Are you tired of setting up your space to create art only to do it all over again the next day?
Don’t let creating art become a chore!
For artists, having a space set aside just for making art is important.
Not only will it be more convenient to set up a home art studio, but it will also allow you to stay in the zone longer so that you can focus on creating better art.
Below, you’ll find out how you can set up an art room that suits your needs!
Contents
How to Set up a Home Art Studio?
Setting up a DIY home art studio is easier than you think. It just takes a little time and effort. Of course, what’s important is that you build a home studio that matches your specific needs.
We’ll guide you to do that in a bit!
1. Choose a Space
First up! Choosing a space depends on several factors that ensure that you are of the right mind when painting. After all, there’s a saying in the art community that an artist must…
“STARVE distractions and FEED focus.”
In order to not strain your eyes and minimize the risk of making mistakes during the art creation process, the first thing to be considered must be lighting.
What Is the Best Lighting for an Art Studio?
The best lighting for a home art studio is natural light. Big windows that provide natural light are especially recommended. Why?
To explain it simply, sunlight has a perfect color-rendering index (CRI) — which means that it’s the best at exhibiting the true colors of a subject.
However, if you’re working with limited space, artificial lighting works too. For this, LED lights and fluorescent lights, which are second to natural light in CRI, are best. Of course, you have to pay attention to light temperature when choosing artificial lighting.
For an at-home art studio without windows, it’s best to pick a color-balanced lighting set-up (around 4000K to 5000K), which has the highest CRI potential. These are what I use.
What Size Should the Art Studio Be?
The size of your art studio depends on your needs and available space.
First of all, when it comes to size, you have to consider the size of the art you like to create.
Large canvas paintings require more space, while small postcard paintings can be made even in a small area in the corner of your room.
What Else Is Needed for an Art Studio?
You have to consider the following so that you can create the best conditions:
Ventilation
Some art mediums have strict requirements when it comes to ventilation. For example, an oil painter using strong solvents like turpentine must have ventilation in their studio to avoid inhaling toxic fumes.
The simplest and crudest solution to deal with this is to install a box fan facing outside and away from the area you are working.
Accessibility
You should be able to start creating art as soon as inspiration strikes and continue working without having to get up for any other reason than to appreciate your work.
One way you can achieve this is to purchase multi-tier mobile art supply carts. Carts like these are especially convenient because they can hold a lot of materials and can be moved at will.
Privacy
Privacy is easy enough to accomplish if you’re working in an enclosed space like a garage. However, if you can only set up an art corner in your own bedroom or living room, you can consider buying privacy screens to block most distractions.
Although they aren’t useful for blocking noise, they can shield you from prying eyes and protect your own line of sight from straying from your work. My personal favorite is this one, which seconds as a pegboard display to hang things in a convenient location.
2. Determine Your Needs
To set up your art studio sooner, you need to start thinking about what you need. For this, it’s best to ask yourself the big and small questions, like …
“What supplies and tools do I REALLY need to create my art?
How should I organize all my art supplies and the rest of all my stuff to fit in the small space of my studio?
What’s my working budget???”
This art room is YOUR art space, the most relevant questions will differ based on your own circumstances. So, make sure to think long and hard about it!
3. Go Shopping for Art Supplies
Putting together what we discussed in the previous two sections, it’s time to start buying lighting, storage space for organization, comfortable furniture, and other supplies.
For lighting, just keep in mind our tips from the previous section. (To review: A color-balanced 4000K-5000K artificial lamp is the right way to go!)
As for furniture and storage, besides the mobile multi-tier carts that were recommended earlier, fixed storage is still required. The first things you should look for are large drawers and shelves that can hold supplies and paper.
For drawers, it is recommended that you find ones that are short but wide — allowing you to see all your tools at a glance so that you can make use of them right away. As for shelves, the most popular these days are cube shelves that are open only in the front.
Okay, but what if your budget is a bit lacking?
Well … It’s time to get creative!
For example, you can repurpose a cheap old drawer from a yard sale and DIY some cardboard or foam organizers to keep things neat. You can also make a drawer of your own from cheap wood, or purchase stackable cheap plastic containers.
By the way, don’t forget to re-check your shopping list based on the requirements of your chosen medium.
For example, for oil painters, having an easel can help you avoid any accidents by providing you a stable surface to work on. They’re also helpful in improving posture and avoiding distortions caused by poor perspective.
If you’re not sure what easel to get, H-frame easels are best for large paintings, while small to midsize paintings are best on table-top easels.
4. Set Up Your Art Room
OK! Let’s assume you’ve got everything you need to create your art space. The next step is the setup.
What Is the Best Layout for an Art Studio at Home?
What is a MUST is that everything you need most is kept nearby.
As for the rest, proper storage organization is required so that when you do need those supplies, you can access them without wasting time.
How Do You Organize an Art Studio Space?
To organize your space, everything must have its place. For this, implement the following basic tips to keeping your space neat and tidy:
- Keep most-used objects close to your work area
- Eliminate non-essential items or store them elsewhere to save space
- Keep “similar” objects together
- Sort by size, brand, pricing, etc.
- Create labels for easy rifling
- Consider buying or DIY-ing small organizers to separate space
If you can’t find any hanging baskets in the store closest to you, you can also make one of your own. Hanging organizers are not that difficult to make. If you can sew, you can use old cloth to make the pockets yourself. If not, you can make a very simple one with a stapler and thick plastic covers.
5. Add Personal Touches
Now’s the time to get creative! As an artist, creating a space that will inspire you to make art should be pretty simple.
For example, you can hang posters of your favorite famous artworks. Place some plants that will remind you of nature and liven up your space. Or, put up a bulletin board with art challenges, your recent unfinished sketches, etc., that will push you to start painting.
FAQ
What Is Needed in an Art Room?
The MOST BASIC requirements for an art room are:
- A window or a lamp for lighting
- A desk for drawing and painting
- Designated storage for supplies
What Color Is Best for an Art Studio?
The best color for an art studio is white. White walls are key to creating a bright space conducive to making art.
How Do You Set up an Art Corner?
To set up an art corner, your organization must be more rigorous so that you can have enough space art making.
This means including the wall in front of and beside you.
For example, you can hang a hanging organizer on the wall closest to your dominant hand to put must-have supplies and then set up an inspiration wall or bulletin board in front to increase your enthusiasm for art.
The desk can also have storage underneath so that no inch of the small space is wasted.
Start Today, Create Tomorrow!
Now that you know how to set up an art studio of your own, it’s time to start working!
Creating a great art space in your own home that will nurture your creative spirit may seem a bit daunting at first, but for the sake of creating better art, there’s no time to delay.
