October Branches: July 2023

~ Foreword ~

I believe that home-haunting shares a commonality with other forms of artistry in that the exchange of thoughts and ideas not only benefits ones artistic peers, but provides an opportunity for introspection on matters both philosophical and practical.

Pumpkinrot's Haunt Theory posts were of great benefit to me when I first started out. I still find myself going back to them each year to consider his wisdom and advice. I highly recommend any haunter, fresh or seasoned, to give them a read. Moreover, I believe every haunter should share their musings in a similar manner, as such commentary can only elevate our craft. That is my intention for this post.

This post has mutated far beyond the initial scope I had intended, and has become a hyper-specific over-intellectualization of a niche aspect of haunt lighting. Whether or not this post "works" remains to be seen I suppose. You've been warned.

~ The Role of Blue Light ~

In a post on Haunt Lighting, Pumpkinrot cites a lighting tutorial by Rob of now-defunct SkullandBone.com. Rot highlights Rob's placement of light sources and his emphasis on shadows. I'd like to expand upon another aspect Rob touches on: color. Specifically, blue light, its place in haunting, and how it can enhance your display.

So in my mind, orange has always seemed the obvious choice for general haunt lighting. It's the quintessential color of Halloween; matching the jack-o'-lanterns, the flickering candles within, and easily blending with the amber glow of street lights. Overall, a nice orange wash evokes a warm and inexplicably natural feeling. But defaulting to orange has often led me to forget and underutilize its contrasting color, blue!

For the sake of this post, let's break down the usage of blue light into two main categories of use:

1: Prop-Specific Lighting

2: Wash and Backlighting

1: Prop-Specific Lighting

Certain props are more thematically effective when lit with a blue spotlight. In pop culture, ghosts are often portrayed as having a blue-ish glow. Think The Haunted Mansion ride or any number of animated cartoons.

The Haunted Mansion

Lonesome Ghosts (1934)

For this reason, I think blue light works incredibly well for giving a prop a "ghostly" or ethereal appearance. Blacklights are exceptionally suited for making an otherwise plain-white prop appear to glow with blue light while minimizing background illumination (fig 1.3).

fig 1.1 @hallowjean

fig 1.2 @gourdinfester

fig 1.3 House Bloodthorn
I'd be remiss if I didn't include a
classic blacklight flying crank ghost!

Aside from literal ghost props, other things like gravestones and statues can be lit with blue light for a similarly ethereal look.

fig 1.4
Pumpkinrot & House of Marrow
(Slightly greener than the other
examples, but the effect is there)

fig 1.5 Evil Vines Cemetery

When designing the lighting for your haunt, use your imagination and consider what other props work better (thematically) under blue light. The cobwebs in fig 1.5 are not spiritual in subject matter, but I think blue was still the most effective choice.

2: Wash and Backlight

*Note: I may end up making a future post dedicated to light placement, but for now, just know that "wash" lights bathe a large area with a single color and "backlights" are lights that shine from behind a subject, forming an edge of color (also known as "rim lighting").

When covering multiple props or large areas of your yard/house, blue light has a paradoxical effect. It provides plenty of illumination, but messes with the brain in a way where it can still be perceived as dark and shadowy.

fig 2.1 Pumpkinrot

fig 2.2 Wicked Woods Cemetery

A blue wash light placed high up on a post or in a tree can evoke moonlight (fig 2.3). Yes, true moonlight is white, but bathing your haunt in plain white light can be a bit garish. Blue light is more appropriate for the night-time look even if not entirely realistic. The balance between realism and romanticism in haunts will likely be a topic covered in a future post.

fig 2.3 House Bloodthorn

For the props that you do light with warm colors, blue still has an important role to play as rim lighting. Blue light cast around the edges or on the side of an otherwise orange/red prop adds contrast, which adds depth (fig 2.4). Depth can also be acheived by simply alternating wash colors (fig 2.5). This is something I feel was lacking in my previous haunts (fig 2.6); something I hope to remedy this year.

fig 2.4 @gourdinfester

fig 2.5 House Bloodthorn

fig 2.6 My 2021 Yard Haunt
Everything looks a little flat
because of the homogenous color

~ Conclusion ~

(is it over yet??)

I hope you were able to glean something - anything - useful out of this post. Take some of these concepts and experiment with your own yard, props, and theme. Also, I am eager for feedback on this post, and am curious to hear your own thoughts, so please drop a comment below and tell me what you think! Thank you for reading, and Happy Haunting!