Drama 157 - Undergraduate Lighting Composition: Fall '21

 Week 9 - Spill the Beans Coffee - Vivian Juarez This weekend, I went to San Diego with my boyfriend, and we went to one of their most popular local coffee shops: Spill the Beans Coffee. I took this photo while we waited for our bagels. I did apply a filter to the photo, which to me gave it this Christmas feel, especially with the color palette of the cafe and the Christmas tree in the background. The cafe was bright and open. I felt awakened and welcomed when I stepped into the cafe which in part was due to the natural lighting and the bright paint palette. The overhead lighting fixtures added to the natural light and helped show off the cafe even more. As soon as you walk in, I think the first thing that caught my eye was the "Pot Head" light fixture on the wall. It adds great contrast to the black coffee pot behind it. I also love the color of the fixture, it adds a calm feeling to the overall atmosphere. 

This week I went home for the holiday break and I got to spend much needed quality time with my family :) During this break, my aunt and I went to go check on on my great aunt’s house since her, my mom, and my Grandparent’s are in Mexico for a family event. I absolutely love my aunt’s house since she essentially lives in a greenhouse due to all the plants that she owns. Inside of her house there are a whole bunch of old family photos hanging on the walls along with her personal paintings of nature scenes which give off an overall feeling especially due to the warm tones presented on the family portraits which I’ll show later on in this post.  As I was watering the garden, I looked over and saw this beautiful soft grayish-blue to creamsicle orange sunset that made the San Fernando Valley glow. The mountains were s ilhouetted and had a slight purple tint to them which made for an interesting sight, it also helped cool down the entire visual. Although the sunset uses a very warm ...

 I really didn't mean for this post to be similar to last week's, but I spent a lot of time with my cats as I was back home for a few days this week. This is one of my cats enjoying a nice and warm Wednesday afternoon. I feel like cats have a very good eye for finding the best lighting sources around the house that will make them look good. The only light source in the room that the picture was taken in, is a window right next to the bed. There was no other source, natural or artificial, lighting this moment. There are mostly two things that I find interesting in this picture. One is the light coming in through the blinds and creating this projection-like light on the bed. Of course it reminds me of what we can achieve in the theater by using Gobos and placing them on lights that are angled. The second is the way that the colors are affected by the sun light. Overall, I would describe this picture as "looking warm", however, as we've discussed many times in class,...

 As we can tell by this point, I really love the natural lighting that I see and find while I am outdoors. What I really love about this photo is all of the vibrant colors throughout. The different tones and shades of green. The vibrancy of the blue sky that is wistfully painted with the white clouds. This photo really gives me the feeling of a bright sunny morning that signals its going to be a good day. I also am a big fan of how much the blue pops from behind the tree, and creates a cool perspective. It's such a lovely contrast and the fact that you can see the texture of the pine cones in the tree is just an added bonus. I love finding these little moments on my walks to, from, and around campus.

This Thanksgiving I had to fly to Texas to be with my hubby's family. It really was just me and the boys this year. My father in law was so sweet and said since its just us this year he wanted to do all the cooking so I can rest from my tough job at grad school.... if he only knew.  I wanted to focus on this picture I took from my window sear on house left of the 787 aircraft (this is my hubby's favorite because it is so big). Oddly, this was the beginning of sunset as I took off from LAX. The sun was bright and the clouds looked like you could sleep on them. The interesting part of this image is the colors and textures I am seeing. I am seeing a light baby blue with white color in the sky. I also see a bright yellow with amber and a hint of red in the sun. While the clouds are giving me vibes of white, purple with very slight hints of gray.  Now relating this image to the stage, I can use all the colors I discussed and play with brush strokes to show the clouds and angles to ...

I woke up this morning to beautiful sunshine peeking through the star-shaped holes in my bedroom curtains. I love these curtains because they keep the room dim, but still allow some sunlight to come through. The glowing star shapes felt magical. I found it interesting how the holes helped isolate the different colors and intensities of light coming through. Some light came through as yellow, others cool blue, and most as clean white light. From the angle I was sitting, most of the light coming through the right curtain was more intense than the light coming through the left curtain. I would be interested to see how textiles like these starry curtains could be used to create an interesting light texture on stage. 

