Fake window transparencies

[RicodJour]

eBay for one. Search for window cling.

R

[Brad Bruce]

I'm looking to buy a house that is lacking a window in the kitchen (Yes it's a "different" layout)

I remember a show a few years ago where they built a light box and inserted a color transparency to give the illusion of a real window.

I can build the box, no problem. My problem is, finding a source of the transparencies.

Any ideas

NJBrad

[larrybud2002]

How big of a box? Home Depot carries transparencies (well, they're not transparent, they're translucent) used for window privacy. They have white, and I believe they sell different patterns.

[Charles Spitzer]

they tend to fade because of uv rays. you may want to look into stained glass, which won't.

[Charles Spitzer]

doh! open mouth, remove keyboard.

otoh, you can put glass into a lighted cabinet also. tgi fridays in my area have a lot of these hanging on the walls.

[On My Way]

Home Depot has them in the mini blind section I just ran across them the other day

[kato]

Where are the UV rays coming from? It's a fake window.

[Amun]

I see several have posted answers of where to get "tranparancies"

But as over the years I have seen lot of people doing similar things in basements.

Think hard before you do it.

While it is a nice effect, in a few weeks the "ooooh how pretty" factor may wear off and you will be left with a box on the wall you never use.

They always need a lot of light"watts" to look good, but never light up a room enough to use without turning on another light.

And electricity is not getting any cheaper.

Okay,..... if you have thought of those issues and STILL want to do it.

Here's an idea to make it really special.

Take your own favorite photo/negative/electronic file to a real photo processing lab. (not the drugstore down the street, or walmart)

And have them blow it up and printed on plastic "slide" stock. It wont be cheap, depending on how big you want to go.

or you may be able to find a commercial graphics house that has a color printer/plotter and does blueprint size things that can handle it on mylar.

or play with the office photocopier when everyone else is on lunch, and blow the picture up in pieces on overhead transparency sheets and tape them together. (not as bad as it sounds)

But will make the whole project "yours"

Just remember that if you use a picture with someone you know, someday you may hate them and have to trash the picture. (wives. husbands, can later be EX wives, EX Husbands) Or you could always convert it to a dart board.

And if you REALLY want something that visitors will talk about for years...... After that next X-ray, ask the doctor if you can take it home.

AMUN

[Tom]

A good professional photo lab should be able to make a "duratrans" (I think they still call it that) for you. This is a transparency that is designed to hold up to constant light exposure. It's what you'll find in the big advertising light boxes hanging in the airports. Just provide the original non-copyrighted view you want to use. Maybe even a shot out the "fake" window.

Tom

[Brad Bruce]

Thanks. Haven't seen them before. I'll check it out.

[JohnR66]

The fluorescent lamps behind it. The ones in the airport the other poster made reference to do fade after time. Visible light also contributes to the fading. These seem to take on a sickly green look as the magenta inks fade. John