A Virtual Demonstration of Color

Below is a virtual demonstration of the use of color in theatrical lighting. An actor is placed center stage (under the Second Electric) and lit with two lamps hung at the ends of the First Electric. Starting with both lamps ungelled, I will cycle through seven of the eleven basic acting area colors. The cyc is washed with R80: Primary Blue at forty percent. The colors used in this demonstration are...

R01: Light Bastard Amber,
R33: No Color Pink,
R34: Flesh Pink,
R51: Surprise Pink,
R63: Pale Blue,
R67: Light Sky Blue and
R80: Primary Blue.

The nine images were created in Virtual Light Lab.

	A Bright Harsh Look Both lamps ungelled -- White Light
	A Soft Pink Look White light from stage right and R33: No Color Pink from stage left.
	A Rich Pink Look R34: Flesh Pink from stage right and R33: No Color Pink from stage left.
	A Heavy Warm Look R34: Flesh Pink from stage right and R01: Light Bastard Amber from stage left.
	A Warm Romantic Look R51: Surprise Pink from stage right and R01: Light Bastard Amber from stage left.
	A Cool Romantic Look R51: Surprise Pink from stage right and R63: Pale Blue from stage left.
	Soft Moonlight from Stage Left R67: Light Sky Blue from stage right and R63: Pale Blue from stage left.
	Lush Heavy Moonlight from Stage Right R67: Light Sky Blue from stage right and R80: Primary Blue from stage left.
	A Warm Romantic Look (with Back Light) R01: Light Bastard Amber from stage right, R51: Surprise Pink from stage left and R63: Pale Blue from upstage.

Colored Light on Colored Pigment

The color of a costume or set piece, as perceived by the audience, is determined by the combination of three elements: the color of the paint or dye used by the scenic or costume designer, the color of the gel picked by the lighting designer, and the intensity of the lamp. The backdrop in the four images below is lit with a combination of No Color, R34: Flesh Pink and R65: Daylight Blue light.

White light at full.	R34: Flesh Pink at full.
R65: Daylight Blue at full.	Both R34 and R65 at full.

E-mail questions and comments to Larry Wild at wildl@northern.edu.
Created: December 29, 2004, Revised: January 30, 2003
© 2001- 2004 by Larry Wild, Northern State University , Aberdeen, SD