Do-it-youself Lighting Projects

Lighting Articles and Tips
The electrical and lighting section of This Old House features solutions to wiring problems, installing and using dimmers, suppressing light surges, burnout busters, installing recessed lighting, ambient lighting, task lighting, accent lighting, adding cables, lighting for aging adults and choosing light bulbs. An online video gallery features lighting installation demonstrations.

Lighting Research
The Electric Power Research Institute's home for the Lighting Research Office. Site includes press releases, publications, lighting symposium information, and other materials from the organization. The organization maintains lighting research information.

The Lighting Research Center: Advancing the Effective Use of Light for Society and the Environment
This homepage for the Lighting Research Center is divided into three sections: LRC Programs, Research Topics, and Education. The LRC Programs section offers detailed information about the different projects on which the LRC is currently working. Current projects include: Light and Health; Lighting Futures; Lighting Metrics, Lighting Transformations; and Outreach Education. The Research section of the site offers comprehensive information about the different research projects that are currently taking place at the LRC. Many of the reports are available for free in a downloadable .pdf format. Current research subjects include ballasts, controls, daylighting, lamps, architectural, commercial, institutional, residential, outdoor, and security lighting. The Education section of the site details the country's first and only university-accredited program leading to a master of science in lighting. Topics in the Education section include information about the graduate program; admissions and financial aid information; student life and alumni information; lighting seminars; and their online education program.

Build a 3-D Virtual Lightbulb Using Bryce Animation
Bryce is an extremely powerful 3-D animation program, allowing the realistic rendering of objects for computer animation purposes. This particular tutorial explains step by step how to render a lightbulb. Special emphasis is given to creating a very contemporaty lighting look to the bulb. Each step of the animation layering process is carefully explained in such detail that with practice anyone using the Bryce animation program could render a variety of extremely realistic-looking lighting fixtures, including outdoor lighting fixtures, kitchen lighting, bathroom lighting, deck lighting, garden lighting, chandeliers, floor lamps, and a wide range of home lighting fixtures and wall sconces. Whether as an architectural rendering, or a home design or animation piece, the Bryce Animation program can allow you to experiment with a wide variety of lighting styles and techniques without ever once touching the real thing.