I wanted to create a lantern similar to the one seen in the Tangled movie. It would be used as a table lamp. The first step was getting the scale right, so I mocked up a cardboard lantern.
After confirming the correct scale, I tested the light diffusion with acrylic, frosted glass spray paint, and images cut out with a Cricut.
The light diffusion looked best by adding the vinyl Cricut patterns on the inside, then painting over them (just on the inside layer) with a couple layers of frosted glass spray paint.
Now that I knew the material, I went ahead and started cutting/bending the acrylic sheets. I setup a 90 degree wood corner to clamp one side to while I used a heat gun on the corner and bent the sheet to the desired shape.
However, using this process, I knew there would a unique corner that didnt line up. I did my best to have the overlapping layers look natural and artistic.
I placed the lantern walls on the base and drew out the shape that needed to be cut, then routered a groove where the lantern walls would fall into. The magnets in the corners are to match with those on the lantern and prevent it from being misalligned or easily separated from the base.
Next, was the inside. I created a protoype circuit with a few individually addressable LEDs taped together. An Arduino was the microcontroller used to program the lights and read the momentary button input.
The sides of the lantern would diffuse the light while the top would be left clear for it to provide more light to the room. I noticed a cool effect from the 7 LEDs that made up the core light. They would create this holographic type look of the Tangled pattern with different colors slightly misalligned.
I thought it would be a cool effect to have the sides a different color than the projection, hence the black electrical tape covering parts of the LED's.
Here is an example of that holographic effect.
Some more of the projections on the ceiling.
This was the top that allowed for those holographic projections on the ceiling. (This was just the test piece).
Here is the side with proper light diffusion.
Now from another angle with a different solid color.
This project is in the final stage. It was designed for my sister-in-law whose favorite movie is Tangled.
After confirming the correct scale, I tested the light diffusion with acrylic, frosted glass spray paint, and images cut out with a Cricut. The light diffusion looked best by adding the vinyl Cricut patterns on the inside, then painting over them (just on the inside layer) with a couple layers of frosted glass spray paint.
Now that I knew the material, I went ahead and started cutting/bending the acrylic sheets. I setup a 90 degree wood corner to clamp one side to while I used a heat gun on the corner and bent the sheet to the desired shape.
However, using this process, I knew there would a unique corner that didnt line up. I did my best to have the overlapping layers look natural and artistic.
I placed the lantern walls on the base and drew out the shape that needed to be cut, then routered a groove where the lantern walls would fall into. The magnets in the corners are to match with those on the lantern and prevent it from being misalligned or easily separated from the base.
Next, was the inside. I created a protoype circuit with a few individually addressable LEDs taped together. An Arduino was the microcontroller used to program the lights and read the momentary button input.
The sides of the lantern would diffuse the light while the top would be left clear for it to provide more light to the room. I noticed a cool effect from the 7 LEDs that made up the core light. They would create this holographic type look of the Tangled pattern with different colors slightly misalligned. I thought it would be a cool effect to have the sides a different color than the projection, hence the black electrical tape covering parts of the LED's.
Here is an example of that holographic effect.
Some more of the projections on the ceiling.
This was the top that allowed for those holographic projections on the ceiling. (This was just the test piece).
Here is the side with proper light diffusion.
Now from another angle with a different solid color.
This project is in the final stage. It was designed for my sister-in-law whose favorite movie is Tangled.