Custom Gobos from Angstrom Lighting
Using custom gobos, Showtime and Lions Gate projected their logos at this event for the TV show "Weeds." Also projected on the wall to the right: a flower pattern using standard gobos. (Courtesy of Jon Newlander, Blackburst Productions)
RELATED VIDEOS:Imagine your guests walking into your event.
To the left is your company logo (or if the event is a wedding, the names of the bride and groom) projected against the wall, six feet high. To the right is the title of your conference or a tagline or a photograph of the wedding couple enclosed within a heart—also six feet high. All around are a variety of projected images and shapes—stars, flowers, Cupids—which lend an air of magic to the atmosphere. Some of these images even dance and spin throughout your event space, passing over walls, tables, the floor—even people's faces!
All of this can be accomplished with image projection, and the key to making this magic happen is the gobo. A gobo is a small disc made of steel or glass, which is inserted into a light fixture such as a Source Four. When light passes through the gobo, the image is projected wherever you point the fixture.
For more about gobos, see below or check out our video, What the Heck Is a Gobo?.
And for information on how to order a custom gobo pattern, see below or check out our video, How to Order a Custom Gobo.
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Gobos can be projected onto any surface, like the ceiling of this tent. (Lighting design by Angstrom Lighting. Photography by Topher Best.)
With only two steel gobo patterns and some creative lighting, we projected this gift image on the side of the Angstrom building. (Lighting design by Mike Zinman, Zinman and Associates.)
Custom Gobos: What to Consider
Steel gobos
Glass gobos
Glass gobos are ideal for color images
A Rosco ImagePro slide
The Rosco ImagePro projector
There are a few things you'll need to consider before ordering a custom gobo.
Steel or Glass?
There are two types of gobos: steel and glass.
Steel gobos are the least expensive type of gobo, and they can last quite a long time. Steel gobos are best for images that have only one color or shade. Manufacturers such as Apollo, GAM and Rosco offer thousands of standard steel patterns for you to choose from: holiday themes, religious symbols, clouds, leaves, sports, cityscapes, abstract shapes and more.
Turnaround time for a custom steel gobo is three (3) business days.
If your image contains multiple shades and/or multiple colors, you'll probably want to get a glass gobo. Glass gobos can last even longer than steel gobos. However, glass gobos are far more expensive than steel.
Turnaround time for a custom glass gobo is up to five (5) business days, depending on the complexity of the image.
An Alternative to Custom Glass Gobos: the Rosco ImagePro Slide
If you have a multi-colored image but plan to use your custom gobo only once or twice—and you don't want to pay for an expensive full-color glass gobo—you might consider turning your image into a Rosco ImagePro slide instead.
The Rosco ImagePro slide is a small sheet of translucent material that fits into a Rosco ImagePro projector. The projector is then inserted into a lighting fixture such as a Source Four.
Rosco ImagePro slides may not give you the same rich colors as a full-color glass gobo—and they're only good for one or two uses before the image starts to fade. But for color images, they're a relative inexpensive alternative to glass gobos.
The other advantage to getting a custom Rosco ImagePro slide is a short turnaround time: one business day.
How Much Do Custom Gobos Cost?
| Steel | $99 ea. (plus tax) $29 shipping Duplicates: $39 ea. |
| Glass (black & white) | $158 ea. (plus tax) $39 shipping Dulicates: $98 ea. |
| Glass (two-color) NOTE: "Two-color" actually means one color plus a black background, e.g. pink letters on a black background. |
$399 ea. (plus tax) $39 shipping Duplicates: $290 ea. |
| Glass (multi-color) | $645 ea. (plus tax) $39 shipping Duplicates: $485 ea. |
Rosco ImagePro Slide |
$50 ea. (plus tax) |
Rosco ImagePro Projector/Source Four rental combination |
$60/wk. |
What You'll Need
To use a gobo image at your event, you'll need to buy/rent the following:
- One or more gobos—standard or custom, made of either steel or glass (see below for another image projection option, the Rosco ImagePro slide)
- A pattern holder
- A light fixture (such as a Source Four)
- A C-stand on which to place the light fixture (not all fixtures will need this)
There are optional items as well, such as gel (to change the color of your projected image), diffusion, rotators (a pattern holder that allows your image to rotate) and a variety of other ways to modify the image you're projecting. For more information on these options, call us at 866-275-9211 or contact us through our online form.
Image Formats
When you're ready to send us the image for your custom gobo, we recommend emailing us a "photo-ready" electronic file. We accept the following graphical formats:
| JPEG GIF TIFF |
PNG BMP |
Adobe Illustrator file (.ai) Adobe Photoshop file (.psd) Encapsulated PostScript Files (.eps) |
Even a clean fax, ad slick, photo print or 35mm slide will work, but require more turnaround time.
If you have any other questions about custom gobos, such as artwork, pattern size (which varies depending upon the fixture used), and the relationship between projection distance and the size of the projected image, call us at 866-275-9211 or contact us through our online form.
Angstrom has provided custom gobos to countless satisfied customers over the years. We look forward to providing you with the custom gobo or Rosco ImagePro slide that will best suit your needs.
Call 866.275.9211 or contact us to order or ask questions
