Does north light matter for a landscape painter? I am talking about landscape painters specifically because there is a common misconception that we need north light. When I paint outside, I always get the perfect light because of the sun. When I am in indoors, I don’t always get the perfect light. But, I don’t need to get the perfect light because I am painting with human-made light inside. All of our paintings are getting displayed in artificial, human-made light.

The thing is, if you want north light in your studio as a landscape painter specifically, you can have it. It is a nice light pouring in. Personally, as the seasons change, I do not want to get controlled by how much light is coming into the studio. It tends to lead to only painting between certain hours of the day, and we don’t need to be boxed in like that.

As much as I do like north light, I really do not need north light in my studio as a landscape painter. I am using photo references for some of it, so I do not need that light to be shining on my canvas. If you are painting still life or a figure from life inside, I would recommend using north light. But, if you are painting from photo references or outdoor sketches, you do not need that north light (in my opinion). It is nice for a landscape painter, but it is not a must. The best time to learn for me is in nature, outside, because then I can translate these skills indoors and through my work. This way, I am also not relying on north light to perfect a painting.

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