F.A.Q.s: Studio

• I'm shopping for an easel for a gift. Which one is best?
  
• What sort of portfolio should I purchase for a student?
  
• I'm shopping for a projector for a commercial job. I don't want to spend too much, but it's important that I get something that will work well for the project.
  
• I accidentally cut through a board and damaged the surface of my drafting table. Can this be fixed?
  
• What's the best choice for studio lighting?
  

Q: I'm shopping for an easel for a gift. Which one is best?
A: Utrecht offers great easels at all prices, for artists working in all media. The best choice depends on a few factors. If the artist will be working outdoors, a French field easel is ideal, as it folds up for transport and holds most of the supplies. Artists working at home with limited space may also prefer a field easel to store supplies when not in use. Metal telescoping easels are portable options for sketching and light watercolor, but are often too insubstantial to hold large canvases. For artists working in a permanent studio, wooden lyre easels are good for uneven floors or where a small footprint is required. Models with built in platforms offer better stability with large canvases. When selecting an easel, it's important to consider ceiling height in the studio. If the tray is attached to the mast (the upright central bar), at full extension the top of the easel may be too tall for low ceilings. Watercolorists will require an easel that can incline flat to avoid dripping and running; oil painters may also enjoy this feature for varnishing.

Q: What sort of portfolio should I purchase for a student?
A: Student portfolios for academic presentation should be larger to accommodate original art, with a binder and sleeves for mounting and display. For graduating students needing a professional portfolio for job interviews and displaying work to clients, a smaller case may be better, for portability and easy handling when showing reproductions and tearsheets. Most portfolios now also come with pouches to hold CDs and business cards. Back to Top.

Q: I'm shopping for a projector for a commercial job. I don't want to spend too much, but it's important that I get something that will work well for the project.
A: The difference in price between various projectors is determined by the power of the lamp and quality or quantity of lenses included. The best projectors can produce very good enlargements from a considerable distance and don't require a completely dark room for a visible image. Better lenses minimize distortion, which can be important for geometric compositions and architectural subjects. One advantage to less expensive models is that they usually use ordinary household light bulbs as opposed to projector lamps, which can be more costly and harder to find. For artists who only need occasionally to transfer a drawing to a small canvas in the studio, entry level models may be fine. However, for mural work and for artists who expect to make frequent use of a projector, it makes sense to get the best one can afford. Back to Top.

Q: I accidentally cut through a board and damaged the surface of my drafting table. Can this be fixed?
A: Yes, Utrecht offers replacement vinyl board covers which can be easily attached to your existing tabletop. Select the size closest to the dimensions of your table, bigger if necessary. Unroll the new cover and allow it to rest overnight before attaching it so the material can recover from any distortion as result of being stored in a roll. Follow package instructions for trimming to fit your table. Use the manufacturer's double sided tape for mounting, and follow the enclosed instructions for patterning the tape to avoid lumps and bumps in your cover. Vinyl board covers are reversible, so when one side becomes worn it can be flipped over and remounted.

Q: What's the best choice for studio lighting?
A: There are good options for studio lighting in incandescent bulbs, halogens and fluorescent tubes or rings. Actually, combining two or more light sources is a good way to minimize flicker to keep your eyes from becoming fatigued. Combination desk lamps have a fluorescent ring around a light bulb for this purpose. Full spectrum fluorescent lights assist color picking and mixing; telescoping studio lamps with incandescent bulbs are better for dramatic illumination of subject matter. Halogen desk lamps can produce strong illumination for work close up; make certain halogen lamps are only used with the included glass shield in place for safety. Back to Top.

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