Six Lighting Gels you Can't Bring Home to your Parents

Bastard Amber

Ah, Bastard Amber. One of the most basic gels (and certainly a long time favorite of lighting designers everywhere), Roscolux 02 is a light peach color with a 78% transmission. Roscolux describes it as “Good where a tint of color is needed [and] excellent for natural skin tones.” R02 has probably the most famous background story in theatre lore on this list due to its common use and status as number 2 on Roscolux’s swatchbook (with its light version being number one and its dark version being number 3). Legend has it, a lighting designer was going through some discarded gels in Rosco Laboratories and discovered an amber color polluted with red dye. He decided he liked this color, calling it “that Bastard Amber” referring to the fact that it was polluted and therefore ‘illegitimate’ or ‘bastardized’. He liked it so much, Rosco recreated the color for him and eventually added it to their line Roscogels. Bastard Amber to this day lives on in the Roscolux swatchbook as #02 and in Lee Filters as #196 (and in the hearts and souls of lighting designers and technical directors everywhere).

Surprise Pink

Surprise Pink holds a special place in my design repertoire, as it was my high school technical theatre teacher’s favorite gel, and therefore one of the most available gel colors in my high school theatre along with Bastard Amber. One of my favorite memories of him is when I asked him why R51 was named Surprise Pink when it was lilac purple. He simply answered, “Surprise. It’s not pink.” Turns out that even though it looks straight purple, it pulls some pink tints when used. It’s one of those colors that can be your cool or warm depending on what you pair it with. Rosco describes it as a “touch of color when white light is not desirable.” R51 is great for all skin tones, especially for dance recitals.

Skelton Exotic Sangria

A while back, Rosco labs had a promotion called “Share the Work, Get the Swag” where lighting designers could share some of their portfolio work to Rosco’s Color Resource Library, and in return, get a coffee mug decorated with one of ten gel colors, and R39 was one. Perhaps drinking out of a coffee mug labeled ‘Exotic Sangria’ was meant to be ironic, or maybe some designers followed the recommendation and switched morning beverages.

Spanked Pink

Apollo Design is infamous for their interesting gel names. Apollo is an infant among lighting gel suppliers like Rosco and Lee, and some say their gel naming tendencies reflect their attempt to appeal to young lighting designers who might not yet share the same brand loyalties as their older counterparts. In any case, their gel names are certainly fun to look through.

Bluetylicious

Scandalous Scarlet

A loud red reminiscent of Golden Age Hollywood lipstick, if AP2800 was a potential romantic partner, you’d fall head over heels. However, once that glam and glitter wears off, be careful of becoming victim to a gel that shouts femme fatal.