gtjet · 01-12-2006, 10:59 PM

I am triing to make some signage for a bowling alley and they want the sign to glow when they turn off the lights and turn on the black lights.

Any suggestions appreciated.

I noticed the paint on the lanes glows, does it have a UV agent in it?

Will a UV printer's ink glow under a black light?

They are going to try some samples of different material I left tonight. Originally I was thinking phosphorescent vinyl (coburns safe glow) as I can print on it I believe, which would be good but not sure it is really the solution.

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

bpatrick3 · 01-12-2006, 11:16 PM

I am almost positive that anything white will glow under black lights. The trick is to have the background as dark as possible so that the white really pops. I wonder if reflective white would work even better or it might be a real expensive white.
If you find out something different please post it,Thanks

gtjet · 01-12-2006, 11:37 PM

I will definitely do that. Thanks for the reply.

eye4clr · 01-13-2006, 12:17 AM

Lots of medias have optical brighteners in/on the surface. For setting up digital proofing systems this is undesirable. The way we test for it is to simply shine a black light on it. The more of these optical brighteners, the more it glows.

Maybe you can get with your media supplier and bring a small black light. The ink inhibits it though. So all that will glow will be the paper. You'll have to make your design to accomodate this; think of it like a negative.

Sounds like a fun project. Enjoy.

Neil · 01-13-2006, 07:12 AM

The "paints" that glow are the water based flourescent paints that we signwriters use for water color window splashes. These shine up real bright under black light.
In fact our bowling alley has an underwater theme and all the mural work was done by a signwriter using flat latex paint and flouro paints for the fish & sharks etc.. It looks killer. But, unfortunately, it's not a job for a digital printer.

Neil · 01-13-2006, 07:16 AM

Oh yeah, the flouro vinyls will work too.
Maybe you could cut the graphics or lettering out of flouro yellow or orange and design a dark background for it to go on.

gtjet · 01-13-2006, 12:13 PM

Wow, great replies. Now we are actually getting excited to get going with this project. Thanks to everyone

gtjet · 01-16-2006, 06:28 PM

We tried some vinyl under the a black light from wal-mart and wow the yellow flourescent vinyl really glows and all the flourescents we tried glowed.
Now we start designing.

01-12-2006, 10:59 PM	#1
gtjet Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nebraska Near Wyoming Border Posts: 227 Printer: Roland VersaCamm SP 300	Need something that will glow with a black light I am triing to make some signage for a bowling alley and they want the sign to glow when they turn off the lights and turn on the black lights. Any suggestions appreciated. I noticed the paint on the lanes glows, does it have a UV agent in it? Will a UV printer's ink glow under a black light? They are going to try some samples of different material I left tonight. Originally I was thinking phosphorescent vinyl (coburns safe glow) as I can print on it I believe, which would be good but not sure it is really the solution. Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions. __________________ Glenn & Pearl

01-12-2006, 11:37 PM	#3
gtjet Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nebraska Near Wyoming Border Posts: 227 Printer: Roland VersaCamm SP 300	I will definitely do that. Thanks for the reply. __________________ Glenn & Pearl

01-13-2006, 12:17 AM	#4
eye4clr Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 1,406 Printer: HP9000, HP45500, JV3, Onyx	Lots of medias have optical brighteners in/on the surface. For setting up digital proofing systems this is undesirable. The way we test for it is to simply shine a black light on it. The more of these optical brighteners, the more it glows. Maybe you can get with your media supplier and bring a small black light. The ink inhibits it though. So all that will glow will be the paper. You'll have to make your design to accomodate this; think of it like a negative. Sounds like a fun project. Enjoy. __________________ -- Pacific Print Works "For every big problem there is a simple answer, and it's wrong." - Author unknown

01-13-2006, 12:13 PM	#7
gtjet Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nebraska Near Wyoming Border Posts: 227 Printer: Roland VersaCamm SP 300	Wow, great replies. Now we are actually getting excited to get going with this project. Thanks to everyone __________________ Glenn & Pearl

01-16-2006, 06:28 PM	#8
gtjet Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nebraska Near Wyoming Border Posts: 227 Printer: Roland VersaCamm SP 300	We tried some vinyl under the a black light from wal-mart and wow the yellow flourescent vinyl really glows and all the flourescents we tried glowed. Now we start designing. __________________ Glenn & Pearl

01-12-2006, 11:16 PM	#2
bpatrick3 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Columbiana,Ohio Posts: 212 Printer: HP Design Jet 3000, SP540V, Orca I 55" laminator	I am almost positive that anything white will glow under black lights. The trick is to have the background as dark as possible so that the white really pops. I wonder if reflective white would work even better or it might be a real expensive white. If you find out something different please post it,Thanks

01-13-2006, 07:12 AM	#5
Neil Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 281 Printer: Roland Hifijet - mild solvent Hexachrome	The "paints" that glow are the water based flourescent paints that we signwriters use for water color window splashes. These shine up real bright under black light. In fact our bowling alley has an underwater theme and all the mural work was done by a signwriter using flat latex paint and flouro paints for the fish & sharks etc.. It looks killer. But, unfortunately, it's not a job for a digital printer.

01-13-2006, 07:16 AM	#6
Neil Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 281 Printer: Roland Hifijet - mild solvent Hexachrome	Oh yeah, the flouro vinyls will work too. Maybe you could cut the graphics or lettering out of flouro yellow or orange and design a dark background for it to go on.

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