Do you sometimes find it difficult to differentiate between a deep navy blue and black when crafting? No, you aren't going blind or colorblind; you probably just have a problem with your lighting.
We've talked about the major qualities to look for when it comes to choosing the right lighting for your workshop: the brightness, quality, and the safety features in place to help you maintain optimal eye health.
So much has to be weighed when choosing the perfect lighting. Color Rendering Index (CRI) is another big one, and it has a significant impact on artists and crafters.
What is Color Rendering Index (CRI)?
Color rendering index (CRI), in simple terms, is the measure of a light source's ability to clearly show the color of objects when compared to a natural light source like sunlight.
The CRI is an index ranked in descending order from 100 to 0. The more a light source gets closer to a 100, the more it shows the realistic and true colors of an object.
Conversely, a light source with a low CRI value wouldn't realistically render some objects' colors.
On a general scale, CRI values that fall between 0 and 55 are considered poor and damaging to the eyes. Values between 60 and 85 are considered good and can be used for everyday activities. However, values that fall within the range of 90 to 100 are excellent light sources.
Why Is It Important to Artists and Crafters?
Although the CRI value of every light source is important, we generally don't notice the difference between a light source with a high and low CRI in our regular day to day.
However, if artists and crafters can't spot the difference in their studio, it could impact how their work is received from someone looking at it under different lighting. This is because CRI affects the quality of light, and for people whose work depends on high-quality light to see fine details, it can have a negative effect on their projects.
Eye Strain
Crafters already have to worry about protecting their eyes because of the materials they use. Constant use of bright light with no blue light protection causes retinal damage, which is a major source of concern for crafters.
They don't need to strain their eyes further to separate close colors from each other. Lamps sources with high CRI, like Dr. Lite's Balanced Spectrum Lighting, can differentiate close colors from each other perfectly so artists and crafters can work safely, accurately, and passionately.
Crafters and artists work with colors, intricate materials, and lighting. But not just any lighting, crafters know clear, quality lighting that is sturdy, blue light safe, and true to color is key to helping them produce great work. This is why they need lighting that renders colors properly while protecting their eyes.
At Dr. Lite USA, we have a range of balanced lighting lamps that are perfect for powering your projects. These lamps are designed with high CRI values to support the quality of your work while preventing eye strain.
Dr. Lite Lamps are True-to-Color Depictions with CRI (Color Rendering Index) values as high as 90 Color Rendering Index (CRI).
Some of our top crafter picks are:
Both the Clarity Magnifier and Mia Magnifier are excellent options with similar features; the Clarity Magnifier Lamp is part of our Medical Edition line and perfect if you are a professional crafter who is looking for superior vision support while crafting long hours, while The Mia Magnifier is a wonderful, compact option from the Standard Edition line for those looking to upgrade to more blue-light safe lighting for all-day vision comfort.
