ImagineFX magazine asked me to take some shots of my studio for last month’s ‘Artist in Residence’ feature. Since it’s now a back issue now, I thought I’d share those pics here. IFX has spotlighted some of my favorite artists in the past. So be sure to check out their website for free tutorials and back issues.
For a long time I rented a rather large studio in an old factory in a neighboring town. It was enormous, with high ceilings, tons of natural light, brick walls and beautiful hardwood floors. Seriously, it was a dream studio.
But once my Wife and I decided to have children, it just wasn’t worth it any more. Working late nights meant really long hours away from my family. Even if I had time to take a small break, it wasn’t long enough to drive home and back. So I ultimately decided it would be best to just move my studio home. We had a small room that wasn’t seeing any real use, and it seems like the most logical option.
Not only does having my studio at home save me a lot of money, but it makes it really easy for me to spend time with my kids. Even a 15 minute break from my easel can turn into play time!
The downside is, the space is really small, just an 11 foot by 13 foot room. This means I have to be really diligent about maintaining things. Everything in my studio needs to serve a purpose (or two!), or I simply can’t justify the space it would take up. This has led me to custom build a considerable amount of the furniture in my studio. I still feel like the whole thing is a work in progress, as I am always looking for ways to make things more efficient.
My studio windows are arranged in such a way that painting under natural light just isn’t a viable option for me… The light is too inconsistent. Instead, I paint under color balanced fluorescent lights. I’ve grown so used to them, that I actually prefer it over natural light now. I get no cast shadows, no variation in color temperature, and it also allows me to work at night, which is usually when I get my best work done.
Realistically, I probably spend 80% of my waking life in this little room. Needless to say, it doesn’t always look as clean as you see it here! More times than not, there are costumes laying about, unwashed brushes, half eaten dinners, and a ton of stuff that needs to be put away. But that’s OK. Because amongst that mess, you’ll also find markers, crayons, and a half-naked 5 year old coloring on the floor.
A: I am a certifiable art book junkie. I quite literally have a whole area of my house dedicated to them. The newest art books, or the ones I am currently referencing, tend to go here for easy access.
B: Audiobooks are great companions when you work late at night. I find music to be too hit or miss depending on my mood, but a good audiobook always hits the spot! Thanks to my friend Michael Whelan for loaning me some great ones. (I promise I’ll return them soon!)
C: Reference is absolutely integral to my process. I used to print everything out, but soon discovered it’s much easier to just use a laptop. Not only is it more cost effective, but it allows me to zoom in and out, adjust levels when needed, and most importantly, jump onto Google Images when I need to find something specific.
D: I paint quite large at times, and need a pretty hefty easel to handle the big pieces. I’ve made a few custom modifications to it, such as this sliding maul stick. Not having to hold my maul stick gives me a free hand to talk on the phone while I work.
E: I store my most frequently used paints in this french easel. I also keep my palette in here when I’m not painting. Because it closes fairly tight, it keeps my paints fresh for weeks. Keeping the essentials contained into a single box also means I quickly grab it and head out the door for a demo or life painting session with minimal packing.
F: This taboret is a real workhorse. just about everything I really need either gets dumped IN, or ON, this poor guy. Oil painting mediums can get quite messy, so rather than ruin the beautiful oak surface, I had glass tops cut specifically for every piece of furniture in my studio. This makes clean-ups a breeze. Even dried paint comes off with a quick swipe of a razor blade.
Digital Workstation to the left of my easel. |
The flat files, just behind my easel, where my assistant works. |
My eldest son, Uno dos Santos, in the studio giving my work a close inspection. |
So quite fantastic!! I wish i'll have a studio similar to yours one day!
Great story, and look at that boy … Lindsey's work looks great, and of course it does, she has a fantastic mentor!! I'm gonna go back and check out the rest. It was nice to read this, so thanks for sharing : )
Thanks for the look into your studio. I find these just as interesting as a painting. It's a small glance at the guy (or girl) behind the painting.
What a fascinating post, thanks Dan. I'm very interested in the mustard colour you have on the walls, how does that impact on the lighting set-up you have?
Nice studio! Lots of warm colors and a generally welcoming atmosphere. Envy you for having someone in the studio with you, working alone is torture!
The idea of being able to work standing up on the computer … I'll have to steal that.
One thing though … Hal would not approve of such a cluttered desktop 😉
*Edit* not 'standing on the computer' but 'standing while working on the computer'. Gaah!
hey but what about the M ??
Love that Dragon Age poster at your desk; I'm sure it gives you all your inspiration. lol 🙂
I know, right?
The 'M' was just the caption I put below the picture instead.
Wow, I wish my studio was half that organized, when I'm lucky there are sufficient paths through all the stuff. When I moved into this house I was excited that I had a room more than half the size of my old apartment just for my studio with built in storage and yet I still can't keep it organized.
Hi Dan,
I completely understand about the studio compromises a married artist with kids needs to make! But family life helps keep us balanced, so it is worth it.
Can you offer more information about the “color balanced fluorescent lights” that you actually use? My current studio space has poor natural light and I'm open to suggestions.
Lindsey's work is really amazing! Thanks for sharing Dan.
thank you for sharing, very awesome! also… that is one lucky little boy 🙂
you have a great set up for a studio space, and as I'm in the process of trying to create an efficient studio space, could you share where you got your Flat Files? (because I definitely need those! it's so hard to handle art work with no where to put it)
thanks for sharing!
Those are made by a company called SMI (www.smi-products.com).
A lot of people sell them, but the best deal I found was from here:
http://www.DraftingSuppliesDEW.com
They are pricey though!
I have another 10 drawer steel set in my storage room, which I bought from a guy on Craigslist really cheap!
I see people selling flat files on there all the time. I recommend looking there first, and trying to get a deal.
Awesome post,Thank you! Three things:
1)That Geoff Darrow looks amazing, can we see a full picture please?
2) Craigslist is, in fact, the place to find flat files. I picked up a bunch from an architecture firm that was going out of business. You just have to lurk and be patient
3)I have kids the age of yours too. I love that you have amazing pieces of art just sitting on the floor behind your son. (Danger Will Robinson!) Our house? We have spatulas and dental floss laying about…..
Cheers,
Matt
Haha. I know. But oil paintings are surprisingly resilient. If the kids ever scratched one that was in progress, I could easily repair it. Once they are finished and varnished, they usually get put under glass. I have had my kids draw on them though. THAT, is not so easily repaired.
As for the Darrow piece, I own a couple. You can see them here:
http://cdn.comicartfans.com/Images/Category_45914/subcat_93552/darrow_1_low.jpg
http://cdn.comicartfans.com/Images/Category_45914/subcat_93552/darrow_2_low.jpg
Hi, Dan. I like to build my own custom tools also. Would you be able to send me a pic or two of your custom maul? Thank you.
Jeremy