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Creative Uses for LED Lights

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Play with LEDs

LEDs are energy efficient, long lived lights that can be used for hundred if not thousands of uses. This lens is all about the lighter side of LEDs, building creative projects using these great little lights.

Why My Interest in LEDs

I've been thinking for some time how cool it would be to be able to light my sculptures in creative ways. Because of their longevity and low power usage LEDs (light emitting diodes) seemed like the best bet.

Finally I've gotten some LEDs and I'm in the process of learning a bit more about how to work with them. My experience level in this is basically a couple middle school science projects concerning electricity and setting up a simple circuit. This should be an interesting experience.

My plan is to put LEDs into my Selkie Emerging sculpture to look like water reflecting up onto her body as she rising out of the water.

LED Basics

LEDs for Beginners - Instructables - DIY, How To, tech - Entry
This instructable shows how to wire up one or more LEDs in a in a basic and clear way. Never done any work before with LEDs and don't know how to use them?
Learn Basic Soldering
If you are working with wiring you'll probably need to solder at some point.
LED center » LED basics
LED basics
Simple LED Circuits Design with LED Driver Circuit
Learn about LED circuits, simple LED circuits, and LED driver circuit
LED Circuitry tutorial: how to hook up LEDs.
LED Circuitry tutorial: how to hook up LEDs. Text and illustrated instructions for setting up a circuit, what is series and parallel
circuits, how to determine resistors.
'Random' Flasher for 8 LEDs Project
The Electronics Club

Books with Easy Electrical Projects

Learn the basics by building cool stuff.

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LED Projects

Obviously I'm not the only one who likes to play with LEDs. There are numerous projects online for using LEDs, here's a small sampling of projects I think are really great.
Led Bonsai Tree.
It seemed such a good idea to create a little wire tree with LED flowers... Unfortunately when I did the maths it transpired that it would require 128 tiny PCB's with 2816 hand drilled 1mm holes stuffed with 1152 LED's and 256 resistors, then wired with about 200m of solid core cable twisted painstakingly together then powered from a beefy 4A DC power supply.
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories - Make A Cylon Jack-O-Lantern
For halloween this year, we made Cylon Jack-o-lanterns in both large and small versions. The design consists of two parts, a pumpkin-carving part and an electronics part. The big idea, of course, is to make the Cylon's red eye scan back and forth.
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories - Paper Circuitry at Home: Electric Origami
This little LED-lit cube is much more than just a paper lantern: It's a translucent and flexible thin-film electronic circuit that hooks up a battery to an LED, limber enough to be folded into an origami box. And the coolest thing about circuits like these? You can make them at home.
Soft-circuit LED Bracelet - Instructables - DIY, How To, tech, craft - Entry
Do you like crafting or sewing? Do you love LEDs? Well, why not combine your passions with this 'wire-free' LED bracelet!Here's a quick and relative...
Cool LED Night Light - Instructables - DIY, How To, home, tech - Entry
This is a simple yet effective little night-light is loosely based on the Solar LED Light Jar.It took me about an hour to make and works great when ...
Fireflies - Analog version... - Instructables - DIY, How To, art - Entry
Or, How to randomly flash 8 LEDsOK. I'll admit that the fireflies in a jar thing has been done already. The difference here will be that this versio...

LED Projects on YouTube

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LEDs for You

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Artists Using LEDs

James Clar & Associates - we do what we do
James Clar, interactive lighting designer and installation artist from New York and Tokyo.James Clar received his Masters from New York University's Interactive Telecommunication's Program concentrating on information display. Blending art theory and design, James' innovative objects and installatio
Welcome To Catarina's Neon Art and Metal Site led sculpture modern light
cat Catarina l.e.d. sculpture neon metal art modern metallic light illuminated new cutting edge art-work commission

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LED Creations on Flickr

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Noadi

Hi! I'm Sheryl, a sculptor and jewelry designer, I create in polymer clay and mixed media, please visit Noadi's Art to see my work or my Etsy shop to buy.
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