The Light Saber 2.0

We were searching for a light that could provide us with clear lines and gradual shading. Preferably a light of which the shape could be easily manipulated.
This manipulation would be in the form of external parts with different holes, slides (for light intensity) and filters that can be connected to the light source. This way we could change the light according to what we wanted to draw.
Since the light sensitive emulsion used in the screen printing technique is sensitive to UV light only, finding the right light will be a challenge.

In our search we came across a light that is used inside terrariums to simulate daylight for lizards and other reptiles. This light is 13 watts and contains 0.5 UVB. Nobody could tell us what the 0.5 stood for, but we took it anyway. The light is shaped like an energy–saving light bulb and fits in a normal light socket.

We built a new device ('The Light Saber 2.0' you could say) that holds the light and has space on the front for different cut out patterns and colored filters. As a first test we used the same method like we did with the first lamp, so we treated the silkscreen with different amounts of light, with the ‘up and down motion’. When we washed away the unhardened material it unveiled that the light hadn’t had any effect on the silkscreen.

Hm.

We decided to do a simpler test in which we would hold the lamp on one place for 5 seconds, and then adding 5 seconds every next position we put the device in. This time the light did have an effect. At 10 seconds it had already hardened the emulsion.

Ok!

Then we rigged up the same setup like we did with the first ’Light Saber’ and dangled this version above the silkscreen for 5 minutes. We cleaned the screen afterwards and nothing appeared.

Hm.

Well, maybe it needed more time, as it is a pretty weak light (13 watts). So it hung and dangled for 20 minutes before we cleaned out the ‘window’. This still had no effect.

Conclusion… back to the old drawing board.