UV paint or UV material info/experience requested

[RevDusty]

Hi all,

Working out an idea involving mobile UV illumination of me. Is anyone aware of various colored fabric that glows in the UV range (besides the typical white t-shirt)? What about applying UV paint to fabric?

If you have experience with applying UV paint to fabric (airbrush?), I would love to hear about it. Similarly, if you are aware of aforementioned UV fabric.

Counting the days....

[mereth]

Do you just mean paint that glows under black-light?

[RevDusty]

Exactly, paint that glows under UV. Although definitely interested in any fabric that is made that way too.

[mars]

There is much in the way of UV fabric and paint. White is the least appealing color, IMHO. Do what I do...get a portable battery operated black light (Spencer's Gifts is one of the most likely places to find this, or online, though sometimes OSH has them) and take it into a fabric store. You can usually find a bit of a darker area, under a table, to see if the fabric has the UV magic.

There are lots of good UV paints...often labeled as Flourescent. If you are going to paint, a black background looks a lot better than white.

Glow on!

[The CO]

Go to your local theatrical supply store & look for Wildfire (looks white in normal light, bright colors in blacklight) or Roscoe UV paint (just plain bright in blacklight). They are both specifically designed for UV applications. The wildfire paint & makeup is what was used in the "gang" fight scene in that horrible Batman & Robin movie.

[RevDusty]

Mars and The CO:

Thanks very much for the advice. I will definitely check out wildfire and go sleuthing around fabric stores. My plan is to use a lot of UV leds under a thin film of fabric to make it glow. I definitely need to do some prototyping on fabrics, paint, and quantity of leds, so I want to get started now and have it figured out.

Thanks again for your input.

[BBump]

Look at a tide box and the soap for that matter when you get your black light set up! What are you using for a light source?
Wildfire makes a 400w that really throws out some serious UV. You can probably rent one or two. They have different lenses and wattages for different distances depending on your application. I did the whole downstage area plus about 10' upstage past the plaster and 40' wide with two on the deck. They pointed towards the center from about 1/4 and 3/4 on either side.

[RevDusty]

Thanks for the info. I am planning on UV LEDs (lots of them) since I am planning on being mobile. However, there is another project in the works that requires high power for a stationary installation, so I will check that out.

[BBump]

WOW I didn't even know a UV LED was produced. Let me clarify... I didn't know a LED could produce a UV ray at enough intensity to be realized. I don't know the planned candlepower output on the LEDs that you are planning to use. But I would imagine that you can use a 'superbright' white LED and use a 'wood filter' in front of it. There are a couple of light filters called 'lighting gels' made by companies such as Rosco. I know of one in particular R85 will produce a black light or fluorescent effect.

[RevDusty]

Well, I am still learning about the LEDs. What I plan to do is buy a bunch and create a prototype and see how well it works. I figure enough LEDs and some diffusers in front of them should cast a nice glow.

I am unfamiliar with a "wood filter"...I'll have to check that out. Also, you mention lighting gels that produce a UV-like effect...but how well does it imitate real UV with that great flouresence effect?

Rev Dusty

[somekind]

Careful not to look into all those uv leds and burn out your retinas.

How about just making a phosphorescent outfit and only hanging out in black light zones?

[RevDusty]

Yes, I read about the warnings. I was planning on either creating indirect illumination so that it would be impossible to look right at the LED and/or using diffusers to smooth out the illumination.

I also have wondered about getting a sunburn from the exposure and am checking up on that.

[Dark Star]

I've been looking for a source for quality UV paints. At my local theatrical store they are quite expensive for a small amount... as is what I've found online. Considering the area I need to cover less expensive source is desired. Got any leads?

[The CO]

...quality UV paints. ...

That's going to be your big issue. If you want good quality product you are going to have to pay for it. UV active paints are a specialty item. Be glad they don't cost as much as some of high end automotive paints ($600-1000/gallon))

[RevDusty]

What attributes do you have in mind when you say quality? Do you want the paint to last longer the B-Man week? Is it the amount of flouresence it throws off?

I do not know how to judge the paints that are out there? Any suggestions?

Rev Dusty

[ricochet]

WOW I didn't even know a UV LED was produced. Let me clarify... I didn't know a LED could produce a UV ray at enough intensity to be realized. I don't know the planned candlepower output on the LEDs that you are planning to use. But I would imagine that you can use a 'superbright' white LED and use a 'wood filter' in front of it. There are a couple of light filters called 'lighting gels' made by companies such as Rosco. I know of one in particular R85 will produce a black light or fluorescent effect.

Um... you're not going to get a better result by filtering white light than you would using an LED designed to produce UV. The filter isn't going to add UV, it just takes out everything that isn't UV.

I've been curious about these, though, so let us know how they work. Usually I get LEDs from http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds.htm . The spec for RL5-UV2030 says, "ONE OF THESE WILL ILLUMINATE A BLACK LIGHT POSTER IN A DARK ROOM". That ought to do it.

[wedeliver]

I've been looking for a source for quality UV paints. At my local theatrical store they are quite expensive for a small amount... as is what I've found online. Considering the area I need to cover less expensive source is desired. Got any leads?

Tell 'em I sent ya...

www.glowpaint.com

[BBump]

Thanks for the UV LED link. I now know I need to go and buy one to try it out...I didn't know one was made. hence the opening line about 'WOW I didn't even know a UV LED was produced. Let me clarify... I didn't know a LED could produce a UV ray at enough intensity to be realized.'

If you have a 'light lab' and can control all the nearby light then its probably a safe bet. But if you aren't in the theater that day controlling 'other sources' of light gets to be a bit tricky. Night time always works pretty well though!