How To Use Wash Lighting To Stand Out
Wash lighting offers an exceptional opportunity to craft ambiance for and infuse vibrancy into your next event. Its versatility knows nearly no bounds; It can be used for everything from lively parties to elegant weddings and dynamic live performances.
Typically resembling a ‘can’ in shape, a wash light is a versatile tool that many opt to utilise singularly. While this approach is effective, experimenting with multiple ‘cans’ and/or a spectrum of colours can yield an even more visually captivating result.
Understanding Wash Lighting
Wash lighting refers to a type of lighting design technique commonly used in events, performances, and architectural illumination. It involves the use of broad, soft beams of light to bathe a large area or surface evenly, creating a uniform and diffused illumination.
The term “wash” derives from the notion of “washing” or covering an area with light, much like an artist painting with broad strokes. A wash light system typically utilises fixtures to help emit a wide beam angle and are often equipped with colour mixing functionalities.
Wash lighting serves multiple purposes, including:
- Setting Ambiance
- Highlighting Features
- Providing Background Illumination
- Adding Colour Effects
The Benefits of Using Wash Lighting
Using wash stage lighting offers a range of benefits, making it an indispensable tool in event planning and production:
1. Ambiance Enhancement
A wash-style lighting system is unparalleled in its ability to set the mood and create ambiance. By bathing a space in soft, diffused light, it can evoke a range of emotions, from intimacy and warmth to excitement and energy.
2. Colour Customisation
With wash lighting, you have complete control over the colour palette of your event. Whether you desire a subtle monochromatic scheme or a vibrant rainbow effect, wash lights can seamlessly transition between hues allowing for endless creative possibilities.
3. Versatility
One of the standout advantages of wash lighting is its flexibility in application. It can be used in a wide array of settings, from indoor venues to outdoor landscapes, as stationary or moving lights and is suitable for various events, including weddings, concerts, corporate functions, and theatrical productions.
4. Highlighting Features
It can accentuate architectural elements, décor, and focal points within a space to draw attention to key features and enhance visual interest. You can also use a three point lighting setup if necessary.
This latter option consists of three primary light sources strategically positioned around a subject to provide ample illumination while creating both dimension and depth as well.
5. Flexibility in Design
Whether you prefer a minimalist approach with a single wash light or a more elaborate setup with multiple fixtures, moving lights and intricate lighting designs, this lighting rig offers flexibility to cater to your specific aesthetic vision.
6. Energy Efficiency
Many modern wash lights utilise energy-efficient LED technology, consuming minimal power while delivering impressive brightness and colour rendering. This not only reduces energy costs but also contributes to sustainability efforts without having to sacrifice how bright your lights are.
7. Ease of Installation and Control
With advancements in lighting technology, wash lights are now easier than ever to install, program, and control on your stage. Wireless connectivity, DMX compatibility, and intuitive control interfaces empower users to customise lighting effects with precision and ease.
How To Use Wash Lighting to Stand Out
In this section, we’ll delve into the nuances of utilising this form of stage lighting effectively, uncovering tips and techniques to ensure your event shines brightly amidst the competition.
1. Keep It Clean and Simple
Employing a solitary wash light to illuminate and colour a designated area is a straightforward yet highly effective technique in lighting design.
By focusing the wash light on a specific zone, you can create a cohesive ambiance or establish a distinct mood within that space.
Employing consistent colour washes throughout a venue helps to unify the space and create a cohesive aesthetic, reinforcing the event’s branding or theme.
Ensure that the single wash light’s output is sufficient to adequately colour the targeted area, especially if you’re using a three point lighting system, taking into account factors such as distance, angle, and ambient lighting conditions.
Top Product Suggestion
If you’re looking for something low budget with plenty of power to do the job, the Beamz Slimpar is an excellent and powerful LED piece of hardware well suited for simple wash lighting purposes.
