How to create a sunset??

[Saaby]

My sister is getting married Saturday and wants the illusinon of a Sunset at her reception, as in on a wall.

Any ideas short of renting a couple source fours and a console?

I suggested we buy like 100 Sauce Lightwashers--she didn't like that idea though [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[yclo]

Nope, no ideas. But be sure to show us pictures of it!

-YC

[txwest]

Hold the reception at the right time of day & get rid of the wall. :&gt TX

[Xrunner]

Like TX said, just get rid of the wall. You can always use a nice view and a little fresh air, and have some fun using a chainsaw while you're at it (gotta use that chainsaw) [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

-Mike

[Graham]

Why move the wall? Move the reception, I say..

Mind you, a chainsaw is always a fun item to have at a wedding reception [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

But wait! Re-reading Saabys post - she wants the *illusion* of sunset - not the real thing.

So my suggestion is to get a nice photo, digital or otherwise, of a sunset, and get thee to a big poster printer, and print something wall-sized.

Or does she just want gradually dimming light? That should be easy to do in most reception halls. Dim the lights as things get later, until its completely dark. Then hand out torches..

Ok, ok enough silly suggestions. But TX started it..

What are source fours, anyway?

Graham

[Saaby]

OK let me rephrase...we need a giant orange-yellow gradiant on a wall. Poster size printing actually doesn't sound like *that* bad of an idea.

Source Fours are elepsoidal reflector spots. Think of them as huge surefires--bright, expensive lights with expensive bulbs, except their beam puts even a Surefire beam to shame [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Graham]

Giant orange-yellow gradiant? Well, easy. Just get a couple of buckets of orange and yellow paint, some brushes, and go for it. Whoever owns the reception hall may have something to say about it though..

I imagine you can probably find some kind of large poster printing service which will give you what you need. Depends on the size of the wall.. Then just finish off the effect with some basic lighting adjustments..

My only other suggestion would be to go for the simplest approach possible, and let peoples imagination do the rest. I don't think a complicated setup would be worth the time put into it, since it is ultimately a background effect which is wanted, right?

Graham

[Saaby]

So what are you saying? Put a big, yellow butcher-paper sun up [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Graham]

Yeah! Go for that rustic look [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I'm no expert, but I imagine that you can probably use room decoration and existing incandescent lighting to create some of the effect. But you probably will need some kind of wall sized painting or hanging to form the main part of it. Perhaps a wall hanging of cloth with the subtle colour gradient in question, combined with some well placed diffused lighting would do the job.

Brock probably could tell more - he does theatrical lighting and stuff, doesn't he?

Graham

[Brock]

Yup, hummm I would start with a 6 inch fresnel in the center, then 2 more 6 inch , then 2 8 inch, and 4 more 8 inch. You have to set them up in a semi circle sort of arrangement. The least amount of lights would probably be 5, the more lights you use the more the colors will blend and the better it will look.

You probably really don't need a console, unless you want to get fancy, you could just plug them straight in. I wouldn't use source fours because it is to focused, you want to blend them as much as possible.

Now if you in a theatre you can light with floor cyc and far cyc's, much easier, but a lot more equipment.

[Saaby]

Yeah...when she asked me the first thing I thought was "We need floor lights" but floor lights we've not got.