Let There Be OttLite: The Task Lamp All Artists Need
I do a lot of crafting, and I live in an apartment that was built in the 1920s. These two things may seem unrelated, but unfortunately, they are linked in a very frustrating way. The lighting in my apartment is... inadequate. If you're into some serious mood lighting, you'd love it. If you want to work on a craft or art project, you're going to need to bring in some reinforcements. This is where one of my favorite artistic tools comes into play: The OttLite.
OttLite is actually a brand that makes many different lights for different needs. The one I have is the 13w Slimline Task Lamp, which is a tabletop lamp. There are also floor lamps, lamps with magnifying lenses attached, lamps with USB ports and places to store art or office supplies... there's a OttLite for any need. The idea behind OttLites is that they mimic natural daylight, so they allow you to see details clearly, colors accurately, and work longer without eyestrain. OttLites also use LED bulbs, so they're energy efficient and that bulb is going to last approximately one million years. I use mine mostly for cross stitch, and I can't really stitch without it now - the difference is so noticeable and working without and OttLite just, well, sucks. I even have one at my mom's house for when I visit her and want to stitch there.
Here's a side by side comparison of what your work looks like under an OttLite (on the left) versus a regular lamp (on the right).
Another fun thing about OttLites is that the list price is almost always completely unrelated to what you should actually expect to pay. OttLites are sold at JoAnn and Michael's, stores that are always, always having huge sales. I bought my OttLite at JoAnn and while the list price is $50, I paid $20. When I bought the same light to have at my mom's, I was able to get the $20 deal again, despite it being months later. Use sales and coupons wisely and getting more than half off one of these task lights should be no sweat.
If you do any kind of close, detailed art or craft work, I cannot recommend an OttLite enough. Your eyes will thank you, your head will thank you, and your art will thank you.
