Hi all,
I have been absent from the site for so long. I miss you guys. Lots of changes in my life have caused my blacklight business to kind of dwindle. They are good changes and also just changes that as a grandmother I need to be there to address. Tessa, my grandaughter will of course come first so I've decided to put my blacklight puppetry to rest. I won't quit for good, but boy I have so much stuff that I don't ever see using anymore. My elbow also has caused me to not be able to perform the strenuous routines I did once. So, I guess I will be putting up lots of blacklight puppets and fabrics and stuff for sale. Not sure I can put them here but if you are interested in seeing what I have you can email me. I will also bring the listings from ebay or craigslist too here. Here's my email if you wish to know about the stuff. I am still going thru lots so there will be more.

Hi:

I've never done black light puppetry, but here are a few tips from related production areas.
1.  Rosco makes a paint that is extensively used in the theatre.  It's known as black velour paint.  It's highly concentrated is really absorbs the light well.  It's not cheap, but can be diluted quite a bit and comes in various sized buckets.  Check out Rosco's web site for deetails.  Any good theatrical supply house should be able to sell you some.
2.  As I recall, Rosco also sells a line of UV sensitive paints.  Again, not cheap, but very high quality.
3.  Laundry bluing is UV sensitive and can be used for a light blue effect.  Very popular with haunted houses.
4.  If you need a black out curtain, black velour is the industry standard.  It needs to be hung with the nap in the correct orientation.  Try hanging it in different orientations with fullness to see what works best with your lighting rig.
5.  The various UV spray paints can give good results.

^.  There are a lot of plastics that are UV sensitive, but you don't necessarily know until you test them.  Get a small UV light to take shopping.

If anything else comes to mind I'll post it.

Marty

You can also try Etsy.  The fees are a lot less than ebay.  Plus, the time frame is longer.  It is not an auction so you can have a listing in your Etsy shop for only 20 cents and I think it remains active for like 3 months unless someone buys it of course.  Just thought I would throw that option there to you.

Sorry that you have to let go of some of your "friends."  Glad that the reason is because of the wonderful addition to the family.  I know that I have been relaxing on puppetry as well because of my son turning three in June.  The only thing I am busy with is making puppets for his birthday party.  Once that is done, I too will be taking a break from puppetry to just be a mom.....my full time job.  I am still interested in seeing what you have available as I have always been interested in black light puppetry.  But I would be a total beginner so it would be cool to see a professional's puppets and such.

I hope that you will still be posting videos of your wonderful music, too.  I love listening to you play your FABULOUS instrument and am still saving up for one.

Squeeze a hug to your grand-daughter for me! 

Aloha,
Nikole

Thank you Nikole,
I think I'll start a new thread on this subject so not to highjack the original topic. Yes, I am trying so very hard to keep up with my music. With Tessa in my care almost full time now, it's harder but the difference is I'm on my own deadline, not a customers deadline. So off I go to start a new thread. Takecare.
Patti

Here's another black light tip. 

1.  Hobby Lobby and other art supplies stores carry an excellent line of paint called Createx.  Although it's intended for airbrushes (which makes it a little pricey) it is excellent and the line includes several fluorescent colors.
2.  Prolonged exposure to UV can cause eye fatigue and other problems.  Turn the light offs except for the immediate needs of performance.

Marty

HELP! My pool noodle puppet doesn't glow under the black light. Suggestions?

HELP! My pool noodle puppet doesn't glow under the black light. Suggestions?

Yep. Flo. Spray paint. First you will need to spray it with a coat of spray glue, let dry, then spray with flo. spray paint. The spray glue helps the paint stick to the foam, as well as helping it to stay flexible. If you have eyes etc. you will need to cover them with painters tape to keep the glue and paint off of them.

Sue

Are they supposed to?  You may have to cover them with a fabric that glows under black light or get a florescent paint like Marty suggested.  It has been suggested that when shopping for fabrics that you carry a small battery operated black light to test and see if the material is florescent. Just because a color looks florescent under normal light does not always mean that it is activated by UV light.