COLOR LIGHTING

Evening Star, Issue 19805, 2 March 1928, Page 2

COLOR LIGHTING

The applications of color lighting are almost legion, and in particular offer scope for artistic treatment in the modern shop window and also for domestic purposes.

hi whatever sphere color lighting is used (says ‘The Illuminating Engineer’), it is important that the colors bo chosen so that they do not clash with the environment, and this often involves a certain amount of experiment before satisfactory results are obtained.

Ju the lighting of interiors the color of the lighting can bo made to impart a psychological effect—orange or red, for instance, gives a sense of comfort and warmth, whereas lilac and green give very different results. Some charming effects can ho obtained by using splashes of contrasting light—as, for example, a room generally lighted with a golden light can be greatly improved by the introduction of one or two brackets with rod shades, or table standards with red lamps. Theatres—Color effects in theatres constitute a special subject. It may, however, be safely stated that the success of some present-day artistic productions depends in large measure upon tbo beautiful color effects that are obtained electrically, while recent methods enable even the scenery itself to be projected in color. Colored Flood Lighting.—The possibilities of color in this direction are quite fresh in this country, and great opportunity is presented for the use of contrasting colors. Outlining for Exhibitions, Galas, etc. —For many years it has been common to outline the important buildings of exhibitions, bandstands, etc., at seaside resorts by moans of electric lamps, but it is only since the introduction of sprayed lamps in recent years that colored 'lighting has been extensively used.

Signs.—lt may bo safely assumed that the colored sign makes a stronger appeal to the senses than one consisting only of white lamps. Methods in Use.—There arc four commercial methods of producing colored light from incandescent electric lamps:—

(1) Varnish: This has the advantage of being easily applied and obtainable in a large variety of colors, but this method is unsatisfactory, due to the fact that the coloring is far from permanent, especially when used on gasfilled lamps. (2) Natural glass bulhs: There arc good and sufficient commercial reasons for not producing a largo range of tinted glass bulbs for lamps: chief among which is the practical difficulty of stocking. (8) Sprayed lumps; This process has the advantage of being cheap, while the diffusion of the light over the whole area of the bulb reduces the somewhat harsh effect obtained by other methods.

(4) Colored screens: This method employs the use of colored screens of gelatine, glass, etc., which can bo used in front of the fitting containing the lamp. Tills method lends itself admirably to obtaining effects in shop windows, on theatre stages, and other similar conditions where the results are being observed, as it were, from outside.

General: 'The possibilities of colored lighting are infinite, and it is impossible to prescribe rules for their use. Of all methods of lighting it requires the artistic taste for its exploitation, but anyone who is prepared to make a few experiments is sure to obtain a variety of pleasing effects.