Greg Friedheim is one of Miami's top lighting designers and has worked extensively in both the architectural and theatrical arenas. His credits include the Broadway show "Mortal Combat" which performed at Radio City Music Hall and toured arenas across the nation. Other notable projects include numerous luxury homes and condominiums on Miami's Star and Fisher Islands, as well as the penthouse of Miami Beach's prestigious Portofino Tower. His larger installations include the permanent lighting system for the only Broadway-capable Theater aboard a luxury ocean liner, as well as many malls and hotels throughout South Florida. His consultation work includes designs for many public and private art galleries. Now, Mr. Friedheim lends much of his extensive knowledge and professional experience to the Ooks.com readership as we discuss "Lighting Your Art".

When lighting artwork, the most important overriding philosophy is to make sure that the focus is placed on the artwork, not on the lighting itself. This may seem intuitive, but it is surprising how many homes and galleries have lighting that is obtrusive and attention grabbing. It is essential to remember that the eye is always drawn to the brightest object, and if a lighting instrument is poorly positioned or gives off unfocused light, the instrument often becomes the center of attention instead of the artwork. It is the direct purpose of the designer to bring focus to the work, to highlight the look that the artist had intended, not for the lighting to detract focus or dominate the room.

When analyzing a piece of art, there are specific elements that a designer must take into consideration. Below is a list of these elements:

• Color - What are the dominant colors within the work of art?
• Line- What angular lines, from the frame to those within the work itself, are most important to the overall composition?
• Shape - Is the artwork rectangular, circular, or irregular?
• Form - What is the physical nature of the artwork: flat, curved, or amorphous (such as a statue)?
• Emotional Content - What mood or feelings does a work evoke?
• Statement - Is there an underlying message to the work?
• Physical Properties - What are the material components (wall mount, pedestal) and surface elements?

Before considering how to light your artwork, analyze these components and come to an understanding of the overall nature of the piece. It is important to completely understand the artwork in order to create lighting that will effectively enhance its overall presentation. Once you have a clear understanding of the work to be lit, the focus must then shift to the space wherein the piece will reside. Although every situation is different, there are two possibilities that most directly effect lighting: that of presenting a work of art within a room vs. lighting it as a stand-alone piece.

When lighting artwork within a room, the lighting needs of the rest of the room must be taken into account, whereas with a stand-alone work the focus can rest entirely on the artwork. When lighting artwork in a room, take into consideration anything else being lit that will be competing for focus. Also, consider the purpose of the room and the purpose of the artwork. A photograph in a bathroom or kitchen will be treated very differently than a Monet pencil-sketch mounted above a fireplace. Keep in mind how much focus you can give the artwork (e.g.: in a kitchen, all areas must be bright, thereby diminishing the focus, whereas in a living room or bedroom, other areas can be dimmed to bring greater attention to the artwork). Some rooms are easy to dim to give focus to the artwork, while in other rooms you must work to avoid having the artwork not look glaring, distracting, or unrecognizable.

With the artwork and the room analyzed, the final determining factors (before selecting a lighting instrument) are the dimensional attributes (i.e.: is the artwork a two-dimensional painting or a three-dimensional sculpture). Two-dimensional pieces can be clearly lit from a single position, while works of the three-dimensional variety often require multiple light positions, illuminating as much as 360 degrees of the work. Paintings and other two dimensional works are typically lit from an overhead position with either a spotlight or fixture that creates a wash (a wide, unfocused area of light). When lighting two-dimensional art, the normal objective of the designer is to light the work as smoothly and evenly as possible, while keeping the light well-framed on the work (see diagram A). A Framing Projector, an adjustable lighting instrument that will be described in more detail later, often facilitates this.

Most lighting positions for two-dimensional art are ceiling mounts, which create their own set of difficulties. Top among these is glare, especially with works that are shiny or covered by glass (such as photographs). It is critically important to choose a lighting position that will not cause unsightly glare into the eyes of your observers. Often mounting the lighting instrument at a very steep position does this (i.e.: the instrument is close to the wall on which the work is hung). Unfortunately, this will often cause the top of the work, which is closer to the light source, to be much brighter than the bottom of the work (see diagram B). Another method to reduce glare is using non-reflective glass, although this often cannot be done with original framed or unframed paintings. In these cases a compromise must be reached between avoiding glare and effectively and evenly lighting the work. A third, and highly advanced method, is to use Beam Shaping Reflectors. These instruments literally bend light, which, when done correctly, can redistribute an angled light's intensity evenly across a surface. It is highly recommended that if one desires this degree of professionalism in lighting their artwork, they should seek professional consultation.

