Hi guys,
I am hoping someone here can refer me to a location where I can learn everything there is to know about gel. My knowledge on the subject is shamefuly scarce. I want to know about Everything, choosing gels, how filtered light reacts with different skin tones, "mixing light", how filtered light can react with different colors of paint, all about color temp, what transmission/wavelength graphs teach, the works.
As pointed out, the manufacturers have great information. But, don't forget to play and experiment with it. Grab a few fixtures and drop some electrics to the deck or just high enough that you can reach them to focus, and throw in gel and a lighting dummy, old small set pieces, furniture, friends, costumes, etc. You just made a light lab for yourself.
Hi guys,
I am hoping someone here can refer me to a location where I can learn everything there is to know about gel. My knowledge on the subject is shamefuly scarce. I want to know about Everything, choosing gels, how filtered light reacts with different skin tones, "mixing light", how filtered light can react with different colors of paint, all about color temp, what transmission/wavelength graphs teach, the works.
Good day Joseph, and thanks for your post- we could all use a refresher course now and then as to the 'who, why and where' of subtractive color filtering and mixing. As mentioned previously, gel makers offer technical support and helpful transmission maps to get better acquaited with the technical side of gel filters. Playing around with filters combines the technical with the visual side, something that benefits all involved.
If you are perhaps looking for a training tool to assist students in learning about subtractive color filtering, a swatchbook is a great place to start. If larger filters would be more beneficial from the 'hands-on' standpoint, a designer swatchbook may be helpful.
When a group of theatre students would like to experiment with filters in a classroom environment, a gel kit may prove helpful-
A box full of gel cuts can provide much in the way of light experimentation as well, so if you have or need scraps of gel filters for the class, a post here at the ControlBooth may net a selection for you.
Welcome to the ControlBooth, and please keep us up to date with your educational discovery of gel filters!
I know of one theatre dept. that used 35mm slide mounts and converted a swatchbook to slides. They could set up two slide projectors and rack thru the slides to see the effects on a model and on costumes and scenic elements.
I know of one theatre dept. that used 35mm slide mounts and converted a swatchbook to slides. They could set up two slide projectors and rack thru the slides to see the effects on a model and on costumes and scenic elements.
I know of one theatre dept. that used 35mm slide mounts and converted a swatchbook to slides. They could set up two slide projectors and rack thru the slides to see the effects on a model and on costumes and scenic elements.
That sounds like a Neat Idea, certainly a good way to really preview colors. But i'm sure that the colors projected from the projector would be slightly different from, say a source 4, of Par 64. Due to the different lamps.
Not as different as one might think, as the most common slide projector lamp, the 82V 300W EXR has a color temperature of 3350K.
Both Source Four and PAR64 lamps range from 3000K to 3250K.
Haven't seen any gel for a long time. I thought they quit using to make color media. Sure was nice to take the small scraps, wet them, and make a larer one. Anyhow we all use some of the same terms, but maybe we forget where they come from. Gel was gelatin wasn't it? Water soluable, but not very good with the heat. Would get dry and brittle. Still fun to play with and make odd colors and shapes.
Here is some information exerted from a presentation I did many years ago. This is in a outline format.
Creating Excellent Lighting
The Color of Light By Larry Winters
Color
When you turn on a light, what do you see?
Light is a reflected value, you don't see it until it is reflected off of something.
If you shine white light on a red wall what happens? The red absorbs all other colors except the red, it is reflected back to our eyes.
If you shine blue light on a person wearing red what happens? It turns black because the red absorbs all the blue and there is not red to reflect.
3 primary colors correlate with the cones in our eyes.
• Red
• Blue
• Green
What if you put two gels in a light a primary and secondary and shine it on a wall what happens?
Additive - if you shine two separate color on same area they add in color (and intensity)
Subtractive - two filters on one light they will filter out other colors and only let the color of the Gelpass through. If you put a red gel on a white light source it only lets the red through. If you add blue gel over the red gel, the blue will filter out all the red and no light will pass.
Let’s say a costume or wall is part yellow and part purple what happens if I shine a:
blue light
Green
Red
Croma =the richness or saturation if you add the compliment you will move closer to white i.e. shine purple and some green you get lavender
Successive or After Imaging is caused by over stimulating one of the colors in the eye and will push you to see the compliment when it is removed For example, flooding a scene with a lot of strong and intense blue for a extended period of time and then removing the blue will cause them to see amber. (now that's my favorite cool effect.)
Combining all three primary colors on the same spot gives white light.
Combining two primary colors on the same spot gives the secondary.
Combining one primary color and the compliment (opposite) secondary color will bring the primary closer to white.
Can you project black?
Mixing Colors Is different than mixing paint. But using colors to balance to a scene does follow the traditional formats of complementary, triadic and analogous. See the color wheel.
Gel colors relate to Kalvin temperatures which is more science than art.
check out other areas besides lighting for drama, like lighting for music, songs and worship. Lighting for food displayed in stores or restaurants. Lighting for video.
