Wall color in editing suite

Richard King

Richard King

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Richard King
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We are moving in the near future, and as a result of this, we are getting a small studio, and editing suite/office. Both spaces we are converting specifically for the job

Question
For the editing suite, are we best painting the wall behind the monitor black, and the side walls grey, and using daylight lamps on dimmers? Can anyone think of a better suggestion.
 
Where I used to work the edit suite for video had all the walls black. Dual monitor desktop (pair of HP LP2475w monitors) and a 32" LG 1080HD TV on the wall. The monitors were on a 512Meg Nvidia 9800GT and the TV was being fed via a Matrox Parhelia graphics card (the Parhelia didn't really have enough power to support both monitors AND the TV at once in the resolution required, so we just had it displaying the TV output).

The lights in the room were daylight balanced bulbs (not by design, it just worked out that way) and illuminated keyboards (Logitech G15 or similar) for those unable to touch type. :)

I edit photos & video in my office at home on a similar system to that mentioned above, but no special treatment to the walls or lights. When we had the house rewired a couple of months ago, I did have them install a pull string light switch (one of those 2-way dealies that links to the switch on the wall) hanging from the ceiling behind my desk where I sit to enable me to more easily turn the light on and off as required without having to stumble through the blackness to the switch on the wall.
 
ideally the walls behind monitors for editing suites should be a mid grey but don't know if that's what you're asking? and if you're calibrating your monitors if you're shutting the curtains/blinds whatever then decent calibrators should adjust for whatever ambient light is around (tungsten/daylight etc)

i have a curtains shut lights on profile and another for daylight, hope that helps? :)
 
alexkidd said:
ideally the walls behind monitors for editing suites should be a mid grey but don't know if that's what you're asking?
Click to expand...

That's what we are asking. We need to balance what's best for working, and what's not totally depressing to look at/work in.

Starting with a clean slate/empty room will be a really great chance for us to get the environment 100% spot on
 
Perhaps it's just me, but personally I've always found grey more depressing than black. If you're working on a nicely calibrated bright monitor, it disappears into the background and is forgotten about (probably why cinemas have black walls). Grey reflects a lot more light and is always there.

I've always been able to concetrate better in a black/dark room when working on the PC whether I'm doing images, video or just programming.

I'd trust a company like Lastolite to do their homework, and they don't make these in grey.
 
There is also the issue of eye strain... having a black wall behind your monitors will mean that as you glance away, your eyes will adjust aperture to the new light level, potentially causing you problems over time...

also, make sure all your chairs / monitors / desks are at appropriate heights etc, rsi sounds pretty crippling :(
 
I've been working on computers in darkened rooms for about 25 years now. My mother, father and sister all need to wear glasses, but no vision issues here. The only things that ever caused me (even temporary) problems was when using CRT monitors at different refresh rates (monitors @ 60hz vs. television screens @ 50hz, for example). That used to give me pretty bad headaches and eye twitches on occasion, but it did that whether lights were on or off, regardless of wall colour.

Since switching to LCD screens & televisions, that don't flicker in the way a traditional CRT does, I've not had that problem at all - although, I'll admit results may vary from each individual to the next. :)

As the walls are all blank and featureless (nothing hanging from them, not even a clock), there's nothing to glance away too, and the two monitors on the desk light up anything on my desk adequately enough that it's not really an issue.
 
mid grey/preferably on the darker end near black is just what's reccomended btw, it's obviously not that great to look at :P but that's half the point...it's neutral :)
 
I've worked in rooms that have a dark grey or black walls. whilst this is fine, for monitor viewing, it can be a bit depressing.

Does the room you are going to work in have windows ? It's nice to see daylight every now and again.

My workroom has neutralish walls, ( It a shade of Magnolia, probably the most variable colour name in the paint spectrum) It's light and airy and I can see to work and view prints to check screen and colour match. I also have some near blackout blinds if I need to cut out the daylight from the window which is to the side and rear of me.

Everyone has their own ideal working conditions and mine suite me.
 
Chappers said:
I've worked in rooms that have a dark grey or black walls. whilst this is fine, for monitor viewing, it can be a bit depressing.

Does the room you are going to work in have windows ? It's nice to see daylight every now and again.

My workroom has neutralish walls, ( It a shade of Magnolia, probably the most variable colour name in the paint spectrum) It's light and airy and I can see to work and view prints to check screen and colour match. I also have some near blackout blinds if I need to cut out the daylight from the window which is to the side and rear of me.

Everyone has their own ideal working conditions and mine suite me.
Click to expand...

Yes it does have a window, and the view is awesome (partly what we are moving). I am working with monitor facing the window, and using a series of blinds - 1 total blackout, the other black, and another mid grey
 
I think the problem is going to be that the monitor obscures the view..

Might think of relocating it:lol:

On a serious note though, you might find that if you want to let daylight into the room the brightnes of the window may cause a problem, it may well be an idea to see if you can put the monitor in another position
 
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