Ruuunnnn Shadow Box Colour Changing Illumination with RGB LED Strips

2025-03-20 | By Kitronik Maker

License: See Original Project Laser Cutters LEDs / Discrete / Modules

Guide by Kitronik Maker

Create a layered colour changing shadow box using polypropylene, an RGB LED Strip with ‎Pattern Selector and USB Power Lead. Download the dxf zip file and follow, our in-house ‎animator/designer, Kev's instructions.‎

This simple but effective make can creatively inspire students and also hit many different ‎elements of the school curriculum. ‎

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‎What you'll need:

White Polypropylene Sheet
Black Polypropylene Sheet
RGB LED Strips (30 pack)
‎1 x A5 white paper or card
Glue
Something to use as the spacers described in step 2
Laser Cutter or knife and scissors
This DXF design

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Step 1 - Your Design:‎

If you wish to use our treasure hunter being chased by the natives, feel free to download ‎our DXF file, made up of each individual layer, or get the students to draw or design their ‎own.‎

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Cut each layer using a laser cutter, craft knife or scissors, making sure to cut the top layer ‎out of the black and all other subsequent layers in white.‎

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‎Step 2 - Layers, Assemble:‎

Using folded pieces of card, acrylic cut-off's, straws, or anything else you can get your ‎hands on, stick these in the corners of each layer (bar the black layer) to create space ‎between each layer. We’ve used some clear acrylic cut-off's and super glued them in the far ‎corners. You might want to experiment with the distance between each layer, but we found ‎that about 1cm between each worked well.‎

Use the sheet of paper or card as the last sheet of the shadow box, with spacers between ‎said piece and the polypropylene sheet in front.‎

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Step 3 - Let there be light:‎

Once the glue has set place the LED strip between the 2 layers. Feel free to experiment ‎where the light goes, as we found the most effective was not between the back 2 layers, but ‎the next one in front.‎

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Turn on the strip to the desired pattern and then flick off the classroom lights…‎

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Send us your photos of students’ finished work and we’ll share them on our socials.‎

‎*If you want to try an even more cost-effective shadow box, you can reduce the size to A6 or ‎replace the polypropylene with card (you may want to check on thicknesses), but be aware ‎that the spacers need to be fairly light otherwise it could come crashing down…‎

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