Translight panels

[Cujo3131]

Morning crew!

Looking for information on building or putting together translight panels... specifically those that you might see ala Lcars (Star trek), B5, or Battlestar.

I have some photo and dark room resources available to me and I would like to try to put a few displays together. Any resources, info etc you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

BTW, these will just be "static" displays... not touchscreens or interactive.

Thanks for the help mates!

Cujo

 

[Cujo3131]

>>>>>bump<<<<<<<

 

[micdavis]

If you are talking about the process they used by making b&w films and backing them with colored gels. That isn't necessary anymore.

If you find the right graphics shop, you should be able to get your layouts printed directly on Translight from your digital files. The only trick is getting your color densities right so they light up nice and bright.

 

[Cujo3131]

Hey Mic.....

Thanks for the heads up! That would be nice... but somehow I have the feeling that I am not going to be able to shop near me in Nowhere, Wisconsin that is going to have translight material. Perhaps my best bet is hooking up with someone who can get the materials.... provide my files and cash and get them done for me....


Was just trying to think of a cheap way of doing it using the resources I already had at hand

Cujo

 

[BornKilr]

not sure what kinda quality you need, but one way to do this cheaply, get some vellum paper (art store show carry) and print the art on it with a decent inkjet printer Its probably going to be rather pale, but you can print 2 copies and align them together and tape them where it won't show. Or sandwich them between acrylic sheets. Otherwise, the sign shop translite is the best way.

 

[Cujo3131]

Is there a difference between translight and backlit film?

If I am contacting graphic arts shops, what should I ask for?

Newb questions I know... but we all learn somehow...

Cujo

 

[BornKilr]

Translight was the original name of the Kodak film based version. Its been kind of adapted as the generic name. Main difference is the film version would give you a continuous tone image. like a photo. The graphic shop I work at, we produce them on large format solvent based inkjet printers, so they will have a stochastic dot pattern, like you see on a desktop inkjet, but the ink will be much more vibrant and opaque.

 

[logan74k]

I believe another difference you may find between film and printed translight material is the depth of the black portion:

with film it is always dead black, no light gets through.

using translight material it will depend on the black ink being used, but generally unless you compensate with further layers, your darks will be more washed out. You can spot this effect in a lot of the printed panels fans make for themselves.

To address your original question - I own a translight from TNG, back when they did it old school with the colored gels. For production it looks like they just spray mounted the main color gel sheet onto the back, then gently cut out the relevant shapes and peeled off what was unnecessary. The front (main) sheet is clear polyester film with black emulsion on the backside.