Stage Lighting
a) What Are Black Lights
Black Light’s are required.
The long fluorescent “Black Lights” or sometimes called “Blue Light” tubes. The Black lights are a very dark blue in appearance and when turned on, produce blue/violet and ultra violet light at low levels. This light makes any fluorescent colours and bleached white materials glow.
The long fluorescent “Black Lights” or sometimes called “Blue Light” tubes. The Black lights are a very dark blue in appearance and when turned on, produce blue/violet and ultra violet light at low levels. This light makes any fluorescent colours and bleached white materials glow.
b) How Do They Work
A black light gives off concentrated ultraviolet light, this light spectrum you cannot see. When the ultraviolet light is shined on a fluorescent colour or fluorescent material, the fluorescent absorbs the light casting it immediately back. This creates a longer wavelength of light which in turns makes it visible to the naked eye and causing the glow effect.
c) Which Lights To Buy
Fluorescent Fixtures and Fluorescent Black Light Tubes (Lamps)
- Fixtures: 48" Commercial Electric White Shop Fluorescent Light Fixtures. Yo want the double ones that hold TWO lights tubes. Carried by building supply stores (Canadian Tire, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.)
- Tubes:Black Light Fluorescent by GE (General Electric) 48 inch – 40 watt. [Check any store that carries light bulbs (e.g. Canadian Tire, Home Depot are a couple to check out, also check your local Lightening store, if they don't stock them, they may order them in for you. You can also do an internet search and order on-line.]
- 48" Black Light Fixture with Tube: These come with an on-off switch and a 6 ft. Cord. These can be found on-line, just do a search.
Examples:
- "48-Inch Sllimline Blacklight 360 Fixture & Tube", UPC #84001514360.
- "Sleeklook Super 48” Black Light", UPC #604020043407.
d) How Many Lights Do I Need For My Space
Will depend on the size of your stage area.
Black lights required – for every 8 ft of depth - place 4 ft. tubes every 8 feet.
Janice’s room she used TWO:
- Two - 4 ft ceiling fixtures (double bulbs).
Janice has a drop ceiling in her room, with two fluorescent light fixtures – she replaced the four white tubes with 4 black tubes. To turn off the other ceiling lights she just slightly turned each bulb, as all the ceiling lights where connected to the same light switch. When she needed light she open doors of surrounding rooms. - Five – single 40 watt black light regular bulbs in fixtures across front of stage.
Note: Do not use, they get really HOT, the kids can trip over them, they will BURN anything that touches them, and they DO NOT MAKE ANYTHING GLOW!
Luanne used FOUR:
- One - 4 ft fixture (single bulb) hung from ceiling.
- Two - 4 ft. Fixtures (double bulbs) stood vertically on hand-made stands (directions below) on each side of stage.
- One - 4 ft. Fixture (double bulbs) place horizontally on a wooden box facing towards back of stage. Note: the sides of the fluorescent fixture allowed me to lie it on it’s side. The box kept it off the floor.
- Five – single 40 watt black light regular bulbs. Used in light sockets across top of stage. Only because they were connected to the switch I was using for the black light fixture I had hung from the ceiling. They didn’t make things glow, but I didn’t have to worry about partially unscrewed bulbs falling out.
Pictured right: Jaymie Derden, at State Street UMC, in her 8 foot square stage area used two 48 inch blacklights from blacklight.com. She used heavy cord/yarn to tie each light to the back of a chair so they stood vertically and then were positioned on each side of the stage. See here for a picture of her stage.
e) Diagram of Luanne's Stage Set-Up
Red Dashed Lines– indicates area of floor covered in black material.
Thick Red Line – indicates back wall partition covered in black material.
FOUR Blue Boxes – indicates Black Fluorescent Light Fixtures and their positions.
#1 & #2 – vertical double fluorescent light fixtures on home-made stands behind curtains, angled towards back.
#3 – double fluorescent light fixture laid horizontally across top of a three sided wooden box (see details and photo below under "How to Build A Light Fixture Stand") .
#4 – single fluorescent light fixture hung horizontally from ceiling – had it towards the front of stage as it was the only place we could attach the light fixture from the ceiling (see “Where to Buy #3 above).