As much as I would love to dedicate a whole post about my obsession with Harry Styles, this is not what this is about.  Although, great news! I attended two Harry Styles concerts this weekend at the Forum in Inglewood. It was a magical, yet surreal, moment especially since I got to see him up close at his final show on Saturday (yes, I did make eye contact with him for a split second and I will never forget it).  I just want to take a second to appreciate the plot of the show which included mostly movers, LED washers, LED floor mounted and rotating bars, eight moving spots, LED panels that lined the giant intersected screens, 2 disco balls, and glowing stages aligned with a few movers on either end of the runway set-up stage. There was a makeshift control booth hanging in mid air. Also, the Forum exterior was lit up in different colors each night with his name spelled out on the edges of the venue and the inside courtyards has gorgeous ambience lighting that mimic his blue and...

  Lets talk about this art on the side of a building in downtown LA by the Staple Center. It was a brisky late afternoon and we were heading to the LA Auto Show because my Hubby and Brother in Law love cars. As we were walking the 2 blocks to the Staple Center I came up this artwork. Obviously, it was in a well lit area with the sun giving us the right amount of light to make me focus on all the colors we see in this image. The sun beam in the image and how the bridge is the center focus and the colors surrounding the bridge bring a lot of depth into this image. Now how can this be created on the stage. I feel that we can use the actor light in a bright color that will draw your eye to the center. Then, to create an ambiance we can use some cool and warm tones like an amber or even a soft pink to draw the eye to where it needs to be focused on. Also we can approach it with an angle light from Upstage which will create a shadow. This still will draw our eye to where it needs to go a...

I snapped this photo during sunset at the beach because I saw depth in this composition. What struck me about this moment was the way the people on the beach were lit by the setting sun. Most of the people close to me were backlit, but I could still see some expression on their faces. The further people were away from me and the more directly they stood in front of the sun, the more they looked like only silhouettes. The people directly in front of the sun look like they are being fully engulfed by the orange light. I love how the sun creates a glowing orange halo that has a soft edge which dissipates into the gray sky. I also see depth in how the sun is large, up close, and bright, while the moon in the background is much smaller and less bright in comparison. 

 I took this photo walking home from campus one night. What I really like about this photo is the depth of the light on the walk ways. You can see the the rolling little grass hills with the contrast of occasional shadows being cast. I also like how you get a feel for the depth of the community. I think that there is something compelling about the way that this housing community is lit. It's reminds me of a small park. Inviting, safe, and well used. The amount of light, while not great for start gazing, creates a fairly inviting atmosphere, even on a brisk, late, evening stroll home.

  It’s about time I make another cat post for the blog. I made a quick stop at my home in LA this weekend and made a few observations. First, that my mom completely skips thanksgiving and starts putting up the Christmas decorations as soon as we get to mid November, and second, that my cats really enjoy the Christmas vibes. I wanted to share these two pictures because I think they’re fun and they show depth in different ways. Margarita (grey), Sultan (black), and Mustard (yellow) are three of my cats that were very entertained by all the decorations around the house, only the sound of a car approaching was able to make them stop and stare at the window, trying to see what was happening outside. I took the first picture as they were still looking outside and the second when I called them and they all turned around in different directions.  Especially in the first picture, I enjoy how peaceful it looks. Although we can see a little bit of the Christmas decorations in the backgro...

 This week I went to my first concert since before the pandemic began. The music was great, but my favorite part of the show was the lighting design! For the opening act, the band had these electronic flowers made out of different angled mirrors. The mirrored flowers would open and close, sometimes blooming together and other times going at different speeds. From what I could tell, most of the lights in the plot were LED movers. Sometimes, the lights would hit all the flowers at the same angle. Other times, the lights would be pointed at the flowers at different angles, and the lights would bounce off the mirrors and shoot out into the audience into all different directions. It was the coolest lighting design I've ever seen! I also love the saturated colors used for their set. Most of their set was lit entirely red in the beginning, so when the color finally changed to yellow-green, the change made a big impact. The lights moved in a kinetic fashion with the music, which reminded m...

