[Chris Saper]

Oh, studio construction! Timothy, I think we have touched base on this in the past. I have done exhaustive and completely unproductive research on the topic...and am in the process of designing a build-to-specs studio, with relatively few limitations.

Here is where my thoughts are as of today:

North light...it only matters if you have all day to paint. The purpose of north light has always been to maximize consistency of light, with regard to its color, direction and intensity over the greatest amount of hours. So it has relative importance depending upon on how and when you work. For example, I am an early painter. I go to the easel immediately after my kids leave (8:00ish am) and work til about 2 or 3 in the afternoon. For me a western exposure would provide almost the same benefits as a northern exposure for others, since I typically put down my brush before the sun has crested over the roofline. However if you paint from late morning until sunset, you would absolutely need a different directional orientation.

Flooring. I suppose this is personal choice, but I am personally looking for a synthetic cushioned flooring, wipable, and easy on the arches.

Stuff. I think that everything that can be movable should be put on casters....filing cabinets, easels, bookshelves, taborets.

My new studio will have northern and western exposures. However on the West, the mountain rises immediately beyond the structure, and will never have permit sunlight exposure.

Light control. In either going with the flow of light or in fighting it, I think that the thing to seek in windows is directional control. They should extend vertically as much as possible. They also should have blinds that you can manage. If you are fighting direct sunlight, they need to be vertical blinds, so that you can paint with some degree of illumination, but still angle out the direct light. If you don't have to fight direct light, I think you need to have vertical control...most shades and blinds can be mounted upside down, so that when you close them they are pulled upward from the bottom.

Lighting. As many banks of color corrected tubes as needed, to let you see accurately after dark. This is also a point of conroversy, as many painters feel that you should paint in the type of light the painting will be viewed in. You need to decide if this is how you want to cant your canvas color.I continue to paint with the notion the natural daylight color is the best overall light.

Wall color. Also very personal. I like a temperature-neutral off white. However I will tell you that I have heard of school studios being painted what we fondly refer to as "Leffel green" a grayed down green, somewhere around a middle to dark-middle value.

Options. Eyehooks or rings from which you can hang backdrops. A model stand or taboret built to house a flat file underneath. A file cabinet of proper height to serve as a still ife box-stand. I will post additional thoughts as they occur...and would love to hear yours.

Chris

p.s. Alley space. Very important. The amount of backing up space you need depends upon the scale in which you paint...but you need a clear runway behind your painting postiion to view the work. If you paint 16 x 20 you need much less space than someone whose work is typically 30 x 40.Again a personal decision. I have an artist friend whosse studio was too short let her get proper viewing range...she repositioned her easel so that she could walk outside and look throught the window to get the perspective she needed. (Not a good idea of course, for designing your attic space.Instead try a reducing mirror.)