MAKE YOUR OWN PIXEL LIGHT
PIXELS are tiny squares of colour that, when grouped together, make an image.
Most large TVS now display more than 2million pixels, giving a really sharp image.
While crystal clear images are great, some people still hanker for the good old days.
Pixel art, the chunky, square-based style that was so familiar to gamers in the 80s and 90s, is still going strong today.
This week, we take inspiration from the blocky aliens in Space Invaders, the cosmic shooter that has been popular since the 1980s.
Just like this project, the first versions of the arcade game featured black and white graphics with strips of cellophane laid over the screen to add colour.
YOU WILL NEED:
A large glass jar (pickle jars work well); black paper; coloured cellophane (try transparent sweet wrappers); glue; sticky tape; scissors; 1cm squared paper; pencil; ruler; battery-powered tea light (optional)
METHOD
1. You can feature any subject in your design, but remember you will need to break it down into squares to achieve a pixel effect. Test out your ideas by designing your picture on some 1cm squared paper (the type you would find in your school maths book). If you don’t have squared paper, measure out and draw a grid of 1cm squares. Shade in the squares in pencil to see how it maps out. You need to keep it roughly the same height as your jar.
2. When you have your design mapped out, you will need to reverse it. Do this by holding it up to a window and shading in the squares as they appear on the back of the paper (see picture).
3. Next, measure your jar and cut a rectangle of black paper big enough to wrap around the front and sides, leaving a gap at the back.
4. Stick your design face down in the centre of your black paper and carefully cut it out (see picture).
5. Use tape or glue to stick pieces of cellophane on the back of your black paper to add colour to the squares (see picture). Stick any single squares back on (eg mouth and eyes).
6. When you’re finished, wrap the paper around your jar, making sure you leave a gap to let the light in, and fix with some glue or tape.
7. Your design will light up naturally in the daylight or you can put a battery-powered tea light inside at night.
*Adult supervision is recommended when crafting