PAINTING WITH LIGHT.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17740, 17 April 1923, Page 5

PAINTING WITH LIGHT.

l>r. M. Lucldesh, Director of Applied Science in the Nela Research Laboratories, National Lamp Works of the General Electric Company, an authority on decorative lighting of homes, declares that light is a powerful and vital factor in influencing the mood or expression of a room, adding that a purely decorative use of light is as justifiable S any other ornamentation.

"The charm of coloured light in residence lighting is real potential," lie said, in a recent statement. The possibilities of coloured nght extend beyond those of colour in decoration? The same colour harmonies may be obtained but the superior advantages of a mobile medium such as light are obvious.

"Coloured light may 4ve used for its expressive value or for its psychological effect. Light to live with should be tinted sq that the colour is felt

rather than seen; thaS is,- it should provide atmosphere without forcing it- , self upon one as a colour. I "Colour is in light, but not in ob- ! jects. so that by controlling the colour of tlie light a powerful influence is available. A room may be cold, ex- , citing, tranquilising, by virtue of the ; colour of the light. | "The distribution of light of differ- i ent tints may be controlled. "Warm | light may be diffused upward and about | the room from a tinted shade or from tinted lamps. Cold or unaltered light | may be directed downward. In fact a ( vast variety of lighting effects may b© . produced in a room with a fixed de- i corative scheme. j "Some fixtures should produce light from a purely decorative standpoint, j Wall brackets slioifld 'be used as bits j of ornamentation —bright spots of lighy and colour. The light sources used in them should be small and they should j be equipped with dense decorative j shades. From davonport lamps, light j for reading or sewing is produced and | the shades should be so constructed i that they conceal the light sources, j From candlesticks equipped with tint-

Ed lamps and colourful shades, spots of light and colour ara painted. "Antiques, such as old Chinese lanterns. are interesting lighting ornaments. If they-are uired and equipped with flashlight lamps .and small transformers so they produce just a tiny spark, they are unusual and unique dcorations.' Lighting ornaments such as torcliteres are very effective and expressive in producing colour and. lightas decorations. "All these are ornaments even when unlighted, but with the addition of tbu bright spark they leap into life and become many times more_ interesting. All fixtures should be artistic because they are visible. However, the lighting effects which they produce axe of greater importance than the appearance of the fixture itself." • Dr. Luclriesh upholds the use of localised lighting as distinguished from peneral lighting supplied by a ceiling fixture, for all except unusual occasions in the home. He contends that it caifliot be enjoyable to live for houri under a veritable flood of light, and urges portable lamps as more desirable than ceiling fixtures for this reason.