How to make glow in the dark photos. DIY glow in the dark paint. How to make freezelight at home

Things that glow in the dark have always attracted attention, and modern technologies offer new perspectives on the lighting design of various objects. Today I want to tell you about 12 of the most unusual inventions with lights that can make our lives more comfortable.

Volkswagen Golf Mk7 "Light-Tron"

This stunning car glows in the dark. The body of the 3-door hatchback is covered with a white film containing phosphorus, thanks to which the car can be seen even in pitch darkness.

The light green “backlight” is complemented by accents that have a rich pink color, but they appear almost black in low light. The new 20-inch wheels of the car are also covered with original pink paint, and lamps are placed inside the rims that give a soft purple light.

Glow in the dark park, OTRO Skatepark

Perhaps this is not the most convenient place for skiing, but for photo shoots it is quite an excellent place. The skate park is called “OTRO” and is located in the International Center for Art and Landscape Design - in France, on the island of Lac de Vassivière. The park was designed by architect Koo Jeong and consists of fluorescent concrete.

Glowing bike Pure Fix Cycles

It's not even a bicycle, but a whole series of bicycles that glow in the dark. During the day the frame has one color, and at night it has a slightly different color, and it glows in the dark. If such a bicycle remains in the sun for at least an hour, light will emanate from it throughout the night.

Phosphorescent dress from the legendary brand “Halston”

The phosphorescent coating of the Halston dress is enough for several hours of soft glow. So its owner is guaranteed an incendiary evening.

Smart Dutch road

Dutch design studio Roosegaarde and Heijmans have presented a prototype of a “smart” highway that can glow in the dark and warn the driver about ice.

Glowing stones for landscape design

Such stones are made from self-luminous polymer plastics of the PP and PL brands with the addition of luminosity catalysts. The design of the stones is as close as possible to the shape of a natural river stone, but the difference can only be seen upon very close examination and in weight - stones that glow in the dark are approximately 10 times lighter than similar natural stones.

When using such stones, there is no need to use electric lights in dark areas of the garden.

Glowing mushrooms

Such a strange phenomenon was discovered in Japan. During the rainy season, in certain parts of the country, the forests begin to fill with small lights - hundreds of mushrooms begin to glow thanks to the enzyme luciferesis, which releases light when it comes into contact with oxygen.

Neon surfing

Surfers appeared in such unusual equipment on the occasion of the first day of summer off the Australian coast of Bondi Beach. The boards and costumes of the participants were connected by colored neon tubes, allowing thousands of spectators to enjoy the spectacular light show.

Luminescent tiles Veluna


The brightest glow of such tiles is observed in the first hour after dark. But in general, the effectiveness of the luminous composition on the basis of which luminescent tiles are made is so great that a short glow will be observed even after turning on a flashlight for 5 seconds.

Floor cushion-Moon Full Moon Odyssey

Korean design company i3lab has released a series of moon floor pillows called “Full Moon Odyssey”. They are printed with an image of the lunar disk - very accurate and detailed, compiled from 26 photographs taken by South Korean astrophotographer Chin Wei Lung. The pillows come in several sizes: some you can sit on, others you can lie on. And they all glow in the dark.

Air purifying lamp with microalgae

French biochemist Pierre Caleya created a unique air-purifying lamp with microalgae. The mechanism of its action is as follows: microalgae in a special vessel made of durable glass absorb carbon dioxide from the surrounding air and transform it into light.

Which of these luminous inventions do you think is the most original and truly useful?

Based on materials from: https://weburbanist.com/

Let's talk about the main thing in photography - light. It is through light that the photographer “paints” his images. It’s not for nothing that the word “photography” means “to write with light.” Like any instrument, light has its own specifications, of which intensity, directionality/dispersion and spectral composition (color temperature) are important for the photographer. The main part of our photography lesson is devoted to their skillful use.

