MAGnificent Lamp guest post by Lucy Farfort, Illustrator and Designer

Website: www.lucyshappyplace.com

Twitter: @lucyfarfort

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LucyFarfortIllustrator

Working as a freelance illustrator and designer I often find myself slaving into the night to get a project finished. Thankfully so far that’s never been past 10pm and as I love my job (for the most part) it doesn’t feel like a chore. Although working this late particularly in winter months causes a problem – light, or rather lack of it.

I decided sometime ago that I really needed to invest in a decent lamp to work by. So the timing was exceptional when I was asked if I would like to try out one of the daylight lamps. YES PLEASE!!

I’ve actually had my eye on the daylight products for a while now so I couldn’t believe my luck. Even more so when I was sent a MAGnificent lamp (great name!) as it’s built in magnifying glass would fit perfectly with my current project which i’m hoping will turn into a long term thing, so the lamp is going to be well used.

I couldn’t wait to test it out.

The reason why this is such a perfect match is because not only do I often work on a fairly small scale, mostly around A4 size, much of the work I do is quite detailed. This generally means I have to get really close up to the thing I’m working on in order to properly see what I’m doing – especially if the light is bad.

Above all I really wanted to use it in the making of some brooches I’m producing.  Here they are in their unpainted state:

The lamp was really helpful for the painting process as the details on the brooches are tiny so using the magnifier was great.

A major bonus of this product is that it can be used as a floor lamp as well as a table lamp. So if like me your desk is covered with your latest creative adventures and looking much like a bomb has gone off leaving little space for anything else, never fear just set it up as a floor lamp – et voila!

I’m so chuffed with this light as not only is it functional it looks pretty slick too, and genuinely feels like a high quality product well worth the money.

The MAGnificent is a great idea and especially beneficial for artists and designers who work traditionally on a small scale. I would definitely recommend it to people - it did wonders in helping me create my finished brooches which will soon be available from my website www.lucyshappyplace.com

Jayne Netley Mayhew tests the Studio Clip-on Lamp & Stand!

We asked one of our Daylight Ambassadors, Jayne Netley Mayhew, to test-drive the Studio Clip-on Lamp and Stand RRP £114.99, one of our most popular lighting solutions for artists! Here's what she thought...

If I had to sum up this lamp in one word only, it would be ‘superb’. I have had a few standing lamps over the years, all of which have fallen apart, joints loosen or they are unstable. This lamp sturdy, it’s adjustable and holds together well. Plus it gives you the option of adding more than one light. The light itself is good and casts not hint of yellow to what you are working on, only the true colour of your medium. As an artist and designer this is has to be one of the major points for any lamp.

The height of the stand is very good, so you can adjust placement of the light itself. Giving you the option of using it for over-all lighting or more of a spotlight. It has a clever and easy devise so that the light itself can not be knocked or slip down the stand, so simple but so effective.

I have used the lamp in my kitchen where I often sit and stitch in the evening and then moved it up to my studio over my easel to work under, I can’t make up my mind where it will stay.

Would I recommend it to someone looking for a standing lamp, a resounding ‘yes’, I really can’t find a fault with it.

New Daylight Ambassador, Ruth Singer!

Textile artist, writer and tutor Ruth Singer is our newest Daylight Ambassador! Below she gives us a taster of what she has to bring to the panel!

I'm a textile artist, historian, writer and tutor, based in a wonderful old hosiery factory in Leicester. I work mainly by hand, exploring traditional and invented textile techniques such as fabric manipulation, appliqué and embroidery. Good lighting is vital to my work, making it easier to see the stitches I am making whatever the colour of cloth and helping avoid eye strain, particularly when working into the evening on deadlines, when Daylight lighting is essential. I think Daylight Lamps will make a big impact on my work and I hope to share a review with you soon! 

Michelle Fallon - Swan Floor Lamp Review

Until I had my Daylight Lamp I struggled to balance my business and my hobbies, but then the Swan Floor Lamp entered my life and equilibrium was restored.  I just LOVE this lamp.  First of all it’s on wheels so I no longer need several lamps in different locations, I just wheel my lamp into whichever room I am in (this works as I live in a cottage but could be a bit cumbersome if you had to carry it upstairs as it’s quite heavy). 

The other thing I love about this lamp is that it has a bendy stem (I think the correct word is neck?) which means you can bend it down as close to you or as far away as you want.  This is perfect because, especially when I am on the sofa, normal floor lamps are just that little bit too far away and they always seem to shine in the wrong direction whereas the daylight lamp allows you to adjust the position of the light without having to move the lamp or furniture around. 

