Tuesday, September 4, 2012

View The World Differently With Blacklight Paintings

By Chloe Gib


In art there are many different techniques and materials that are used to express the creativity of the artist. One such form is blacklight paintings, which utilizes the unique properties of compounds that glow or fluoresce under UV light. Some forms of the ink are even invisible under regular light situations.

Black light paints may either be invisible or fluorescent. In some case the paints are mixed with normally pigmented shades to brighten their appearance in daylight. What may appear to be a blank page in white light, or under normal light conditions, could be revealed as an intricate design in the presence of black light. The fluorescent version can be seen as bright colors in normal light conditions and give of visible light or glow under ultraviolet radiation or blacklight conditions.

The invention of fluorescent paint can be credited to Robert Switzer and his brother Joseph. After a fall Robert was instructed to remain in a dark room until his recovery. During that time he played with fluorescent minerals, that they found using a black light, and eventually mixed them with varnish and paints to develop the first blacklight paints.

Since the paints produce such vivid and psychedelic effects, they are commonly used in artwork. This artwork may present itself in the form of paintings on materials or in theater as body paintings. Some artists incorporate the use of normal pigments and ultraviolet pigments to bring about different effects when seen under the different light conditions. One such effect is the use of the invisible nature of the paints to add details to the artwork that would otherwise not be present in the absence of UV light, consequently resulting in creating two paintings in one.

Besides the many ways that black light ink can be used in art, other functions for it have been found. Probably one of the most valuable uses is as a security feature on items such as bank notes, tickets and certain certificates that are printed on paper. The inclusion of black light ink in the printing process prevents the documents from being reproduced using cheap high resolution printer. These types of printers are not able to use black light ink in the printing process.

Blacklight paints have also proved useful in some car control panels. The controls are illuminated using an inbuilt black light source at night so that they can be seen by the driver without disrupting his night vision. Bringing a fantasy world, in an amusement park, to life under the veil of night is now as simple as adding the invisible ink to the displays and illuminating them with a UV source.

It is clear from these many uses that blacklight ink has many uses besides just being used in artwork and paintings Within the art world though it has provided a whole new niche for artists to work in.




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