When lighting a sculpture, the overriding factor is form. Assess which portions of the sculpture should be illuminated and which should remain in shadow. Utilizing a number of flashlights and experimenting with differing angles and positions can determine this. Commonly, the easiest way to light a statue is to use two opposing side lights, facing each other 180 degrees apart, vertically even with the focal point of the statue (see diagram C). Unfortunately, this is rarely practical and a compromise must be reached. A common compromise results in 'high side' positions, which still reveal a majority of the piece (see diagram D). Here, again, it is important to remember not to change the artist's statement. The designer's role is to reveal what the artist had intended, not to make a statement on top of a statement. Help draw focus to the artwork and accentuate the artist's content, don't interpret or alter that content.

Now the designer is ready to choose the correct lighting instruments and set up the space. When selecting a lighting instrument, it is important to know the aspects of light that can be manipulated. They are:

• Color - Is the light white or tinted?
• Saturation - How rich or deep is the color?
• Intensity - Is the light bright or dim?
• Angle - Which direction is the light coming from?
• Focus - Is there a bright spot on a small area or a more even wash across the work?

Light is often spoken of in terms of temperature: warm or cool light; which is in actuality referring to the temperature of the light (not the bulb itself). When deciding on how to light a work, it is important to think in these terms. A painting of a Norwegian Landscape might do best with a cooler light, while a religious work depicting fire and brimstone may be better suited to a warmer light. In most cases you should work to achieve an even balance, simulating the natural light the artist most likely worked in. Color temperature can be adjusted though the following methods.

• Lamp Choice - Fluorescent lights produce cooler light, whereas sodium and tungsten bulbs are warmer.
• Dimming - Low dimming creates warm light whereas maximum intensity makes a light cool.
• Color Filters - Filters can change light in either direction.

In selecting an instrument, frequent choices include high hats (recessed lighting), frame projectors, and track lighting. High hats are very effective at focusing attention squarely on the artwork and many can be focused to eliminate excess spill. Negatively, they tend to be very hot and therefore potentially destructive to artwork. Framing projectors allow for the greatest focus from a single position. They have what are referred to as "barn doors" which sharply cut the beam so that it may be precisely framed. Track lighting offers the greatest in positional flexibility, making them the top choice of galleries and museums. These institutions will often run a long section of track in front of a wall, offering lighting positions the entire length of the track. Track instruments, similar to frame projectors, can be mounted to offer further refinement to a particular work. Their primary drawback is their high visibility which, if improperly designed and implemented, can detract focus from the artwork.

A final and very expensive option is the use of fiber optics. Lighting with fiber optics is by far the least obtrusive, with the light being projected from an instrument the size of an eraser head. Furthermore they filter out UV and project light at room temperature, offering the greatest protection for your artwork against the destructive forces of heat and UV. Again, if this level of professionalism is sought, one should hire a pro designer. All art varies in its susceptibility to these elements. Photographs are highly sensitive to both heat and UV while a marble statue is impervious. Any questions regarding these concerns should be directed towards a professional art consultant.

A final consideration, which will be discussed more extensively in the next segment, is the possibility of rotation. Does the designer need to plan on the flexibility of having a number of different pieces of varying size and color in a single location? In cases where a sculpture is exchanged for a painting and visa versa, new lighting will need to be arranged. But in most logical cases, a wide flexibility can be planned. As previously mentioned, track lighting gives you the greatest positional flexibility, but high hats and framing projectors are less intrusive if a single position can be fixed. Mobile systems, such as track lighting or a grid, are nearly impossible to conceal without extensively adjusting the architecture.

Learning and following these principals should allow you to light most artwork with a great degree of success. Even so, it is usually a good rule that if you are spending over $10,000 on a piece of art, it makes sense to spend the extra money to have a professional light it for you.