Before moving on practical work, let us note several very important points related to the fact that a person perceives light differently than a camera:

· Vision is a psychophysiological process. The eye does not just perceive the light flux, it processes it intellectually. Consciousness often “completes” what a person does not actually see or corrects the perceived light picture. According to the principle: “I see what is and how it should be.”
A camera, no matter how “intelligent” it may be, is not capable of this; it only records what the lens “sees”. A dimly lit sheet of white paper will appear white to a person, but will appear gray in a photograph, and vice versa, a brightly lit gray object will appear white in a photograph.
For example, you are shooting a portrait in the rays scattered by the crown of a tree, and a brightly lit green leaf against the backdrop of a shaded white wall falls into the frame. To the human eye, the frame will show a green leaf on a white background, but the photograph will most likely show a white leaf on a gray wall.
Any camera lighting that is contrasting to the human eye will be super contrasty.

· The eye operates in “smart video camera” mode with a quickly updated “picture”, thanks to which even a dimly lit moving object is not “blurred”. In a camera, a photograph is formed by the accumulation of light flux in one fixed frame, so at long shutter speeds the moving “picture” turns out blurry. By the way, it doesn’t matter at all whether the image moves in the frame or the camera itself “moves”; the higher the speed of image movement or the longer the shutter speed, the greater the “blur” will be. The first skill that needs to be brought to automaticity: when pressing the shutter button, do not move the camera. Practice without film, controlling the movement of your finger and the immobility of your hands.

· The eye has a much greater dynamic range than a camera**.
We see a huge number of shades of gray in both light and dark areas at the same time. The camera, depending on the chosen exposure, can well convey the gradations of halftones in the light part and the shadow as a solid black spot, or, conversely, it will work out the shadows, whitening the light part. You can focus on the middle part, then there will be a “blockage at the poles” in lights and shadows.
Much, of course, depends on the sensitivity of the photographic material. Very few photographic films are capable of capturing an image in a light-dynamic range of about 124 shades - this is approximately how much the human eye can distinguish. (We wrote in detail about photographic films in the May issue of the magazine.) The situation with the dynamic range of digital photographic equipment is even worse. Vision has a high adaptability to the color of the light flux. The spectral composition of light can be very different, this is well understood by the example of hot metal - from deep orange to white to blue. When talking about the color of the light flux, the concept of “color temperature” is used (see Fotodelo magazine No. 6, 2003).
* Light is usually called electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength from 440 to 700 nanometers. Only in this range can the eye perceive electromagnetic waves. Waves outside this range are called infrared and ultraviolet.
** Dynamic range is the difference between the lightest and darkest points of an image. Otherwise, the ability to reproduce a certain number of halftones between absolute black and absolute white.
We can talk a lot about this, but all that is important to us is that photosensitive materials objectively convey the color composition of light, and a person sees with a large correction. In the human consciousness, a stable idea of ​​a certain color is developed and consolidated as a stable sign of familiar objects, so a white sheet remains so both under the light of a clear sky and by candlelight. On film it will turn out bluish and yellowish, respectively. For correct color reproduction, you need to use film for daylight or artificial light (marked T). Here, digital cameras have an advantage because they can adjust to changes in light by changing the “white balance.”

Color temperature, wavelength and color of luminous flux

Temperatures of 10000-6000 K approximately correspond to radiation with wavelengths from 380 to 470 nm, having violet and blue colors; 4000-6000 K - from 480 to 500 nm - blue-green; 3000-4000 K - from 510 to 560 nm - green; 2000-3000 K - from 570 to 590 nm - yellow-orange; 1200-2000 K - from 600 to 760 nm - red. (Intermediate values ​​correspond to different shades of color.) Natural light - the average light of the sun and sky - has a dominant spectral composition with a color temperature of 5500 K in the range of 4500-18000 K; conventional artificial light sources emit from 1200 to 3500 K.

