Gobo Details

Various Gobo Projectors

A gobo is a template that can be inserted into certain lighting fixtures to project an image. A gobo may contain a logo, words, symbols, patterns, texture, color, or a picture. Gobos are circular and made of either glass or steel. They work by blocking light, except where the image is cut out.

Gobos can be used with many types of lighting instruments. The most common are ellipsoidals and moving lights. Different fixtures utilize different gobo sizes. You may consult our gobo size chart for assistance or ask a rep to assist you.

Gobo projections are perfect for reinforcing a theme or message, as well as branding and promoting. Or you can use textured patterned gobos to artistically change a space’s look.

Below are some gobo examples. There are thousands more to choose from!

Custom gobos are used in virtually every lighting project these days: special events corporate industrials, retail store lighting, and, of course, theatre, film, and television. Rosco will manufacture your unique design in steel or glass; - black and white or full color - for ellipsoidal fixtures, automated lights, or even high temperature architectural luminaires. Rosco's customer service staff will help you select the type of custom gobo most appropriate for your project. Below is an overview of the various types from which you can choose. For more information on how to order and specify a custom gobo, please refer to our convenient Ordering page.

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Choosing the manufacturer of your custom gobo is always important. But it's critical if you have a demanding client or management - and the gobo image, color or design has to be perfect.

That's why the next four paragraphs may be about Rosco... but they are crucial for people like you who specify gobos for stationary or moving lights. Here are some facts about Rosco that you should consider when ordering a custom designed gobo:

Rosco manufactures its own dichroic glass in its purpose-built facility in Round Rock, Texas. Dichroic glass is the basic building block for glass gobos. Virtually all other gobo manufacturers have to buy their dichroic glass from various outside suppliers. Manufacturing its own glass assures color consistency from gobo to gobo and from batch to batch. It also assures that the gobo will be the same in quality if more copies need to be manufactured months after the original tooling. For many clients or company managements, color consistency in, for example, corporate logos is an overriding concern.

Although Rosco's standard dichroic glass thickness is 1.75 mm, our manufactured glass gobos are as thin as 1.1 mm thickness for black & white and one color gobos and 1.9mm for hi-resolution multi colors. This is particularly important because of the optics capability in today's highly advanced light fixtures. The substrates used allow a better focal plane. Such gobos will also fit the gobo slots of most instruments far more effectively, allowing for maximum usage of the light fixtures' projection capabilities. Our production process gives you a better resolution for your projected image.

Rosco uses the stochastic screening technique for better detail. This technique uses a random dot pattern, unlike conventional screening which uses a regular pattern of dots in straight rows (see diagram below). Stochastic screening allows images to be reproduced with no moirees, rosettes or other effects - resulting in clearer resolution and truer color. Conventional screening, often cited as "dots per square inch" remains effective for many simple images. But stochastic screening is a much better choice for others. In particular, it works best for small images, such as those used on gobos for moving lights. Stochastic screening better reproduces artwork with fine angular lines, smooth reflective surfaces and graduated tones.
 

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