Thread: Flame-like lighting?

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So for my big prop this year I want the eyes to glow, but not just a standard red light/LED. I want them to look like theres fire inside.

Has anyone seen props with a good fire-like effect? Now it needs to be small enough to fit inside a mask.

I'm using this:


So one of those lights/fan/fabric setups wont work. I was thinking of building a LED array with red, amber, and white lights, and trying to get a good flicker pattern to them, maybe put them inside a black box inside the mask with the eyes open to it, so its lit from the inside without the LEDs actually being visible. Didnt know if something like this was available pre-fab already.

Or does anyone have another idea? it needs to be somewhat sturdy - the entire scarecrow will tilt and fall forward off it's post to a 30 degree angle or so, lunging at my poor TOTers, so I cant have anything in the head that cant take a bit of a jolt.

This is for a prop right?

How about just fluorescent posterboard or fluorescent paints yellow and orange? It's a low tech solution, that's lightweight.
Maybe make the cut posterboard "eyes"slightly smaller than the actual eyeholes so that you can pump fog thru the mask?
In theory, it should look like fire, once illuminated with a blacklight.

Well ideally I'd like for it to flicker... posterboard would be static. Its an option, I'm just hoping for it to be animated. Static props are cool. Motion however draws your attention.

Use a flickering UV pin spot aimed only at the eyes?
Or, maybe an entire UV flood wash, with a pin spot aimed at the eyes in an orange color?
UV strobe? If fog seaps thru the mask around the eyes...it should add to the illusion of fire.
The fluorescing colors should refract in the fog particles casting faux light.
Between the flickering, fluorescing and fog, it would be very animated.

I just through fluorescent posterboard as an option because the mask seems to be
painted with intense colors, and the eyes should match that same color intensity, IMHO.

BTW, great mask! Where'd you get it?

sounds like you would need to build a mini flame with a mini pc fan & silk, or use a mini flicker bulbs / LED's inside......... at nite thru the mesh flicker bulb should look pretty wicked.

Several years ago Walmart sold "tap light" shaped (it actually had a switch) pumpkin lights. One setting was the standard RGBs that fade in and out so you get a rainbow cycle. The other setting was a ring of red LEDs that would turn on in rotation (i.e. chasing circle). This gives a very very good fire effect with just red ones.

Unfortunately for the last few years the lights that look exactly the same are very weak strobe lights. However, there is a "tap light" shaped candle light that's much brighter than a tea light that uses amber flames. It's the same company (Howler) that makes the Rainbow and Strobe lights. I haven't seen the red ones in awhile.

Spirit sells flicker light bulbs if you just take apart to clamp lights, so you don't have the can part of it any more mount those inside the head with some scrap wood, and boom,flickering eyes.

The flicker bulbs may be an idea - but arent those sort of dim?

I love the idea of the lights in a circle in a chase pattern. I'm an amaetur with electronics so building something like that may be worth looking into... a circle of red, with a circle of amber and white/yellow inside that, rotating in different directions, maybe changing direction might get a good flame effect.

Now I gotta read up on making a LED array...

How far will the prop be from the spectators? If within about 10 feet, you could add an illusion of motion.

Just add lighting to the inside of the mask with a set of white LEDs. Then, using the inside of ping pong balls, create some "following eyes". Being backlit will draw attention to them and the way they will follow your "guests" will add a creepy effect.

I did something similar with a Dracula picture last year. My picture was only 8x10. I would think the effect in a mask would be even better. I plan on doing a tombstone like this for 2011.

I would build a flicker circuit.

better yet, 2 of them. One red, one orange. Put some little C7 lights on them.

I did that for Charr (only it was 2 strings of christmas lights), and it was a fairly good effect (unfortunately I didn't have a good video cam...). Add fog if you can...it defuses the light and adds 'smoke'.