4 Tips To Set Up Your Art Studio Space So You Can Easily Be Creative
Set Up Your Studio Space
Having a studio space set up will make it easy for you to break out the paints and play, at the drop of a hat. We want to make it super simple to explore your creativity and remove any hurdles that could inhibit you from expressing yourself with paint and the fun-filled creative processes we’ll be diving into.
Your studio space doesn’t have to be huge, I’ve worked in plenty of small studios, but it does need a few key elements. Let’s turn your garage, spare room or under your house into a space that nourishes your creative soul.
The 4 Essential Studio Elements
#1 Work Surface
You may like to work on the wall, an easel or a table. I love to paint on the wall, as it gives me more room to move, and I like to paint large works standing up. It keeps my movements free and expressive and I don’t feel inhibited from being stationary at a desk. An easel suits some painters, but keep in mind an easel will take up more space and if that’s limited, then working on the wall may be a better option.
Having a table in addition to your wall or easel will give you more space to lay out your paints and a place to paint small works. If I’m weary, I love to paint little, intimate works on paper or on small canvases sitting down; it’s relaxing and regenerating. So grab yourself a table and cover it with a drop sheet if you need to protect it.
#2 Lighting
I prefer fluorescent lights because I like their clean, white light. You can use lamps and bounce light off the ceiling or a wall to give you more light. Try moving the lamps so they are off to the side of you so they don’t cast a shadow on your work surface.
Be aware you can buy ‘Warm’ or ‘Cool’ light globes. Warm tend to cast a yellow hue, and cool are more blue. I’ve painted with both, but prefer to work with cool lights. You can’t go wrong though, just use what you have and if you find it doesn’t work, try something different.
#3 Ventilation
Make sure to have good ventilation in your studio space. Open the window, particularly when you’re working with oils, and keep the door open with a fan on.
#4 Storage & Organisation
Creativity can often be messy, but I’ve found having simple systems to keep organised makes the process fun and stops overwhelm from creeping in.
Here’s my 4 Step Magic Organising Routine
Make it FUN - use brightly coloured boxes, or clear boxes if you want to see your supplies.
Make it EASY - I use open bins so I can dump stuff easily.
LABEL Everything - so you always put it back in the right place.
Spend 5 minutes a day putting everything away when you’re done.
My all time favourite piece of furniture in my studio is a baby change table on wheels. It has a good size area to hold my palette and paints as I work, and I can store my mediums, rags and implements on the shelving below.
Baby change tables are often available on Gumtree.com or from second hand stores, as people don’t need them for long. You can add the castors yourself if it doesn’t come with wheels. Andrew suggested I didn’t tell the mother I was going to turn her baby’s change table into a painting trolly as it might have sentimental value for her, so you may want to keep that in mind :) Or you can pick up a trolley from Ikea or another department store.
Protect Your Furniture & Home
WALLS & FLOOR
Use cardboard on the floor, or a thick drop-sheet.
Pin or nail a drop-sheet or plastic to the wall.
Put a rug or foam on the floor to protect your back if you have hard floors.
PROTECT YOUR WARDROBE
Have a range of painting clothes for summer & winter.
Keep your painting clothes separate from your good clothes.
If you’re getting the paints out, change into your painting clothes. I don’t know how many times I’ve thought “I’ll just put this touch of blue here” and then two hours later notice I’ve lost track of time and now have lovely blue splotches on my new outfit.
Make it a rule; studio time = studio clothes.
Small Space Studio Tips
WORKING ON THE KITCHEN TABLE
I’ve had times in my life when I haven’t had either the space or the energy to work on large paintings, and so instead I’ve worked on the kitchen table. Sometimes I like working on the kitchen table anyway, because I like to change things up and shake up my routine to make things feel fresh!
When I do, I put down newspaper or a drop sheet to protect the table. Some artists like to use thick plastic and tape it down, so you could try that.
I also like to keep a simple box of supplies handy on the bookshelf near the kitchen, so if you want to play with some watercolour or acrylics and paper, it’s easily accessible. Remember, this is about making the process of creating as simple and easy as possible.
We want to do away with the thoughts that it’s going to take too long to get set up, and therefore wait until we have hours and hours to spend painting. Sometimes it’s just about doing a short burst of creating then packing your supplies away before dinner. That’s where a lovely box comes in handy, as you can slide it onto the bookshelf and when guests come over for dinner, they won’t even know they’re actually sitting in part of your studio!
TIPS FOR A SMALL ROOM
My last studio space was 3m x 3m and I was still able to paint 2m x 1m paintings in it comfortably. If you have a small room for your studio, I suggest you include:
1 x Desk
1 x Trolly
1 or 2 x Lamps
1 x Chair
1 x Blank wall to paint on
With these simple elements in place, you’ll be able to use even a small spare room as your studio with great success!
About Nicola Newman
I'm a Creative Business Coach, Award-Winning Artist & Mentor for Creative Hearts who want to flourish, flow & prosper.
My passion is inspiring and supporting Creative Hearts to trust their inner wisdom and carve out a life that’s personally meaningful and fulfilling to them.
I share practical, evidence-based tools for Creative Hearts seeking to improve their lives or businesses. My work draws from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based techniques, body-based practices, and neuroscience -- and my own creative living adventures -- among other approaches.
My mission is to support Creative Hearts to:
Dissolve creative blocks, develop a loving relationship with themselves, nurture their creativity and reframe the beliefs and patterns that keep them from following their heart and making the creative contribution they would love to make in the world.
My approach is to embrace gentleness, playfulness and self-care to navigate self-doubt and instead cultivate deep self-trust so you can truly enjoy the creative process, bring together your body of work, make money doing what you love and leave a creative legacy you’re proud of.
Let’s pour a cuppa and get to know one another, shall we? :)