  I really only like opening the blinds in my room when the sun is coming down and it's no longer warm. I was able to spot this beautiful sunset one of the days of last week where the weather suddenly decided to be insanely hot mid November. I really like the combination of all of the colors that we can see in the sky. From the purple- lavender on top, all the way down to the green and yellow on the mid and bottom sections. I may be wrong here, but although the sky is very vibrant, I think there is a mix of warm and cool tones. The purple, pink and orange, are definitely warm, but I think the blue and green are cooler, which makes it a pretty balanced palette, and which overall makes it really pleasant to look at. Speaking on texture, if we look closely we'll see there are tiny squares all over the picture, that is because I placed my phone behind the window screen. The details are very faded but I think it gives it a "painting" feeling. Of course, I also really like ...

  For this blog, I wanted to use my hubby, my muse as a model. The funny thing is that he decided to stand there and to talk to me about the moon. the shape and which planet was next to it that night (Jupiter was shine next to the moon). This was taken on Saturday after the closing night of Audio Plays.  In this picture I wanted to discuss how the dark background makes my model stand out. I started to think about how this could be put on stage. Maybe it is a moment where an important monologue is happening and they are pouring their feelings out about the other person on the stage with him. It could be any situation but as a designer its important to note where the actor stands and how to bring the focus on them. Especially if the background is black. Costume obviously helps (he is wearing a pink dress shirt) but to bring this image to life in a way that is captivating, the designer needs to make sure that all angles are used and probably the actor light as well. Also if we us...

  This was a picture I took from the arts bridge as I was walking home one evening. I absolutely love the contrast between the pale sky blue and the bright yellow of the setting sun. Those colors alone give me a lovely cyc feeling. There's a very hopeful and relaxing feeling that this photo gives me. I am also attracted to the texture that the lavender/gray clouds add on the left side of the frame. One final aspect I love is the contrast of the bright and dark between the sky and the road. This is a great inspiration for a naturalistic cyc in an outdoor scene.

  I was walking to the UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts, on my way to go watch the AUD theater. It was late at night, but probably not as late as you think, because of the time change. I honestly really love this sign that leads to the art school, especially at night. I really admire that in the photo the sky looks like a cyc upstage of the arch. It gives an overall gloomy feel and helps to add to the dimension of this photo. I also really like the trail of lights that lead towards the school and that the arch has some colorful lights as well. I think the lights add a nice softness to the bridge and makes you feel safer walking into the school. There are parts of the campus that do not have as much light and I get nervous walking through them and I like that this bridge does not have that. I also think the actual words on the sign look great. I love the blue lights that light up the words. It makes it look like they are are outlined with light although I'm pretty sure there are...

 I was walking home from tech last week during a particularly foggy night and was treated with this pleasant image. It was a lot more meaningful in person, with the feel of the cold air and the quiet night all around. I really appreciate being in a new place and being able to be active at night. There's a lot of meaning and beauty with light in the night time when the sun is gone and other sources get to show their strength, like the moon and the stars.

  So for this project I went to the Irvine Spectrum Center. This outdoor shopping center had a wonderfully festive feel to it, especially at the main entrance, which you can see to the left. The colorful lights of the Ferris Wheel and the Christmas tree really gave a big splash of color and personality to the space. They contrasted well with the white twinkle lights that were wrapped around all of the palm trees throughout the space. It created a great center piece to the whole plaza, which to me really seemed like the main goal of the design. To have a central plaza that spiraled out into smaller sections that had their own anchor points (i.e. the carousal). Where as when you moved away from the anchor points the walk ways were warmly and dimly lit, letting the shops become the focus. The atmosphere was definitely warm and inviting, creating a great sense of camaraderie (especially with the recently added ice rink for the holidays). As we moved away from the center of the plaza an...

 Visiting the Irvine Spectrum has never been a big deal to visit. I have been going to the outdoor mall for many years. Today I had to look at it from a different perspective. I looked at the structure of the store fronts and as well as how the lighting can affect who actually will come into the store.  This is the entrance way to going to the ferris wheel. As you can see the lights are warm, bright and inviting. In this type of open area it needs to be real lit as well as the bright lights along with the fun colors will lead the public to the stores. I think the architect was looking to have an open structure that could fit many stores but have a big walk way to allow for a flow for the public.  Lets look at a store front that works well within its walls. The Hello Kitty Cafe is one of my favorite places to go to. The bright sign  and use of font for the Hello Kitty name is one that many know who like the English School Girl Kitty. Their use of bright fun and youthf...