2. Mix Your Colours
Not every model of lighting will offer the same colours. Some have more options and some have less. If you want to get really creative, you can mix your colours to create a unique and awesome effect nevertheless.
Delving into colour mixing adds an extra layer of depth and creativity to your lighting setup. By blending different colours, you can craft dynamic and visually stunning effects that elevate the ambiance of your event to new heights.
To help you, consider the following basic colour theory breakdown.
RGB lighting stands for red, green and blue. Amber and White are often included in the pricier RGB cans. This presents the opportunity for the additive colour theory. You can mix colours by fading up and down the coloured LEDs or by pointing two lights in the same area from about the same position. For example, mixing red and blue can make a pink wash effect. This theory allows for deep colour mixing.
- Red at Full + Green at Full = Yellow
- Red at Full + Blue at Full = Magenta
- Green at Full + Blue at Full = Cyan
- Red at Full + Green at Full + Blue at Full = White
Top Product Suggestion
For something extra special, the Chauvet DJ Slimpar Pro H USB offers Red, Green, Blue, Amber, White and even UV Light! You can do some incredible colour mixing with this powerful model.
3. Remember: Colour Reflects Mood!
Creating an atmosphere for any event can be crucial.
The choice of colour plays a pivotal role in setting the tone, mood, and atmosphere of an event. Depending on the occasion, certain colour may be more suitable than others, and understanding the impact of colour psychology is essential for creating an immersive and memorable experience for attendees.
Depending on the occasion, you’ll want to select appropriate colours for your stage lighting. Some colours may be too harsh for an event. This is particularly important when it comes to stage lighting.
A general guide of colours and moods are as follows:
- Red is associated with Anger, Jealousy, and Fear
- Pink is associated with Love, Light and Airiness
- Yellow is associated with being Poppy, Bright and Happy
- Amber is associated with Awakening, Rootsy and Raw
- Green is associated with being Rootsy, Organic, Calming, Earthy
- Aqua is associated with being Gentle, Simple, and Water
- Blue is associated with Water, Night-time, Calmness, and being Sullen
- White is associated with being Open, Raw, and Unfiltered
The softer colours such as pink and amber might be more appropriate for weddings. On the other hand, the deeper colours might be better for a party.
If you want to get super creative, you can even create monochromatic colour schemes. This is perhaps more useful in stage lighting. Using different shades, saturations and the brightness can change the tone of the night.
Top Product: Amongst Chauvet DJ’s range of wash lighting is the SlimPar Pro Q USB. It features red, green, blue and amber diodes for incredibly rich colour options. It’s perfect for setting the tone of your next event.
4. Utilise Lighting Angles
If you have multiple par cans, you might even want to try different angles, making each can complement one another. This technique also ties in with colour mixing and can be used to great effect.
You can position the lights straight up or down. Maybe even try a triangle shape where two cans can cross over each other, creating a third colour.
Top Product Suggestion
For an old school effect, try a pin spot with a mirror ball. Chauvet DJ Pinspot lighting, for example, is perfect to aim at a mirror ball or for highlighting smaller areas such as a table.
Find the Right Wash Lighting For You
Mastering the art of wash lighting opens up a world of creative possibilities. By harnessing the power of colour, ambiance, and strategic illumination, you can transform any space into a mesmerising spectacle that enchants and captivates your audience’s attention.
Whether you’re illuminating a single area with a solitary wash light, experimenting with colour mixing for dynamic effects, or selecting appropriate hues to set the tone for the occasion, the key lies in intentionality and creativity.
So, the next time you’re planning an event, whether it’s a wedding, corporate gala, or live performance, don’t underestimate the transformative power of wash lighting. Embrace its versatility, experiment with its capabilities, and let your imagination soar as you create moments that truly stand out.
In the end, there is no right or wrong way to arrange stage lighting: If it looks good and achieves the desired effect, it’s right! There are no set rules. Just be creative and play around with it!
If you would like to see some wash lighting on display, feel free to visit your local DJ City store.