The bulb itself is white and not yellow and most importantly not hot!  I don’t find my eyes getting tired when working with it, as they would with a standard light.  Obviously if I have been working 12 hours they are tired but you get my drift, don’t you?   The other thing I love is that there’s no glare from the light.  It just lights up the area you are working in a comfortable way. 

What else can I say?  Oh yes, there’s also a handy magnifying attachment that comes with this lamp.  Personally I don’t tend to use this as I don’t wear glasses but my mum loves it!  She finds it perfect for reading in bed for all the reasons above, i.e. no glare and it’s easy to adjust the light and magnifying glass to the position you want.  However I do think this would be invaluable for intrinsic sewing such as fine embroidery or beading work.

Overall I have to say my Daylight lamp has not only saved my money as it’s a one for all rooms lamp, but I am pretty sure it has saved my eye sight too as most of my sewing is done at night with artificial light.  I highly recommend it to any crafters or bedtime readers!

Product Review: Jak Heath Road Tests the Triple Bright Lamp

Over the last few weeks I have been using the Triple Light Daylight lamp from the Daylight Company  to craft under. 

The image above was took in full daylight 12:00 noon in my home, you can see the difference it makes to my work area even at day time.

I first used it clamped onto my table top the I got the floor stand which is amazing, the structure of the legs are cast iron so it is really sturdy.

When I first thought about the triple light I was thinking triple the brightness comparing it to my original desk lamp and magnifier but what I hadn’t banked on was the fact that it would have triple the spread of light, this for me as a crafter is the most amazing part of the lamp.

The image above shows the lighted area that this lamp gives to me.

I often have what you could say is a dumping ground on my desk, I tend to gather things that I would like to use in making a card and plonk them on the desk what the lamp does to help is give me no shadows so that colours are true and it is easy to map out the card with matching items before gluing them in place.

I’m so happy with the productiveness of this lamp, over all a big 10 out of 10 I’d give this one.

You can also find this review on Jak Heaths Blog. The Triple Bright Lamp is one of the brightest daylight lamps, available for £139.99 with a range of additional accessories sold separately. To view the full range of Daylight Lamps click here. 

Sleek and Slimline!

We know how important it is to use good lighting for your favourite hobbies. But, something we have learnt from our customers, is that it not only needs to work well, but look great too! Many Daylight Lamps come with smooth glossy finishes in white or black. However some of our newer lamps have taken a stylish twist, sporting a luxurious brushed chrome finish that compliment almost all home decor! 

Some of our favourite chrome lamp designs can be found in the Slimline Collection - a duo made up of a fully flexible table and floor lamp!  

These elegant lamps are ergonomically perfect - allowing you to adjust the flexible arms, directing the light to exactly where you need it! They both come with an 11W energy saving daylight tube offering bright, white, full spectrum light that helps when matching colours, and working with small details and contrasts! 

The Slimline Table Lamp, £119.99, comes complete with a metal clamp so you can fix it to your workspace! It can be positioned perfectly above the hands but below the eyes, and is perfect for use with sewing machines, office desks and beautician tables. 

The Slimline Floor Lamp, £159.99, reaches new heights, lighting up even the largest work spaces (offices, craft rooms, workshops, beauty treatment rooms etc!). There are two unique flex points allowing you to manipulate the light where it's needed, while adjusting the height and angle of the lamp. 

This pair offer the perfect combination of height, flexibility and the perfect hobby and task lighting! To find out more about these products or any others in our range, please visit the Daylight Website. To tell us which is YOUR favourite, join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter!  

25 Years of Bright White Light!

Leading lighting specialist, The Daylight Company, is pleased to announce that the company has now been in business for 25 years. Since launching in 1988, daylight™ has dedicated its efforts to providing crafters, artists, beauticians, and business professionals alike with their unrivalled full spectrum bright white light.

Company Director Patrick Jacquelin discovered the ‘Daylight Bulb’ while on a trip abroad. Recognising that natural daylight is the healthiest and most comfortable for our eyes, he realised that a ‘daylight simulation effect’ could benefit thousands of individuals who need natural light for everyday tasks. It was from this that ‘The Daylight Company’ was created. Since then, the company has grown and expanded across the world, with daylight™ now positioned as the market-leading brand of specialist lighting technology, and a favourite brand among the craft and hobby industry.

In order to mark this occasion, Daylight will be celebrating by hosting a range of promotions, online events, and competitions for everyone to get involved in – just watch this space! This can be found over the coming months by visiting daylight™ on Social Media, just find us by searching ‘Daylight Company’ on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

For more information about Daylight Company please visit www.daylightcompany.com where you can also find out more information about their product range, promotions, stockists and dealer support.