How to mix small and large colored highlights using strobes?

Question

I'm trying to get better with handling multiple strobes and with adding in color effects. The image below was taken with a single strobe held high above the camera and bounced off the ceiling:

This is a version that I tweaked in a photo editor:

I can adjust the white balance in camera to get the overall cooler feel straight out of the camera but I have been unsuccessful in getting the purple light from my strobe to appear as a soft color tint on the right. I like how the purple fades into red moving toward the right - and the only thing I can think to do would be to use a larger red light and a snooted or gridded purple light...

But, I've only got 2 strobes, so that may be part of the problem...So, brownie points if your techniques allow me to recreate the shot successfully using just the two. What do you suggest I do to recreate this shot fully (or at least mostly) in camera?

Answer 1

The "pro" option. Use color gels. There are some well-known brands like Rosco and Lee

http://www.leefilters.com/lighting/colour-list.html

https://rosco.com/products/catalog/roscolux

You could buy some multiple colores collection of small pieces. I prefer buying the full sheet because I do not use that many colors.

Google "colored gels for flash".

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Some casual options

You can use any colored plastic or transparent or translucent material. A Plastic bag, a transparent plastic bag painted with markers, some plastic containers.

Or you can bounce the flash you want to a matt colored surface, like a colored paper. You can paint some cards using acrylic paint and use them as bounce colored cards.

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Set the white balance for the main white light.