Difference between revisions of "Witches' Brew"
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| − | [[File:Witches.jpg]] | + | [[File:Witches.jpg|500px]] |
It's easy and inexpensive to make a backlit display like this. It's also a good way to reuse those old incandescent mini-lights that you retired from your light show years ago. | It's easy and inexpensive to make a backlit display like this. It's also a good way to reuse those old incandescent mini-lights that you retired from your light show years ago. | ||
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* Large cardboard box (I secured an old refrigerator box from Lowe's for free - they normally recycle them.) | * Large cardboard box (I secured an old refrigerator box from Lowe's for free - they normally recycle them.) | ||
| − | * 2 cans of spray automobile undercoating or truck liner. (This protects the cardboard from weather while also covering any box printing) | + | * 2 cans of spray automobile undercoating or truck liner. (This thick paint protects the cardboard from weather while also covering any box printing) |
* Graphic of witches and a cauldron scraped from the Internet. | * Graphic of witches and a cauldron scraped from the Internet. | ||
* A couple strings of 100-count incandescent mini-lights. I mixed strings of yellow and orange. | * A couple strings of 100-count incandescent mini-lights. I mixed strings of yellow and orange. | ||
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:* Stand it up against the garage door and plug it in. | :* Stand it up against the garage door and plug it in. | ||
| − | For an extra effect, you might use an ultraviolet LED light strip attached to a 1/2" PVC tube and mounted on the eave above the door to provide a contrasting purple glow, or use a smoke generator to pump smoke from behind the display. | + | For an extra effect, you might use an ultraviolet LED light strip attached to a 1/2" PVC tube and mounted on the eave above the door to provide a contrasting purple glow, or use a smoke generator to pump smoke from behind the display. Both of those effects were used in the photo above. |
Latest revision as of 06:44, 20 May 2020
It's easy and inexpensive to make a backlit display like this. It's also a good way to reuse those old incandescent mini-lights that you retired from your light show years ago.
Materials:
- Large cardboard box (I secured an old refrigerator box from Lowe's for free - they normally recycle them.)
- 2 cans of spray automobile undercoating or truck liner. (This thick paint protects the cardboard from weather while also covering any box printing)
- Graphic of witches and a cauldron scraped from the Internet.
- A couple strings of 100-count incandescent mini-lights. I mixed strings of yellow and orange.
- A few strips of 1"x 2" lumber (the backing for the cardboard to hold it up and staple the mini-lights to)
Tools necessary
- Box cutter or other sharp tool for cutting cardboard
- Staple gun and staples
- Marking pen
- Disposable drop cloths for painting
- Optional: video projector for enlarging the graphic onto the cardboard for tracing it out
Basic assembly
- Cut the cardboard box open so it can lay flat. Straighten the corner bends as best possible and tape it to a wall.
- Use a video projector to enlarge the chosen graphic onto the cardboard box. Trace the outline of the image.
- Cut the image out of the cardboard
- Use the staple gun to mount the cutout onto strips of 1x2 wood.
- Spray the front of the cutout with the undercoating or truck liner paint. Spray the back for extra protection. Let dry.
- Carefully staple the light strings onto the wood strips on the back side.
- Stand it up against the garage door and plug it in.
For an extra effect, you might use an ultraviolet LED light strip attached to a 1/2" PVC tube and mounted on the eave above the door to provide a contrasting purple glow, or use a smoke generator to pump smoke from behind the display. Both of those effects were used in the photo above.