On Sunday Evening, I went to Downtown Disney for the first time. When I walked in, I immediately felt the magic! (And the overwhelming presence of capitalism). I loved all the fairy lights in the trees that twinkled on and off and the colored string lights that hung above the restaurant seating. I went in the evening, and the soft and colorful lighting near the entrance coupled with live music from a band of middle-aged men wearing Hawaiian shirts created a fun, night market atmosphere. The designers of Downtown Disney were trying to create a shopping mall with "Disney Magic," and they absolutely accomplished that goal for the shops that were Disney themed. My only critique for the overall atmosphere is that the regular stores did not join in on the theme, such as Sephora and the surf clothes store, which looked exactly the same as their other non-Disney store locations.  My favorite store that we visited was the World of Disney store. The overall theme for the store at this ...

This is actually my second time going to the Irvine Spectrum Center, and each time I go I don’t fully explore the entire mall for some reason so I discover something new every time!  So far, I’ve really enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the Islamic, and at times Spanish inspired Architecture and decor. The lighting concept is a little all over the place with half of it being accent lighting and the other half being colorful, modern 21st-century lighting that sometimes acts like an accent, but other times is an interactive experience. If you pay close attention, it very much feels like two worlds colliding rather than working together at the same time. However, it is still a fun place to visit.  Take, for instance, this little courtyard with the long water fountain is a good marriage between appropriate lighting and the architecture. The lights in the fountain, uplights on the palms as well as the pillars, on the underside of the umbrellas, and the string lights in the back are...

  For this week's blog I went to Downtown Disney. They have recently put up all their Christmas decorations and it looks very fun and whimsical throughout the stores and walk areas. For the overall theme the 3rd photo best encompasses what I think the Lighting Designers were going for. They are going for this overall fun, cooky, colorful, and merry palette that I think reads well. Throughout the area they use quite a bit of this red lighting, as you can see in the first and 3rd photo. To me this color of red does say "CHRISTMAS" to me, which is exactly what they were going for. It put me in an overall good and cheerful mood, and honestly started getting me excited for the holidays. The first photo is front the Disney store and again, they are set up now with their Christmas decorations. I think the lighting here both is used to show off the mannequins but also gives the shoppers the added holiday experience. This look is the first one you see when you walk into the store ...

  I went to City Walk on Saturday night and I was pleasantly surprised to see there was not too many people there. I had mixed feelings because I personally dislike City Walk and the Hollywood vibe, but the place itself, I find it very interesting, pretty even. I do think there is a lot going on, lights everywhere, big buildings, music, people, stores, etc. Everything is so bright and saturated, which is what I think I like the most. There is always something happening, always something to look at. I think that overall, both City Walk, and Universal Studios, try to sell the Hollywood fantasy and make it accessible to anyone who visits the place. It's like the designers want you to feel like you're in a movie while walking down the street to go to Universal. And I find it really interesting because City Walk itself, is just full of restaurants and stores, there is not much more to it than that. However, somehow, you end up feeling like you're in the middle of something impor...

 I visited the Irvine Spectrum this evening for a site specific analysis. I hate the Irvine Spectrum, and I recently watched the original Blade Runner , so you may find these facts have influenced my analysis. The Spectrum, which might be one of the most popular public spaces in the country, is a sprawling complex of shops and entertainment in the heart of Orange County. I walked in assuming the lighting design would lend itself to the idea of community, comfort, and general positivity that would make people comfortable in a crowded and busy are. What I started to notice seemed a little dissonant to me.  The architecture of the Irvine Spectrum is quite grand, but also seemingly religious. It looks like a massive Spanish Villa, with colorful adobe textile works, stone statues and grand fountains with integrated stone structures. A lot of the fixtures are very decorative brass sconces, as pictured. The one thing I found a little odd was the use of some very daunting lighting pla...