Characteristics of light
The first and most important characteristic of light is direction. This category is tied to the location of the subject relative to the light source. Light can fall on an object from above, below, horizontally, or occupy any intermediate position - this is the height of the source. It can shine frontally (in front), diagonally, from the side, from behind - this is orientation in the horizontal plane. The most losing light, which is also the most frequently used, is frontal horizontal. It illuminates all areas of the subject evenly, making the image flat. Such light carries a minimum of information. In natural conditions, such lighting is rare, but in artificial conditions it occurs regularly. The simplest example is shooting with the built-in flash*.
*As paradoxical as it may seem, it is useful to shoot with a flash in a lot of light. The flash will act as an additional light source that will soften the shadows and work out the pattern in the shadows.
Backlight that is directed into the photographer’s face is also bad. With this lighting, only the outline of the object will be visible. For a high-quality photograph, the light must fall on the subject at some angle. This will create relief and volume. Rule: the greater the angle of incidence, the more pronounced the relief.
The second characteristic of light is its intensity. We talked about it partly in the introduction. We must remember that light for a camera fades much faster than for the human eye. A simple example. We take a table lamp and shine it on the wall from a distance of one and a half meters. The wall is illuminated. Let's take the lamp another one and a half meters. The wall became less illuminated. Visually, just a little, but for the camera - significantly.
The so-called rule of squares applies here: when the distance from the subject is doubled, the illumination intensity decreases fourfold.
Let's make a reservation that the rule works differently for a directional light flux, for example, a laser beam or a soffit with a good focusing reflector.
Third characteristic - softness/hardness light - is closely related to the first, but for us it has an independent meaning. A hard light flux comes from one source - ideally a point source. Perfectly hard sunlight, for example on the Moon, due to the lack of an atmosphere, it is practically not scattered. There cannot be any halftones in a lunar photograph. Everything there is either absolutely white or absolutely black.
On Earth everything is different. There is an atmosphere that scatters light, there are objects that reflect light and change its direction. The direction and, accordingly, the hardness of light can vary over a wide range. Hard light will be in midday sun and cloudless skies. The photo will have highly lit areas and harsh shadows. Soft light - diffused, more uniform can be observed in cloudy weather. The entire celestial sphere begins to glow. In fact, the sunlit cloudy sky is a huge natural softbox. In conditions where an artificial source of directional light is used, a hard cut-off pattern is obtained. Partial reflection of the light flux from dark walls, floors and ceilings does not have a noticeable effect. A completely different “light picture” will be in a bright room - multiple reflections will add a lot of soft diffused light. Milky glass or any curtain can also diffuse directional hard light.
Now let's look at all this in practice. In order to show how light creates volume in an image or takes it away due to the play of chiaroscuro, we walked with a light source around our model.

SERIES 1. Hard overhead light.

To start, we placed a directional light source from above, approximately 45 degrees to the horizon, opposite the model, above the photographer.
Photo 1. Front lighting. It can be seen that there are practically no shadows on the face; it is devoid of relief and volume. This will be seen even more clearly when we lower the light parallel to the shooting axis.
Photo 2. Moved to the left. We got the front nameless light. A certain black and white pattern appeared: a shadow formed from the nose, from the eyelashes. A certain relief is created. However, the left side of the face is still quite flat. This makes the face seem disproportionate.
Photo 3. Move the source further clockwise until the angle of incidence is 45 degrees - diagonal light. There was even more shadow, and the feeling of relief on the right increased. The face is no longer perceived as asymmetrical. Of the entire series, this option is perhaps the most interesting.
Photo 4. Front sliding. A pattern appeared on the left side of the face: a nasolabial cavity, a distinct jawline. But the right half of the face went into shadow.
Photo 5. Side light. The chin is gone. Half of the face is illuminated, the other half is practically absent.
Photo 6. Rear sliding. Only part of the cheek and the protruding nose are highlighted. The eyes are completely gone.
Photo 7. Rear diagonal. The face is practically not illuminated. A little bit of the forehead and part of the cheek. But a new quality appears - the light begins to outline the hair and figure.
Photo 8. The rear one is unnamed. The face is not illuminated at all. The light stream illuminates the hair and figure and “tears” the model away from the background.
Photo 9. Back-up. The light is strictly behind and above the model. Most often, this light is used to separate the model from the background.
The lighting in photos 10 to 16 is mostly symmetrical, with the only difference being that the model's shoulders and neck are turned slightly to the right. You can judge the difference yourself.

SERIES 2. Hard horizontal light.
Now we lower the light source to the level of the model's head, the light goes parallel to the shooting line. Let's go around the model clockwise again.
Photo 1. Front lighting. No shadows, no relief. A completely flat face with a nose, mouth and eyes drawn on it.
Photo 2. Front nameless light. A small shadow appeared on the cheek, the relief of the nose and lips on the lower right was clearly visible. Everything else is flat.
Photo 3. Diagonal light. In contrast to the same direction, with overhead lighting, the right half of the face is heavily shaded. Softening the light or adding additional lighting can create an interesting image.
Photo 4. Front sliding. Half of the face is almost in shadow.
Photo 5. Side light. A relief appears on the illuminated part. The chin, nasolabial fold, and eye begin to be worked on.

