changed, so you don’t need any special tools. The power supply, the light engine and the optical system are all included. It is a simple project that can be completed in an afternoon. The long-term benefits will be significant for the display.

An LED picture lamp is the highest quality art lighting technology. They are expected to continue to be the best choice for art for the future. LED fixtures are more efficient, safer, longer-lasting, and durable than any other form of lighting. There is no question about when to transition to LED. And with the affordable retrofit kits readily available, it’s easy.

Phantom Lighting is available to assist you with any questions or concerns about custom picture lights. Call us at 800-863-1184 for a free consultation. To get more information, please fill out the online request form.