Goth & Glow: Artist Supply Inspiration

This October, the Art League gallery will be transformed with blacklight for our Goth & Glow exhibition. We invite artists to explore all the cool and spooky things you can do with light in art. To spark your imagination, here’s a list of supplies and materials you might consider experimenting with when creating work for the show.

Blacklight-Responsive Materials

  • UV-reactive paints & inks (acrylic, textile, or screenprinting)

  • Phosphorescent powders and pigments (glow-in-the-dark)

  • Fluorescent textiles, threads, and yarns

  • Day-Glo pigments for bold daytime color that transforms under blacklight

Lighting & Electrical Supplies

  • UV/blacklight bulbs, tubes, or LED strips (for testing and integration)

  • Fiber optic kits (embed glowing strands into glass, resin, or textiles)

  • Micro-LEDs and fairy lights (battery-powered or USB)

  • Electroluminescent (EL) wire and tape (flexible glowing lines)

  • Rechargeable battery packs (to power embedded light safely in gallery settings)

Glass, Resin & Transparent Media

  • UV-reactive stained glass

  • Casting resin with fluorescent dyes or glow powders

  • Acrylic/plexiglass sheets (edge-lit for glowing effects)

  • Dichroic or iridescent films (color-shifting surfaces)

Textile & Surface Design

  • Reflective fabrics and tapes

  • UV-reactive dyes for natural and synthetic fibers

  • Glow-in-the-dark embroidery threads or yarns

  • Phosphorescent or fluorescent heat-transfer vinyl (HTV)

Special Effects & Finishing Touches

  • Glow powders for ceramics or glass frits

  • Glow-in-the-dark clays and polymer clays

  • Clear gels and mediums for layered glowing effects

  • Holographic or reflective foils

Studio Tools

  • Handheld blacklight flashlights (to test your work in progress)

  • UV testers or light meters (optional)

  • Protective clear coatings to seal glow pigments

Optional Extras for Installations

  • Small fog or haze machines (make beams of light visible)

  • Low-power laser diodes (structured light effects)

  • UV-reactive projection surfaces or backdrops