Photo 6. Rear sliding. There is a bright highlight on the cheek and nose, but the eyes are almost in shadow. Hair and shoulders begin to glow.
Photo 7. Rear diagonal. The light practically does not capture the face, only the edge of the nose, the edge of the lip, outlines the cheekbone.
Photo 8. The rear one is unnamed. There is practically no light on the face. An unpleasant glare appears on the cheek, and the geometry of the face changes. The only advantage is the highlighted hair. Shot 9. Backlight - backlight. It is located strictly behind the back. Unlike the top backdrop, the horizontal one completely outlines the silhouette. The top one filled the hair and shoulders with large strokes of light.

SERIES 3. Lower hard frontal.

The light source is located below the shooting plane. Frankly speaking, this is a very exotic way of lighting a fashion model, primarily due to its unnaturalness. In nature, such light practically does not occur, but precisely because of this, with such light you can sometimes get very expressive, emotional photographic portraits.
Photo 1. Front lighting. Unlike a similar shot, in the first two episodes the lighting is even and the chin is almost lost. A slight shadow appears on the upper eyelids and an unpleasant shadow on the nose.
Photo 2. Front nameless light. The shadow from the nose literally “sticks” into the eye and greatly distorts the face. The upper lip darkens, and a shadow appears from the cheek under the eye.
Photo 3. Diagonal light. A very rough shadow from the lip and nose covers half the face. An unpleasant light spot formed near the lips. At the same time, the jawline in the shaded part became visible.
Photo 4. Front sliding. Half the face disappeared into shadow. Light work on the chin. A rough shadow appears over the illuminated eye, and the forehead becomes prominent.
Photo 5. Side light. Hard lines, clear relief of the cheeks, chin and nose.
The shadow from the eyelashes is interesting, which can become an interesting artistic detail.
Photo 6. Rear sliding. The light goes away, only picking out some details. Moreover, unlike the two previous series, this light does not create an outline of the figure.
Photo 7. Rear diagonal. Only part of the cheek is visible. The hair begins to barely glow.
Photo 8. The rear one is unnamed. The hair is slightly highlighted, the rest of the figure looks like a solid black silhouette.
Photo 9. Back-up. Due to the low location, the light flux only treats the ends of the hair.
In shots 10 to 16, we slightly increased the distance from the light source to the model. The light picture became somewhat softer, but this did not lead to significant changes.

SERIES 4. Soft light in three levels.

In this series, we used a softbox to move the light source around the model in a similar way. It can be seen that the cut-off pattern fundamentally does not change compared to the previous three series. However, due to the large area emitting light flux, the edges of the shadows are greatly softened.

We thank fashion model Natalya Gissek for her patience and kindness.

SERIES 5. Light setting scheme
The photographer's task when using artificial light, oddly enough, is to imitate natural lighting. As a rule, several light sources are used for this.
The main light is the main light. This is a light flux aimed at a plot-important part. It creates the actual relief of the image. Traditionally, such light is light directed from above and from the side. Even before the advent of photography, artists used light falling from a window as their main source.
It's a pretty hard light. He drew facial features using contrasting shadows. In this case, the entire image has no volume.

The second most important is modeling light. Used to highlight and soften shadows. This can be a lamp or any reflector: a sheet of white paper, a mirror, a light wall, a stretched sheet. It is placed, as a rule, on the side opposite to the source of the key light, closer to the photographer. Such light can be either directional or diffuse, depending on the photographer’s task. For example, if you don’t need to touch anything in the facial plastic surgery, but only need to remove the shadow under the chin, you can send a directed light beam there. In any case, the modeling light should always be several stops weaker than the key light so as not to create shadows.

