Lighting large surfaces?

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:24 pm

I'd like to have a large, mostly flat surface on a mutant vehicle that's lit evenly. I've been looking through images of past MVs and haven't seen a lot of examples of this being done well. I'm seeing 3 choices:

1) Using EL-wire, rope light, or something similar along the edges. Not quite the look I'm going for in this case.

2) Putting lights behind fabric that's stretched over a framework. Works ok for some, but the framework is visible and the fabric doesn't always do what it's supposed to.

3) Mounting spotlights on arms that stick out and light the thing from the outside. Can work well, but you have to live with arms/lights sticking out.

Have you found any of these solutions to work better than others? Is there something I'm missing? Maybe some other translucent material that's stiffer, eliminating some of the framework? A good way to make exterior lights a little less conspicuous?

I want this thing to be bright!

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:47 pm

How about a square (or rectangle) frame made from wood (2x2's)with a large sheet of thin plexiglass attached to it. This would give you a large area without structure or framework in the center. Plexiglass can be bought in various thicknesses and I believe it comes in 4' * 8' sheets. It can be colored, clear or translucent. Just make certain that you sandwich the plastic. If you simply drill holes in it and use screws, it will fracture at the screw holes. Strips of aluminum or wood would spread the load over a greater area.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:17 pm

How about paint the flat area with a color that will glow in blacklight and then shine some black light on it?

You can get cold cathodes in black light that shine very well, run on 12v dc, and are small enough to be out of the way.

R1Z · Post by **R1Z** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 4:09 pm

If you want a broad, uniform illumination, you need a diffuse, non-point light source. Cold cathode lighting will give you the most lumens per watt of power consumed, and they're readily available in 12v dc versions.

Bouncing light off a reflector will make it more diffuse, and less intense. Shield the light source from view and remember that PERCEIVED brightness is as much a factor of contrast with surroundings as it is actual lumens hitting eyeballs.