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Cemetery Entrance Lighting - Suggestions?

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15K views 22 replies 14 participants last post by  LadyGoats  
#1 ·
Hi everyone! I've been an annoying "lurker" on the site for much longer than I'd like to admit, but now it's my turn to ask for the amazing advice of you forum members!

I just finished this cemetery archway (I built the columns last year but refaced them this year, and did the skull archway in the past week) and need lighting advice?

There are strands of orange lights going up the sides of the columns from the inside, but I can't think of a good way to light the skulls without having the light source out in the open (as you can see, the entire area in front of the entryway is open/bare).

I did think about maybe adding lights in the skulls' eye sockets, but thought that might look too cheesy? (here's a close-up so you can see them better)

Am open to maybe a spotlight in front (maybe entombed in a jack-o-lantern?), but would really like some advice on incorporating the lighting instead of just having it out in the open? How do you spotlight your signs?

Thanks in advance!
 
#2 ·
Back lighting. That's what I did with my enterance. When I made the box for the entry I cut holes in the wood and pushed LEDS through to highlight the letters. Here's what it looks like. The entry is 1/4 inch wood and the letters are made of foam painted. You look to have enough room behind the skulls to run lights around them.
 
#3 ·
Looks like you could light it from the sides, put fixtures on top of the two columns aimed sideways, covered from the front with Rosco cinefoil or thin black wood, but I like to use ultraviolet lighting and fluorescent paints. UV light is darker and anything hot-painted will stand out.

You can just use white fluorescent paint on the white parts of the skulls and the sign letters, and experiment with some different UV lighting options. You could put a horizontal 4-foot blacklight fluorescent tube across between the sign and the skulls, mounted to a black sheet of 1/2" plywood 8" x 60" which would hide the bulb from oncoming visitors. Or you could light it from further away with some UV led spots recessed into 5" black PVC pipe - basically a "snoot" to hide the light source.

Oh, I forgot to mention you could make tiny UV "snoot leds" to light the sign and skulls. Check out http://www.chrisgrote.com/2011/10/uv-led-miniature-spotlights-with-snoot.html

I made 10 of these and put them all over the place. No one can see the light source because of the little snoot unless they stick their face right between the light and the prop it is aimed at.
 
#9 ·
Great ideas, thanks!

Cgrote, I'm looking at your blog and am totally thinking that that's beyond my ability, but I like the suggestion to light it from the sides. Any suggestions for a cheap, non DIY version of that? Haha.

Rania & Hallomarine, I'm kinda thinking that breeding your ideas would produce a great effect - The Par 38 Cans in RED would be kinda cool? But then lighting them from the back could be fun. Then there would be glowing skulls (how awesome would that be?!). Oh great, Now what do I decide on?!

ScruffyWolf - THANK YOU! I appreciate the compliment :)

I think I'll start with the easiest suggestion and back-light the skulls. That doesn't require me buying any extra supplies, so why not start there?

On another (but similar) note, I bought this black light bulb last night to try to make the white paint on the sign (and the thought was that it would affect the skulls, too) stand out, but it didn't do anything. Anyone know if the bulbs they sell aren't true black lights or if I just bought the wrong one?
 
#14 ·
LadyGoats said:
On another (but similar) note, I bought this black light bulb last night to try to make the white paint on the sign (and the thought was that it would affect the skulls, too) stand out, but it didn't do anything. Anyone know if the bulbs they sell aren't true black lights or if I just bought the wrong one?
Click to expand...

Since everyones already covered the majority of the options for lighting them, I'll be happy to assist with your latest question. :)

Even though they are advertised as being black lights, they really aren't. You should think of them as a really dark purple filtered incandescent bulb. Because that's all they really are, with no usable UV output to speak of. For a black light effect, and on the cheap, UV florescents are the way to go. If your concerned about green power, and less with up front costs, then UV LED bulbs are right up your alley (just be sure to get ones rated at > 385 nm wavelength).

Hope that helps you in your quest :)


edit ~ We were cross posting, but that came out very nice! Good work! :D
 
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