The third type of light is fill. This is general uniform illumination. In terms of intensity, such light should be weaker than the main light, usually by two or three levels. Rule: the brighter the fill light, the weaker the pattern, the lower the light contrast, the flatter the image. It is advisable to install the fill light source from above, behind the photographer’s back. It is best if the light flux is diffused. The photographer's task is to find such a balance between key and fill light in order to show the object in the most three-dimensional way. It is worth adding that modeling scattered light can also partially play the role of filler.
Back (or contour). This light reveals the shape of the entire object or any part of it. The backlight source is located behind the object at a close distance from it. This lighting produces a light contour line that can expand as the intensity increases or the light source moves further away from the subject.
Background light. Illuminates the background against which the object is depicted. It solves two problems - it creates additional spatial depth and illuminates the background, emphasizing its color and texture. Its intensity is less than the illumination given by general and key light. It can be uniform or uneven. It is better to set the background light so that the light areas of the object are drawn on a dark background, and the dark areas on a light one.
Key light + modeling light- the simplest and most effective light arrangement scheme. The photographer can only correctly orient the model in the illuminating light in order to find the most successful relief, and correctly place the reflector in order to best soften this relief.
We used a small reflector. The drawing has softened compared to one drawing source, but not enough. There are still deep shadows below.
So far we have only looked at photos with light sources located in front of the model. To reveal the shape of the model or any part of it, backlight (or contour) back sliding light is used. To do this, you need to install a source that will shine on the model from behind. You can send two light streams to the model at once. One is a little more intense, the other is weaker. The subject will be pulled away from the background and will have additional volume.

Photo 5. Drawing + filling + modeling. The modeling light brought the chin out of the shadows and made the entire face pattern soft. The image became plastic, the face gained volume. But it feels like the whole figure is glued to the background.

Photo 6. Drawing + filling + modeling + backing. The model separated from the background, her hair glowed. The figure has more volume.

Photo 7. Drawing + filling + modeling + background + background. The background light slightly enhanced the backlight and slightly complemented the fill. In addition, we lit the background so that the lighter side of the model was in the shaded areas, and the darker side was in the light areas of the background. This emphasized the volume of the model and enhanced the sense of versatility. A dark background added depth to the photo, while a light background added lightness and airiness.

We thank fashion model Nadezhda Gorbunova for her patience and kindness.

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Both children and adults like it. Here's another great idea: wall decorations, paintings and drawings can be created using luminescent paints that glow in the dark. The mesmerizing effect is suitable not only for a club, bar or gaming room, but also for an apartment! Let's see this together.

Luminescent paints and their properties

The human eye sees only part of the light spectrum, which ranges from violet to dark red. We are not able to perceive colors outside this area. However, fluorescent materials become visible to us when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Moreover, they begin to glow. What is needed for this? Fluorescent paints and ultraviolet lamp. And then we will tell you how to apply this knowledge to decorate your own interior.

Ultraviolet lamp to decorate your interior

Living spaces decorated with fluorescent patterns acquire a special, mystical mood. Are you good at drawing? Decorate your apartment yourself! Paints, a lamp and your own imagination are all you need for this. Just note that the paint used on the walls is not intended for leather. If you want to paint not only on the walls, but also on yourself, purchase separate paint for these purposes.

Drawing of the starry sky on the ceiling

Bright luminescent paints can be either visible or transparent. Visible paint does not need an ultraviolet lamp, although under the influence of ultraviolet this magnificent effect occurs - they begin to glow. Transparent colors can only be seen under the influence of a lamp. They are ideal, for example, for pictures on the bedroom ceiling depicting the starry sky.

Volumetric luminous pictures on the ceiling

Neon colors allow you to create impressive three-dimensional images that completely change the atmosphere in the room. Are you interested in the East? The temple in the jungle will set you in the right mood for meditation.

Creating wall pictures using luminescent paints

You don't have to jump straight into a large-scale, wall-sized piece of art. You can start with a painting on canvas. Moreover, here you have a choice: you can use your own talents, or you can buy a “do it yourself” option with a stencil and spray paints.

Abstract art exposed to ultraviolet light

Many artists gravitate towards abstract drawings that contain deep meaning. Neon colors will add zest to such paintings: visible even in daylight, they begin to glow under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

Starry sky on the ceiling of a home theater

Are you planning to organize a home theater? This is a zone where you want something unusual. A starry sky on the ceiling would be a great idea to set the mood for watching a movie. The feeling of being under the open night sky. Ultraviolet lamps are retracted beyond the edge of the drywall and provide unobtrusive diffused light.

Playground in fluorescent colors

Laser tag is a popular game in America, the area for which is often painted with fluorescent paints. The same effect is used in bowling centers and mini golf courses located in a darkened area. Clients are always happy with the unusual lighting experience, and children will definitely be in seventh heaven.

