ultraviolet lamp for oil paintings

[Josef1]

Hello, I saw an art dealer search for a signature on an oïl painting using a UV lamp on his iPad. Does anyone know what he was using?

 

[J. A.]

It could have been UV Lamp Simulator. Search for the app in App Store, using these words.

 

[Josef1]

It could have been UV Lamp Simulator. Search for the app in App Store, using these words.

Just downloaded and tried it.... Right away, the app says that it is not really a UV Lamp. It does not work at all. What a rip off...

 

[J. A.]

To use a real UV lamp, it would be necessary to be one of the technical aspects of the iPad, which it isn't. As is says, it's a simulator. Perhaps he used that one.

Did you try using the app?

 

[twerppoet]

Hmm. Did the art dealer use just an iPad, or was there another source for the UV Light itself; a nearby lamp or a dongle on the iPad?

A UV scan requires a UV light source, which the iPad can not produce on it's own.

Once you have the light source, you can probably use some kind of camera app with filtering to examine the painting or bill. It would not work as well as having a specialized camera for viewing UV, but it would probably be good enough for signatures and security codes meant be be revealed by UV light, since those tend to reflect back in the visible spectrum.

 

[edithgreen]

I have done oil paintings myself but never heard about any such light. But I would research about this technique and would get back to you as soon as possible.