Dungeon Art Studio - Tips for Painting in the Basement
Can You Create a Cozy Art Studio in a Challenging Space?
My art studio is in my home, which is ideal for me as someone who works full-time remotely and as a mother to a young child. The part that could be better is that my art studio must be in the basement. The rest of the house has shared spaces and bedrooms, so this is the only free space available to me that also provides privacy. Privacy isn't even that important to me; it's the ability to make and leave a mess while working on a body of work. Which is particularly tricky when you have a young child.
Do you also use your basement as an art studio? Are you jealous of the social media-ready, bright, and breezy art studios you see on other accounts?
A basement studio can feel a bit gloomy. However, by investing some time and effort into creating a clean, organized, and well-lit space, you can usually transform it into a habitable and healthy environment that enhances your creativity and well-being.
7 TIPS FOR HAVING A BASEMENT ART STUDIO
Don’t do it; DO NOT use your basement as an art studio if you can avoid it! If you can, prioritize yourself in your own space and use an area on the first or second floors with lovely lighting and open windows.
Get a quality dehumidifier big enough for your space. You will benefit from it in many ways. Your paint will dry faster, you won’t have to smell mildew and mold, and if you work on paper, your materials will last longer.
Similarly, get a great air filter. Extra points for finding one that is good for cleaning up dust rather than just germs.
If you have pets, there is a temptation to set up the kitty litter box in the basement, to keep the unpleasantness away. Don’t do it! You will be down there! Also, if it’s in your workspace, you then become solely responsible for cleaning it.
Do let your cat and dog visit you in your basement studio. As long as you clean your materials, letting the cat or dog visit will benefit you. No matter how finished your basement is, there is the potential for bugs and mice. Having pets visit will be a deterrent.
Your laundry room will likely be down there with you. If that’s the case, be careful not to contaminate the clothing-cleaning area and sink with your paints or other hard-to-clean supplies.
I cannot overstate how worth it is to invest in quality lighting. Even though you are working in a cave with no natural light, there are ways to fix it with artificial lighting that can fake it. It will be good for your mental health and artwork!
DO I LIKE MY BASEMENT ART STUDIO?
I have made the best of a challenging situation. My studio works for me, but is it ideal? No. I would much prefer a space with windows that let in natural light and can be opened for ventilation. Good lighting is essential not only for painting and color control but also for mental health. Artificial lights, no matter how nice they are, simply don't compare to sunlight. Our bodies need to soak up those UV rays, as they are important for producing feel-good chemicals.
Another issue is temperature control. I am always cold, and a basement is naturally cooler than the rest of the house. While this can be beneficial during the summer months, it also comes with the downside of dampness, which is quite uncomfortable. During the fall, winter, and spring, the basement is often colder than is comfortable, leading me to rely on a space heater.
Using a space heater makes my basement studio bearable, but not comfortable. Space heaters come with inherent dangers, like tripping a circuit or starting a fire, so I have to monitor it closely and never leave it on when I’m away from the studio.
So, do I enjoy having my art studio in the basement? Not really, but it is tolerable, and I recognize that I am fortunate to have any space to work in.