Airbrush with fluorescent paints - drawing of the Universe on the wall

The airbrush allows you to paint large areas with fluorescent paints. However, such paints are intended only for interior spaces.

Glowing pictures for children

Many children are afraid of the dark and cannot fall asleep without a night light. Therefore, fluorescent pictures can be not only a beautiful decoration, but also a means for good sleep child.

Glowing pictures in the nursery - what should you consider?

Before you bring the idea of ​​a luminous painting to life, you must be sure that the room is really dark in the evening. The glare from street lamps and lighting from neighboring rooms will reduce the effectiveness of the glowing picture. In complete darkness, every detail of the picture will be clearly visible.

Transparent fluorescent paints

The scenery, which is visible only in the dark, is painted using transparent fluorescent paints. Very unusual: additional effects occur only when the ultraviolet lamp is turned on.

Glowing pictures in a nursery with an ultraviolet lamp on and off

Before you start painting your walls with fluorescent paint, cover your furniture with protective film, just like you would for regular wall painting. If part of the design is visible during the day, pay attention to the fact that the design looks attractive both with the ultraviolet lamp on and off.

Underwater world in neon colors

Neon colors allow you to paint with a 3D effect that kids will love. It is better to make drawings on a large area (in a party hall, on a playground) with visible colors so that guests can enjoy them both in daylight and in the darkness of the evening.

Drawings on the walls with neon paints

Fluorescent paints are suitable for decorating themed establishments. For the best effect, the wall or ceiling primer should be white, then the pictures will glow better.

Fluorescent paints in decoration

Fluorescent paints provide unlimited possibilities in decoration. Even painted jars placed on a table or shelves will add charm to your party.

What is glow photography and why is its popularity growing? A luminous photograph is a photograph printed on special photographic paper coated with a thin layer of Acmelight™ luminescent paint. Luminescent paint has the ability to accumulate light energy and release it in the dark; simply put, it glows for 6-8 hours in the dark.

How long does the photo last?

The service life of such paper is several decades, and unlike ordinary photo paper, it does not turn yellow over time. During the day you will see a regular photo, at night a photo with a green or blue glow.

Who needs a glowing photo?

A luminous photograph is surprising, it is unusual and beautiful. Such photographs are filled with emotions and memories. With the help of a luminous photo, you can decorate and diversify the interior, and due to its versatility, such decor will be appropriate both in an apartment and in office spaces.

For restaurants, it would be a good idea to print out photos of celebrities, and in children's cafes - images of your favorite cartoon characters. You can print on luminous photo paper Business Cards, corporate calendars, souvenir maps of the world. Any of your “photo ideas” will become bright and unusual, and will give a piece of magic to those around you.

Luminous paper is sold in a variety of formats. You can find out how to buy luminous paper from the company's managers.

Marina BOBROVA

Read more:

Luminous graduation albums

One of the creative solutions that will become a highlight in your business and attract customers is to offer glow-in-the-dark graduation albums! The luminous photograph is printed on special luminescent paper Akmilight, which...

Glowing paint in the dark looks simply incredible, giving a huge scope for imagination when using it. In this article we will consider the principle of operation of such paint, its characteristics and give advice on choosing. Let's talk about the technology for making luminous paint at home.

Composition and principle of action of luminous paint

Luminescence is the ability of materials to glow with the onset of darkness or when the artificial light source is turned off. This effect can be given to any object by treating it with a special luminous paint, which is also called phosphor, luminescent, fluorescent or self-luminous.

Enamel accumulates light energy during the day, and then continuously releases it in the dark. The duration of “work” of such paint without external lighting is about 8-12 hours. The cumulative glow process is a continuous cycle and can be used for several years.

The glow of the paint occurs due to the presence of a special component - phosphor (luminescent pigment). Glow powder adapts well to environment, frost- and heat-resistant, has stable chemical, physical properties and long service life - more than 30 years. It is used for both external and internal work.

The phosphor is combined with a transparent carrier, usually an acrylic, alkyd or polyurethane-based varnish. The standard proportion of components is 1:3. The type of varnish does not affect the brightness of the glow, but this criterion largely determines the scope of the paint and the durability of the coating.

Scope of application of reflective paints

Glowing paints have a wide range of applications.

