Washing Wall Art from a Sloped Ceiling

[BMacky]

Hello,

Does anyone have a good resource for lighting questions when it comes to illuminating wall art? My customer has an 11' x 7' painting to be lit from a sloped ceiling. The wall is 12 feet from floor to start of ceiling, and the pitch I am guessing is around 8/12 (slightly less than 45 degrees). I guess some geometry skills would come into play, but if someone out there has a rule of thumb...

We're going to place 2, 4" low-voltage housings somewhere in the ceiling, so just looking for a height/side-to-side positioning that will allow good beam spread and overall effect. I can get photometrics for bulbs but height is what I am interested in for starters.

Thanks to anyone who may have some direction for me.

[Buck Parrish]

It depends on the art. If it sticks out from the wall or is layerd in some way. You will get shadows. Where a painting won't. The best way is from several different directions. If you have more then one pieces of art lights can point in between.
The LV lights are a good choice, get dimmers, too.

[LarryFine]

I'm guessing by the question that this is at the bottom of the slope, because if it were at the top, straight cans would be almost perfect.

You probably won't get much light on the wall, unless you find extreme-angle recessed lights, which I've seen but can't remember where.

You could also consider a track with a head or two, or even look into a spot light or two from across the room, which I've seen done very well.

[GUNNING]

Track lighting is very versatile. Next best thing is can lights with eyeballs. I try to keep in mind the "light doesn't bend rule." If your depending on refracted light it's not going to highlight the unique characteristics of the art.
More light is better,less light is bad, and more light equals higher profits. Its a higher quality of light. .... yup higher quality means more value.:cool:

[220/221]

You are going to have to fire up the fixture on an extension cord and climb up a ladder to get a real answer. That will take MOST of the guesswork out of it.

A track head would be more adjustable than a recessed can.

[Sierrasparky]

most low voltage lights have drop trims that are very adjustable.

[electricalperson]

i installed a low voltage light above a painting and it put a funny halo above the painting for some reason. you might need to experiment a bit and hopefully it works out well.

i dont remember if the customer liked it or not it was a few years ago.

maybe this site has something you can mount on the wall above the picture instead of on the celing http://search.lightingbygregory.com/search?af=paracat%3Apicturelighting+finish%3Abronz e&t=paracat%3Apicturelighting&w=*&main_category=1&product_type=Picture+Lighting

[charlietuna]

In many of the expensive art studios we have wired, used low voltage track lighting with adjustable(up or down and 360 degrees) MR-16 lamps mounted on long stems which can be up to 48 inches long. The fixture stems can hang from the track at a heigth not to distrack from the art piece and can be dimmed to the needs of the room.

[jeremysterling]

Don't overlook the monopoint: trackhead without the track

[Doug S.]

Maybe this is over simplistic, but don't forget light "color".

[benaround]

You are going to have to fire up the fixture on an extension cord and climb up a ladder to get a real answer. That will take MOST of the guesswork out of it.

A track head would be more adjustable than a recessed can.

This makes the most sense to me.