the kid Posted May 15, 2004 Share Posted May 15, 2004 I was looking through my swatch and was just wondering how do they come up with the numbers? Because theres seems to be no logical order or is that how it's ment to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benweblight Posted May 16, 2004 Share Posted May 16, 2004 I dont see how their could be any!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted May 16, 2004 Share Posted May 16, 2004 I was looking through my swatch and was just wondering how do they come up with the numbers? Because theres seems to be no logical order or is that how it's ment to be.A lot of it goes back to the original Strand colour ranges when all you had was 50 colours or less to play with. People have since stuck with those numbers and had to slot in others as the the range expanded. In 1978 Strand made #2 = #78 with gaps. So the original #35, Deep Golden Amber has become Lee #135, #64, Medium Red has become Lee #164, Flame Red. There was never a Strand #32 for instance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 Just to take the story further: So Lee came along and copied the Strand colours with a 1 in front of then (Strand 19 becomes Lee 119 etc). Then Rosco came along and copied these colours, releasing them with the same numbers in their E-colour range, but also came up with a whole set of original colours (:)!) under the banner 'Supergel'. These colours run through Bastard Ambers, to yellows, to oranges, to reds, to pinks, to purples, to blues, to blue-greens to greens. A sensible order, in other words, though (as before) with some numbers not used to allow for expansion later. These colours sold well so Lee decided to copy them, releasing a range based on Supergel but with the prefix 0 (thus Supergel #89 - Moss Green equals Lee 089 - Moss Green). Lovely! Easy to understand. Unfortunately, the companies then decided to add extra colours and fill in some of the missing numbers. Here they each invented their own unmbers so Supergel #03 is Dark Bastard Amber (makes sense as #02 is Bastard Amber and #04 is Medium Bastard Amber) but Lee 003 is Lavender Tint. B*ll*cks! Then we got the 3?? series, some of which make some sense (e.g. 328 is a paler version of 128) and others of which don't (e.g. 341 Plum is an all new colour). Finally, along came the 7?? series which, number wise, makes no sense at all, but which is good because the colours were designed by respected professional lighting designers, so at least they will all have a use. Confused yet? You will be! By the way, if you're a student looking to learn colours remember that the biggest mistake students make is to try to remember the names that go with the numbers. Knowing a name doesn't help you design lighting; you need to know what the colour is. I know the colour of probably 100 different gels, but the names of only about 20! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the kid Posted May 17, 2004 Author Share Posted May 17, 2004 well now im just going to have to read that until I do understand and just to add this in to the topic as it does surround colours. Are there any colours that are genneraly liked with era's ie bright and deep colour's like some red's and blues for 90's. The main question is what colours can be liked with the 40's tp 50's era? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 The main question is what colours can be liked with the 40's tp 50's era?Well, sunlight has been the same colour in every era since I've been alive! I take it, you mean for lighting music? If so, there really aren't colours linked with eras. If you want to light 40s-50s era music (jazz, big band, early rock n roll etc) you'll be wanting to mix primaries probably, with the accent on reds and blues with white or pale gold from the front. Don't forget that they wouldn't have had a lot of lanterns to play with in those days. Prior to the 40s lighting was mostly used just to light faces and maybe pretty-up the backdrop. By the 60s people had discovered effects lighting and were starting to experiment more. In the early 40s a lot of people were more worried about not being bombed than chosing gel! If you are talking about drama set in the 40s-50s, then do the same as you would for any other drama. Look at colours that will compliment the set, look good on faces and create the correct mood. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the kid Posted May 17, 2004 Author Share Posted May 17, 2004 Actually its a play festival style (one act) and its set in one place a house no room changes so I dont need to worry about different fixtures for different lights etc the only thing is a chair that moves this is deing delt with. I was thinking something like L103 and L443 as a genneral wash with maybe some amber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 The moving chair shouldn't affect the lighting if your general wash is good. Don't start highlighting things unless they are particularly needed as specials, just go for a good even general wash. Your choice of colours sounds good as long as the set is painted a complimentary colour. If it's an orangey colour try using 147 or 108 as your deeper colour, if it's pinky try using 154 or 176. If it's yellowy or just generally "warm" then your choices will work very well. All of these will keep the warmth you sound like you're after, without losing the colour in the set. Don't add extra colour just for the sake of it (e.g. "maybe some amber"). There should always be a reason for every colour used. Amber might be useful to suggest warmth coming from a fire or a sunset coming through the window, but otherwise keep it simple and realistic. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuxlux Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 I was looking through my swatch and was just wondering how do they come up with the numbers? Because theres seems to be no logical order or is that how it's ment to be. Gam seem to take a more ordered approach, Gam however, I'm not going to comment on the name of their company! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzette Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 GAM = Great American Market (I believe!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blame Jono Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I was looking through my swatch and was just wondering how do they come up with the numbers? Because theres seems to be no logical order or is that how it's ment to be. Rosco's number system is a lot more sensible they have 3 figures so that you can slot new colours in.But Lee like Brian said had a small range at first and as it expanded just had to wack new colours on the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Rosco's number system is a lot more sensible they have 3 figures so that you can slot new colours in. Actually the Rosco Supergel range only uses 2 figures (#01 thru #96) UNLIKE everyone else who uses 3. Rosco E-Colour uses 3 figures which mirror the Lee range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the kid Posted May 21, 2004 Author Share Posted May 21, 2004 Rosco E-Colour uses 3 figures which mirror the Lee range. I've got a e-colour numeric one and it goes up to 4 figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 True. They added some new colours with a 50 prefix which don't mirror Lee or Supergel on the whole. There are some links though e.g. 5059 Indigo resembles #59 Indigo. Trouble is, there are so many names for blues and lavenders that they're having to resort to names like 'Hyacinth' and 'Dewberry'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potassium Neuf Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Why can't they all use a standard numbering system ? Probably for the same reason that different fixture manufacturers all have slightly different way of naming and implementing fixture parameters, and have the annoying habit of putting several functions on one channel, or having three different sets of functions depending on what value is currently set on a different channel etc.... realises this probably should go in the Pet hates topic :huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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