My current plans for this project are vague artistically, but I have a good idea of the type of technology I would like to implement. I plan to have some type of sculpture, made from clay, laser-cut wood, or some other medium. This sculpture will be hollow, with many small holes cut in the surface. Inside the sculpture I’ll put some powerful light source, which will project through the holes and onto the surrounding walls and ceiling of the space the sculpture is in. I also want to have a simple motorized blind that will spin around the light source, selectively blocking parts to add dynamic twinkling or dimming to the projected light spots. I do not plan for the sculpture to be interactive besides turning it on and off, as I don’t really want to use any controllers or software besides the minimum needed to control a simple motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Artistically, my goal for the project is to create a sculpture that creates its own environment using light. If placed in an empty room or corner, it will project patterns onto its surroundings that are integrated into the art itself – like a starry sky above a forest, or <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Possible Features \/ Areas of Uncertainty:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The shape of the sculpture itself – something that fits well inside of the space it’s creating. Maybe a crystal or tree form.<\/li>
The addition of colored film to the blind, to change the colors of the light spots.<\/li>
The shape or pattern of the blind, to obscure light in the most aesthetically interesting way.<\/li>
The shape of the holes – depending on the strength of the light source and the size of the sculpture, I may be able to project more complex shapes. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Artist Questions:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
What should I use for a light source?
It needs to be very bright and must be a single point to create the best effect. It also must be omnidirectional (like a light bulb and not a flashlight). Can I get some kind of super-bright single LED?<\/li>
What is the easiest way to connect it and the motor (likely using very different amounts of power) to a central power switch\/cable?<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
What would be the best material to make this out of?
Ideally, I would like to make some sort of armature underneath and then cover it in clay. I could also use laser-cut wood, but that would give less room for physical manipulation and design in exchange for more precision. What other materials might be good to consider?<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Prototype \/ Mockup<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
While I am still not sure of the artistic direction of the project (that will be the hardest part), I wanted to create some kind of proof-of-concept of the technology. At first, I was planning on simply placing a cube, cut out of paper and with holes punched or cut in it, over my desk lamp with a standard LED lightbulb. This is the result:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.joshuarosenstock.com\/teaching\/lightart-d22\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/20220330_194303-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.joshuarosenstock.com\/teaching\/lightart-d22\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/20220330_190954-1-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.joshuarosenstock.com\/teaching\/lightart-d22\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/20220330_193642-1-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.joshuarosenstock.com\/teaching\/lightart-d22\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/20220330_193654-1-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.joshuarosenstock.com\/teaching\/lightart-d22\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/20220330_182032-scaled.jpg\")
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