Bullet 4 in Pendant Light | Blackjack Lighting

The Bullet is a study in contrast at small scale. A spun aluminum shade, just 3.5 inches across and 4.6 inches tall, swells from a narrow crown to an open mouth in a single smooth curve, like a drop of liquid metal or the nose of a projectile. Outside it is painted a flat Matte Black or White; inside it is lined in a warm metal, Copper or Gold, which only shows when you look up or when the light is on.

That inner lining is what makes the design. When the integrated LED behind its frosted lens comes on, the metallic interior catches the light and glows like the inside of a bell, so a cool, matte object suddenly holds a pool of warm color. Because the shade is so compact, Bullet works best in repetition: a line over a counter or a loose cluster becomes a set of small, glinting punctuation marks rather than a heavy statement.

Design notes

• Warm light, cool form: the matte exterior stays quiet while the Copper or Gold interior turns the 3 W LED into a warm, reflected glow.
• Compact proportion: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide by 4.6 in (11.75 cm) tall, scaled to read as a detail rather than a mass.
• Spun aluminum: the shade is spun aluminum, giving a smooth, continuous curve from crown to rim.
• Frosted lens: a frosted diffuser closes the mouth of the shade, so the LED is never seen as a point.
• Two finish pairings: Matte Black with Copper for a darker, warmer note; White with Gold for a lighter, brighter one.

Specifications

Downloads

• Bullet 4 in specification sheet (PDF)
• Bullet installation instructions (PDF)
• Bullet 4 in LM-79 photometric report (PDF)

Stephen Blackman and Blackjack Lighting

Blackjack Lighting is the studio of industrial designer Stephen Blackman, its President and Chief Design Officer. Trained in industrial design at Syracuse University, Blackman began his lighting career in 1984 at Sonneman Design Group, then founded Blackman Design Associates in 1988, designing decorative and architectural lighting for manufacturers including Kichler. He launched Blackjack in 2013 in suburban Chicago, now based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, to build fixtures conceived for LED from the first sketch.

His argument is that the LED should change the shape of a light, not just its efficiency. Rather than hiding a new source inside old bulb-and-shade forms, Blackjack designs around the small, flat, cool-running LED: thin discs, slim rods, glowing rings and lenses that let the light itself become the object. In his own words, "Decorative lighting by its nature is not primarily about optimizing lamp efficiency, it is primarily about decoration!" Bullet puts that thinking into a small shade: a tiny, cool-running source lets a 4-inch form glow warm from the inside.

Questions

What is the idea behind the Bullet?

A simple, spun metal shape with a hidden second color. The painted outside keeps the form calm; the metal lining inside turns warm and luminous when the LED is on.

Who designs Blackjack Lighting?

Industrial designer Stephen Blackman, President and Chief Design Officer, who has designed lighting since 1984 and founded Blackjack in 2013 to make fixtures conceived for LED.

Matte Black with Copper or White with Gold?

Matte Black with Copper is the moodier choice: a dark silhouette with an ember-like interior, strong against pale walls. White with Gold blends into light rooms and adds a soft gilded glow underneath.

What kind of light does it give?

A focused, warm-toned downlight: 64 lumens at 3000K and 90 CRI, softened by the frosted lens and colored slightly by the metal interior. It dims on TRIAC, ELV or 0-10V controls.

What warranty does it carry?

Three years on the integrated LED source and LED power supply, and one year on materials and workmanship, for the original buyer in the US and Canada.