Worship Lighting Colors
14 Comments Published by Camron Ware - Visual Worshiper November 17th, 2009 in Lighting Design, Visual Worship
I thought it would be helpful to share what colors I use the most in worship lighting, and WHY. Just as with imagery, I let the song/scripture/worship element drive where I go visually, but sometimes the lighting color needs to be the starting point , and the imagery can fit into that color. I generally use 1, 2, or 3 similar colors; or a slight variant of one color.
If I can only have one lighting color (besides and no-color front light/specials) I generally like to use blue. I figure, if there is no-color front light, I can dim that down for my warm looks, and the blue for my cool looks. Next color I want to add is red. After that, amber…
My take on worship lighting colors; and what mood they portray:
Red - Communion, death, blood, sacred, sadness. Good Friday service.
Blue - calm, peace, serenity. Typical for sky or night…
Amber/CTO – candle, warm, intimacy. Lots of response songs.
Yellow - happy, joy, loud. Easter service.
Purple/Magenta – royalty, majestic, color of Advent. (Dark purple – Lent)
White - cleansed. I like to pair red with pure white to communicate how we have been cleansed by the blood of Christ during certain worship elements.
I don’t use Green in worship. To me, it comes across as weird, alien, money, and not fitting in worship songs necessarily. If I’m doing green nature imagery, I go with amber lighting.
Yes, green can mean growth/life/renewal, but that’s just my opinion. I never understand when I see Red and Green lighting used in worship at the same time. They mean two completely separate moods. Life and death. Looks great on a Christmas card, and has powerful meaning (Christ’ life and death, brings us life…FROM death) but to me that doesn’t really translate to lighting to me.
What is your take on worship lighting colors?
Blue and magenta are my main two colors. I try to use other colors but it always comes back to those two lol. I also use orange and amber some. I agree with not using green it is a very rare thing and usually i only use it because it has ben asked for. I always try to have some pars with congo blue in them its a great color that can go well with almost anything.
Great post, Camron. Blue is one of my favorite colors, and magenta can bring a great feel to a service.
@Chris: Yeah, Congo is the ‘transition’ color usually – goes great with blue…red…
We don’t have a lot of colored lights at our church, but I definitely enjoy the feeling that blue brings across. Although it’s not as intense as red or yellow, it seems to transform the feeling of an environment more than any other color.
I tend to use lights and colored backgrounds in tandem with a mood rather than a specific theme. The progression of chords under a melody can combine to produce a certain mood or emotion in a song, and if you can find a color to compliment the mood of the song, it can be really powerful.
My favorites are pink and yellow combined. It reminds me of Miami…actually…any Miami Southbeach color is my favorite.
Camron I like the descriptions… but
why is blue used to described night? I mean it dark outside maybe dimly lit… but not blue..
I think green can be used it’s all about how you use it.. I have used it to light set pieces and fabrics, also I have used it as backlight with complementary colors mixed in mixed in. Though you have to consider skin tones… because darker skintones look dead/zombie like.
Though i do tend to stick to Magenta’s and Blues with Orange, Red’s and yellows as seconds.. though it all depends on the feel of the worship time.
I like congo in a mover… but in pars… it always seems like a waste. With only 2 % transmission rate it feel like a waste and it burns out fast.
@shortie: I don’t think he’s speaking of a bright blue. It would be a dark blue, and not at 100%. Blue is the color of the night sky on the night of a full moon as well. Its generally accepted in film circles that in order to fake a night shot you add a blue filter to get at least some what correct hues and tones.
Jeremy
I know what that video generally say throw a blue filter on it and it is “night”. I just don’t like it… I know that in theater people cheat night by using dark blues…. I think that low light and playing up shadows looks more like night. That is how I have lit night feeling…
it is a personal opinion..
@Jeremy: You know me well eh!?
@Shortie: Yes, I meant like; a dark blue. Rosco83 – used as backlight, GREAT night-time feel…used with stars…mmm. But yes, that’s just one example of how to re-create night. I generally am using darker blue clouds or stars with the deep blue light to create a calming, yet night time mood..
And I hear ya on the transmission rate – I’ve started using dichroic glass to get around that.
great post! very interesting read. it’s definitely all about using what you have to it’s full potential.
i agree with the comments about green, i think it’s very hard to bring it in. however, i do like the green that movers can produce, but i think LED green is exactly what you said, alien!
it’s always nice to pair up colours too. thanks again for the read!
oh, and do you have any suggestions for Christmas lighting colours? i always thought green was good to use here, but now i’m not so sure. we’ve got quite a few productions at our church over the festive period…
@Jon: During Advent, I like cooler purples, blues…and lots of warm amber for candle-light. Really the only time I liked red and green was at Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They had LEDs everywhere, and had some really nice and fun punches with alternating red and green. But, that’s Trans-Siberian…:-)
haha, a slightly different scene to church productions! appreciate the thoughts! i will see what kind of colours i can get out of the rig. take it easy!