..in his F.A.Q. book, as being best for painting...does anyone know what this would be called in USA? The pic in his book looks like a regular lightbulb with blue glass, I have a "Reveal" light bulb by GE, but it's not really blue like the one Mig shows, plus it seems to be frosted on the inside too.

Thanks for any help.

I'd also like to thank Mig for his great book. You only have to read the intro and biography stuff to realize what a great person he is, if you didn't know already from his many generous contributions to the hobby. Kudos to him for all he's done.

Michael Smith

..howdy & Gudday,

got the same book, and cross checked it with a bunch of photography books I had, and here is my two brass yazoo's worth....

clear bulbs will leave harsh shadows

frosted globes will give a softer light, not sure if there will be a colour shift because of this. doubt it, but have done no testing of anykind for this.

another thought is that rather then have a pair of spot globes, my ramshackle overcrowded bench has one clear globe (one of those halogen suckers - nice and bright) which i use for construction, finishing, etc.

For painting, i use an OTT light, which is a flouro tube, close to daylight standard. easy on the eyes, dosent throw off colour (unlike a cheap flouro, which can casue hideous colour shifts.....arrrghhh!!!)

As for sources, as good light shop, the kind that sells lamps and light fitting, should be able to help. Explain you need a globe for doing hobby/ colour work. Tungsten blue should be a recognisable term, pretty universal, really.
cross check with a good photograpgry store/ website, or check the photo dg here....

How old is the GE globe? globes can age.....
as an experiment, look around next time your'e in a mall etc, where there a lot of flouro tubes. count how many shades of white you can see.

Ultimately, its your personal choice, comfort, budget, yet everyone has to start somewhere....

cheers
Jamie

without seeing the FAQ pics my guess as a photographer is that the bulbs are colour balanced photo bulbs. The blue coating balances the amber warmth of an un-colour balanced incandescent bulb. The big "BUT" here, always a "but", this kind of buld generates LOTS of heat. Almost too much heat to work near-these babies will melt you and your model. My feeling is that what is seen in the pics is a European version of our Reveal bulb which has a colour correcting layer in the bulb.
Personally I use 2 "Reveal" bulbs and a central OTT light and I bathe my entire workbench in balanced light

...I hope you can read it. My apologies for my delay.

The bulbs that I use is standard, normal tugtene bulbs, but as you say with blue glass.

The light that it give is same than the classic normal "red-organge" tugetene bulbs, but the blue glass give a more neutral "white" light.

Of course, under a PHOTO CAMERA point of view, both bulbs (blue and normal) give a orange-red light...and you need use white balance in your camera, but I use these ones just for WORK, just to paint, because our eyes is not a camera.

The blue bulbs offer to our eyes a more neutral and white light thna the normal bulbs.

Students use these ones to study , because is good for read books. And is available in any store, big markets...etc...

Let me know if its help.

All the best

MIG

Hi Mate,

Those lamp units are just called daylight bulbs and work in a similar way to the OTT light.

If you cannot find them in an electrical outlet, go to the shops that sell sewing or embroidery goods as that is where I get mine from all of the time.

John