How to Set Up Your Own Home Art Studio Today!

It doesn’t cost a lot of money to set up an art studio but it is important to locate it in the proper area of your home or apartment. Unless you intend to use your Nitram Charcoal for large projects, a small area is all that’s needed.

It’s best to avoid the kitchen or any room where food is prepared or handled. Not only will this prevent accidental spills, you won’t want splattering grease to land on your drawing.

A room with good ventilation is ideal because drawing with charcoal can create dust. In absence of a window, it’s best to use a small fan to circulate the air. This is also a good idea if you store fixatives, varnishes or other type of medium in or near your studio.

Natural light is ideal for a home studio

Natural light is best for drawing. If your studio space has no window, use full spectrum light bulbs. They are relatively inexpensive and clip holders can be purchased for around $10. Naomi Grindlay has written a great article on how to perfectly light your studio if you aren't lucky enough to have a north facing window available (pictured below).

Lighting Your Studio

Whether you chose to work at a desk or easel, be sure to angle your work so that you have a better perspective of how the drawing looks. Flat drawing can be deceptive to the eyes and the angle will provide more accuracy. If lack of space is a problem, collapsible easels are handy, easy to set up and take down, and can be stored with a minimum of space. Sketch boxes provide storage space for all your Nitram Charcoal and drawing tools and many provide a desktop easel.

Where would any artist be without at least one plastic drawer? The inexpensive three-drawer plastic containers are perfect for storing paper. Not only do they keep dust from collecting on paper but they prevent warping and buckling when house humidity levels run high. An added benefit is that it will keep your studio looking nice and neat. They come in all sizes and take up minimal space.

Have you ever set a piece of charcoal down a little too hard and have it break in half or into several small pieces? A nifty little trick for preventing breakage is to keep a thin piece of foam near your work surface so that if you get a little heavy handed, you won’t end up with a broken baton.

No charcoal studio should be without a paper towel holder and a small water-filled plastic spray bottle. It’s great for hand cleaning and the paper towels can be used for blending. Avoid using wet wipes because the chemicals can remain on your hands and transfer to your paper.

A coffee cup or Mason jar is perfect for holding blending sticks, sandpaper and erasers. The 8 oz. wide mouth Mason jar is great for powdered charcoal storage and for the small pieces acquired from breakage or use.

A studio doesn’t need to be large or fancy. A corner of a room can be transformed into a comfortable work space. The advantage of Nitram charcoal is that it doesn’t occupy much space and it drawings can be completed with minimal tools, so there’s even room for an art studio in a studio apartment!

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