Leaded stained glass really needs an even light-source behind it to look at its best. So naturally, leaded stained glass is most commonly found decorating windows or filling openings where windows would have been. Sometimes it would be nice to enjoy the beauty of the glass where there is neither a natural light source available, nor can a new window opening be created to provide it. In such cases, an artificial light source must be the solution. The challenge is to make it as bright as required and uniform in intensity, so that the glass is seen to best effect, and as the designer intended. We have been commissioned to provide such a stained glass panel and are currently working on a solution to the illumination challenge.
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The basic, experimental light box is shown at left, without the front panel. It is principally designed to allow for reflecting LED lights in ribbons round the sides, onto the back board to hopefully achieve the targeted even illumination. The box was sized to allow an LED panel to be put inside and demonstrate that option. The picture at right shows this seems to work!
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The 5m of ribbon were subsequently installed around the sides of the box, forming almost a double row all the way round. While the picture at left shows that it does work. it is clear that there is a lot to learn still about the type, positioning and number of LED ribbons that will be required when we scale up to the project scale. Before positioning the leaded panel on the box, it is obvious to the naked eye that the centre of the back of the box is not evenly illuminated.; the picture to the right rather exaggerates it as does the oblique one to the left, in which the LED ribbon can be seen.
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