1. The material is in demand when creating a luminous effect in the interior, for decorative finishing of ceilings, walls, applying artistic painting, in the interior design of cafes and night clubs.

2. Original design of furniture, paintings, interior items.

3. For body art and creating glowing makeup and manicure.

4. Decoration of artificial or live flower arrangements.

6. For wooden fences, gazebos and window frames.

7. Applications in silk screen printing - advertising stickers, posters, notepads, etc.

8. Bicycle and car tuning: luminous wheels, hubcaps, calipers, bicycle spokes and frames, protective helmets, spectacular designs on the car body.

9. Creation of warning signs and protective clothing.

Types of luminous paints and features of their use

Glowing paints can be roughly classified according to basic parameters.

Type of active substance (luminescent pigment)

Fluorescent paint, glowing in ultraviolet rays: such paint will not glow on its own, the fluorescent effect disappears after turning off the UV lamp. This type of paint is very often used when decorating exteriors, club rooms and car tuning.

Acrylic varnish is most often used as a base, which makes the coating safe for health. The pigment can have different colors; red, green, pink and yellow look the most impressive.

Glowing (luminescent) paint based on a phosphor: the painted product glows in the dark, releasing the accumulated energy of the sun. To “recharge” this paint, 10-15 minutes of bright daylight or artificial lighting is enough.

Reflective paint begins to glow when light rays hit it. Mainly used for territory markings, road markings, reflective elements and signs. This enamel significantly increases the level of safety in industrial enterprises and roads.

Phosphorescent paint contains an active pigment - phosphorus, which is dangerous to human health. Phosphorus paint is used for car decoration and interior decoration. They try not to use it in the interior, and replace it with paint with a phosphor.

Degree of transparency

Colorless (translucent) in normal light they are practically invisible and have a slight whitish tint. In the dark, the paint glows blue or yellow-green.

Colored paints visible in daylight and emit light in the dark. Often colored enamel contains a phosphor and fluorescent pigment, which allows it to manifest its properties under UV rays and in complete darkness.

The composition of the paints and the presence of special components is determined by the intended purpose of the enamel:

• paint for PVC surfaces and plastics - contains polyurethane-mineral resins that improve the adhesion of materials;
• flower paints are made on the basis of water-acrylic dispersion, which does not harm plants;
• heat-resistant paint for treating metal and glass surfaces - contains polyphenyl resins (maximum permissible temperature exposure is +500 ° C);
• paints for aquatic environments - durable water-repellent polyurethane varnish is used.

Comparative characteristics of luminous paints from different manufacturers

The technology for making luminous paints is quite simple and does not require expensive equipment. Therefore, today a large number of large and small enterprises are engaged in the production of luminescent and fluorescent enamels. Let's compare the products of some of them:

How to make glowing paint with your own hands

You can prepare the coloring mixture yourself. To work you will need the following components and tools:

• phosphor;
• varnish suitable for the type of coating;
• varnish solvent;
• glass or ceramic containers.

Sequence of preparing luminous paint:

1. Pour the varnish into the prepared container.
2. Add luminescent pigment. The amount of phosphor will determine the brightness of the paint and the saturation of the glow; the indicator ranges from 15-50%. The optimal proportion of pigment is 30%.
3. In order for the phosphor to be better distributed, you need to add a little solvent to the composition. The amount of solvent should not exceed 1% of the total mass.
4. Mix the paint until it has a homogeneous consistency.

This technology produces transparent enamel. If desired, you can add a color to the composition, which will give the desired shade to the surface.

To obtain a uniform and rich glow of objects during painting, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. The surface of the product must be clean and dry.
2. The paint must be thoroughly mixed before use, since the phosphor particles precipitate over time.
3. The second coat of paint must be applied after the first has dried. The interval between paintings should be at least 1-1.5 hours.
4. The brightest glow will be on a plain white surface; a dark base absorbs more emitted energy, so when painting some products it is recommended to pre-treat the surface with white primer.
5. When working with phosphorus paints, you need to take care of personal protective equipment: glasses with side shields, gloves and a respirator. Painting should be done in a well-ventilated area.

Thanks to their unique properties, luminous paints have found application in a variety of fields, and you can prepare the coloring composition yourself - just adhere to the given proportions and simple technology.