Acquire a No. 10 sized bulk food product can. Remove one end of the can, clean it out and let dry.
Spray paint the inside and outside of the can with black "stove" paint.
Drill a 3/8-inch diameter hole through the bottom of the can. Insert a hard plastic or rubber lamp grommet into the hole.
Thread ordinary lamp wire through the grommet. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the tips of the wires.
Cut a 4-inch-by-4-inch block from 3/4-inch thick piece of plywood. Drill 1/4-inch diameter holes at the corners of this block. Drill a 3/8-inch diameter hole through the center of the block. Thread the wires through this hole. Mount the block inside the can using 1/4-inch diameter stove bolts.
Connect the wires to the terminals on a porcelain flush-mounted lamp socket. Mount the socket onto the wooden block inside the can using wood screws.
Drill two 1/4-inch diameter holes through the can on two opposing sides, 3-1/2 inches up from the base end of the can.
Drill a ring of 1/4-inch diameter ventilation holes, on 2-inch centers, around the circumference of the can 2-1/2 inches above the base.
Install a lamp thumb switch 18 inches from the end of the lamp wire and a two-prong plug at the end.
Cut a strip of thin sheet aluminum 1-1/2 inch wide by 20 inches long. Bend it into a squared "U" shape with two 6-inch legs and an 8-inch middle. Cover the sharp edges with silver duct tape. Drill a 1/4-inch diameter pilot hole through the two ends of the "U."
Attach the yoke to two opposing sides of the can using 1/4-inch diameter stove bolts so the yoke is at right angles to the can.
Install a 40-watt CFL light bulb into the socket. Do not use a higher watt lamp.
Cut a disk of plastic gel material 2 inches larger in diameter than the No. 10 can. Choose a gel color to suit your taste. Use a silver permanent marker to draw nesting circles on the gel material. The circles should be spaced 1/4-inch apart from the outside of the disk to the center.
Notch the edge of the gel disk with 1-inch-long cuts and bend the edges up, creasing them to hold shape.
Apply hot melt glue around the inside top edge of the can in 2-inch sections. Insert the gel disk into the can, notches pointing inward. Gently press the notches into the glue using a probe or pencil, working around the edge of the can in sections.
Hang your fake light using an improvised clamp on the yoke.