Masking vs painting for light control question

KnightAsylum · Post by **KnightAsylum** » Sat May 05, 2007 9:53 am

I am going to be lighting a model case in clear resin. What seems to be the prefered method is to mask the window on the outside, and use aluminum tape to mask everything but the windows on the inside. All that is do-able, but my question is if the outside paint would work by itself, without the interior masking?
If you take a clear resin model, mask the windows on the outside, put some light source in it and then paint the outside with metalic silver, then gloss black, then primer, then paint the model as it should be for it's colors would those coats block the light?
Would they serve the same purpose as when people paint the insides black & silver (or white)?
I didn't want to discount a easier/faster method without asking if it will work first.
Thanks.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:01 pm

Depends on how you will be lighitng the resin. general 360 degree lighting inside the modle, will probably cause light bleed in areas where you don't intend to have light.

If you put a light in the general area where the clear resin should have a light the intensity of light getting to other areas should be pretty low. It will certainly help you see areas where the primer went on thin.

This is a very good question and I haven't done much experimenting with lighting in this manor. The closes thing was using the area 51 testors clear saucer section as a giant window section light indrectly by a 4 inch fluroscent tube.

http://www.kc6sye.com/images/images_11_ ... y_guts.jpg
http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_5_11_04.html
We used foil aorund more complex seams, to help block light and reflect it back around the insides (in theory atelast).
Here are the raw parts:
http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_9_5_03_b.html
http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_9_9_03.html

KnightAsylum · Post by **KnightAsylum** » Sat May 05, 2007 5:41 pm

Thanks for the input. It really does seem like the seams are the only place that would be trouble. If Paint works to block light on the inside (for people that paint the inside first) then adding those extra coats on the outside would seem to work as well. I don't really know how to block many of the seams anyway because the big - main ones - I can't get to on the inside after I put it together.
I am not sure how I am lighting it yet. It is alot of windows that should all look similar, so I guess whatever way will give me the most consistant light with the least amount of hassle. Instead of working my way into the lighting model game slowly I am jumping in into the deep end, lighting this trek ship as my first. Wheeeeee!
I can't experiment with this model, so I guess what would be great is finding some clear resin peices and testing things. I suppose it is safer to just follow what others have done and use the tape on the inside to block and reflect the light.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:34 am

Even with well sealed seems if the LED is pointing right out at a piece of resin or plastic it will shine through:
http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_4_11_04.html
We even sealed/lined the sconces, with foil, follow the link on the bottom of that page to Page II and you see that Mr. Surfacer finally did the light leakage in.

Here's an example of light leak that is in a trick place to seal, it lead to the use of foil on the inside to help eliminate light getting to these areas:
http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_2_8_04_i.html