Gobos:101
What are gobos?
Gobos are used with ellipsoidal or spot theatrical fixtures to create lighting scenes on stage. Simple gobos, incorporated into automated lighting systems, are also popular especially at nightclubs and other musical venues to create moving shapes. They may also be used for architectural lighting, as well as in interior design, as in projecting a company logo or message on a wall.
What the heck do they do?
When focused, gobos produces a crisp, sharp edged pattern or design (of logos, fine detail, architecture, etc.). Gobos are often used in weddings and corporate events. They can project company logos, the couple's names, or just about any artwork. Rosco Laboratory can turn a custom gobo out in as little as a week for your event.
What are they made of?
Gobos are made of various materials. Common types include steel, glass, and plastic. Steel gobos or metal gobos (most common) use a metal template from which the image is cut out. These are the most sturdy, but often require modifications to the original design—called bridging—to display correctly. To correctly represent the letter "O" for example, requires small tabs or bridges to support the opaque center of the letter. These can be visible in the projected image, which might be undesirable in some applications.
Glass gobos are made from clear glass with a partial mirror coating to block the light and produce "black" areas in the projected image. This eliminates any need for bridging and accommodates more intricate images. Glass gobos can also include colored areas (much like stained glass windows). Glass gobos generally offer the highest image quality, but are the most fragile. Glass gobos are typically created with laser ablation or photo etching.
Plastic gobos or transparency gobos can be used in LED Spot fixtures. These "LED Only" plastic gobos can be full color (like a glass gobo), but are far less delicate. They are newer to the market, and offer an affordable substitute.
Theatrical supply companies manufacture many simple and complex stock patterns, and can also produce custom gobos from customer artwork. Let us know if you have any questions about gobos, how they can work for your event, or if you want to place an order!
If you’re more of a visual learner, click here to watch our video about lekos and gobos!
