Book: Magic of Light - Jean Rosenthal

taylors

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I dont know if this is where this thread should have been posted, but didnt think it fit in any others...

Has anyone read "The Magic of Light: The Craft and Career of Jean Rosenthal, Pioneer in Lighting for the Modern Stage" and if so is it worth spending the money for? ($50+) Or are modern books just as good?

Thanks!
 
For my two cents, the magic of light is one of the best books that talk about how to think about design that I have ever read. It will not talk about equipment. The book is 40+ years old so all sections on equipment! etc is way out of date . But if you read it closely it will change the way you think about light and lighting design.

The book has been out of print for many years and usually costs $150 to $250. ( and IMHO worth it). If you can find it for $50 buy it IF you want a book about design not equipment.
 
Since it's useful to read once and no need to refer back, just have your library get it on inter-library loan and give it a read.
 
I just skimmed through it last week over at the U of M library. Most college libraries would have this book. It's a fascinating read. I would agree that it's a book that is best borrowed instead of purchased.
 
I've always liked this book- it's very useful as a designer to experience her vision and mindset for lighting design. It's obviously out of date, but the information is still quite relevant as a way of thinking about what your lighting design is trying to achieve. I like to reread it once a year or so as a refresher to myself for the right mindset when approaching a design.
 
Yeah I'll put this one up there next to Pilbrow on my top recommendations. She was ahead of her time, no doubt about it.
 
Great Book, I have read it a couple of times at the library. Found a few copies for around $50. Didn't have the extra cash but I wish I would have bought it. Its a screaming deal at that price.
 
Think mine cost more than $50 when I bought it, good read but only read once. If you have a collection, worth addition to it as a valuable collection/investment piece. if you don't really collect books than not crucial to have, more something to read in kind of like McCandless understanding. If you design a lot, perhaps worth a re-read once in a while in having.

In my case since I fabricate or referb lighting fixtures more than design shows, Fuchs Stage Lighting, American Electrician's Handbook, Theatre Lighting from A to Z by Boulanger, Encyclopedia of Stage Lighting by Briggs, and obviously Photometrics Handbook by Mum are on my ready access stack. For me fixture research is the use for a large library of old lighting books - read all of them also. Books written over the years I collect often if only to get period pictures of lighting fixtures from them where such vendor catalogs are not found on the web or also in my collection. Helps in dating the fixture I'm working on if I say have a 1948 book with a photo of the light. Even used some photos to fabricate missing parts.

Working on getting time to read Light Fantastic by Keller and The Event Safety Guide at the moment. Been sitting on them a few months now without cracking the cover yet - limited time to sit down and read.. My current reading level is various Winnie the Pooh and other toddler books.
 
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I did purchase the book, read 5 pages in and was absolutely in love with it! Favorite quote so far: "We need the artist's approach, but to impose a separate artist's ego through light on the artistic whole becomes destructive." - J.R. Thank you for all of the help!
 
oh god, the number of times my ego has ruined the show experience for me is sad. Funny enough, my aim is always to convey the theme of the show, so at least my ego does not ruin the design.
 
oh god, the number of times my ego has ruined the show experience for me is sad. Funny enough, my aim is always to convey the theme of the show, so at least my ego does not ruin the design.

Ego bad as with bad art. One of my favorite books is by Bova I believe in author "The Magic of Light" (Sorry, still can't access my files and the book would require a search of the library section on lighting.) Wasn't just about light, more about color and the experience of lighting in general. Kind of an inspiring influence book for what we do in design.

Imagine if we all dogmatically stuck with the McCandless system which was more of a base plan to start with but not intended to be the know all end all. Jean studied under McCandless and was presenting her own visions and alterations into how she made her own "Magic" - and she is attributed with that this including "West Side Story". All of our art is unique to the play and the presentation of it. Our horizons for how many paint brushes we have and what angle in art that brush or putty knife is used with is about broading one's horizons. Or pallet of tools and studied photo morgue one can pull up and use in making better.

The more influences an artist studys understands, the more they have to pull from in not using any or hinging on some.
 
I got a copy of this book from my public library on Saturday. So far I'm really glad I'm reading it, but agree with others here that I don't see a need for adding it to my personal collection of books.
 
It is always vital to remember,and understand, that Mr McCandless's tome was called "A Method of Lighting the Stage", NOT "The method..............."
 

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