Elements of Design. Light

I. Go through the following list of words and note their meaning.

II. Before you read discuss this question:

What purposes do you think light serves?

III. Reading tasks

A. Look for more details in the text to answer the questions below.

Purposes of Light. Light serves many purposes, among them the following:

• provide visibility for mobility and activity

• convey a mood or feeling appropriate to a space

• create drama through shadows and contrast

• highlight or camouflage structural features of a space

• enhance or diminish the effects of color

• emphasize or reduce surface features, such as texture three different layers of lighting—ambient, task, and accent—are used to achieve these varied purposes.

• Ambient (meaning to go around) lighting describes diffuse, uniform illumination that provides for safe movement. It is also referred to us general lighting.

• Task lighting illuminates certain areas of a space to facilitate specific activities, such as reading. It can serve to define functional areas of a room, such as the entertainment area of a hotel guest room. It is also referred to as local lighting.

• Accent lighting creates an emphasis or focus, such as to highlight a painting, an objet d'art, or a sculpture. It is also referred to as key lighting.

By using more than one layer to illuminate a space, the interior designer can add interest and versatility, while fulfilling basic lighting needs.

Categories of Light. The two basic categories of light are natural and electric. Natural light includes daylight, flame, candle, and skylight. Electric light, also called artificial light, includes incandescent, fluorescent, neon, high-intensity discharge, and LED, the acronym for light-emitting diode.

1. How important for a designer to comprehend the power of light?

2. In what terms do people perceive light?

3. What is meant by lighting design?

4. What are the most important purposes of light?

5. Name three different layers of lighting?

6. What are the two basic categories of light and what do they include?

B. Provide evidence from the text to support of disapprove the following statements as True (T) or False (F).

1. Without light there would be no visible form, color, or texture.

2. Lightning design combines science and technology.

3. Lightning conveys a mood or feeling appropriate to a space.

4. Light diminishes the effects of color.

5. Light emphasizes surface features.

6. Fulfilling basic lightning needs, the interior design can add interest and versatility.

C. Collocations

Match the nouns on the left with their adjectives on the right.

IV. Complete the sentences

1. Understanding the power of light gives a designer…

2. Lightning design is a specialty requiring…

3. One of the best lessons an interior design student can learn is…

4. Light serves many purposes, among them the following:…

5. To achieve the purposes of light, three different layers are used. They are…

6. Ambient lighting provides…

7. Task lighting serves…

8. Key lighting creates…

VI. Over to you

Starting a Lighting Journal

Sketch three settings that demonstrate at least one type of lighting(ambient, task or accent lighting). These settings might be a museum, gallery, bedroom, café, classroom, library, and so on. Draw in whatever medium your feel comfortable, such as a pen, pencil, or marker. Sketch the parts of the room, the planes, and finishes that appear to be affected by the light source. Use a yellow highlighter pen to show the direction, share, and the spread of the light beams. Note on your sketch the type of room, such as a café or museum; the function of the light, such as incandescent, fluorescent, or daylight. Include any other observations you have considered, such as glare; quantity of light; relationship of the light to other elements, such as texture and color; and mood.

Unit 10