Lamp project? Yes, I said, “lamp project.” One of the advantages of my 3D Design II classes is that I can take on more ambitious lessons because I see my students everyday and I have 2 classes instead of 5. This is my second year doing the lamp project. In college I took 2 independent studies of product design which focused on lighting design and I wanted to incorporate those experiences within my curriculum.
Last year we created lamps based around principles of ECOdesign. Although in theory this idea sounded wonderful, in practice it was much more difficult for students to execute and fully understand. Therefore, this year I simplified and narrowed my lesson objective. Below you will find an outline of this project, should you want to try it yourself. Note: the students who completed this project were in 11th and 12th grades.
OBJECTIVE: Students will design a safe and functional hanging light that should be aesthetically pleasing when illuminated and not illuminated.
MATERIALS:
· IKEA Hemma Lamp Socket ($4.00 each, only available in IKEA stores, this is most inexpensive socket I have found, plus the most adaptable socket)
· 40 Watt CFL Bulbs (MUST be CFL; incandescent generate too much heat and pose more of a fire hazard.)
· Foam Core Board
· Dick Blick Yupo Paper (similar to vellum, but is softer, stronger, and more versatile.)
· Balloons, tissue paper, paint, wire baskets, etc. (Many students incorporated a variety of materials to diffuse the light.)
SAFETY:
· I post a disclosure to students that ALL lamps MUST pass safety inspections during the sketching process. If it’s too heavy, poses a fire hazard, etc. they cannot make it.
· Low wattage CFL bulbs should be used to help eliminate fire hazards brought on by heat of incandescent bulbs.
· There should be at least 3 inches of space between the lamp shade and the bulb surrounding all sides. (6 inches in diameter minimum.) This will provide for air circulation, which will help cool the bulb.
· If you plan on hanging the lamps by their cords, the lamps MUST be lightweight. If they feel heavy, simply add a chain, ribbon, hook, etc. to help take the weight off of the cord and socket.
· Lamps must have a way to easily change the bulb.
HOW TO:
· Students first need to create an armature. The armature will act as the support or skeleton for the lamp. The armature should be lightweight and be able to hold the socket. Some students constructed their armature out of foam core board, others out of papier-mached balloons, wire baskets, or even origami shapes.
· Students then need to diffuse the light. Some students added “lamp shades” to their foam core board armature with Yupo paper. Other students used tissue paper, paint, or other materials, such as straws or cupcake wrappers to diffuse their light. Note: The CFL bulbs are extremely bright, so it’s important that students test their lamps throughout construction to see if the light is diffused enough.
ASSESSMENT:
This was a 100 point project. Students started and finished the project within 2-3 weeks. One of my favorite aspects of this lesson is that each lamp is so unique from the others and each student's viewpoint is different. Students were assessed based on the following:
Creativity – 20 points
Craftsmanship – 20 points
Design & Composition – 20 points
Quality of Light – 20 points
Functionality – 20 points
PHOTOS:
· Please enjoy the photos below. I wanted to keep my explanations brief because I feel the photos speak for themselves. If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact me at emily.artnest@gmail.com. Enjoy!
Series of foam core board boxes stacked together to create armature. (This shape was very popular this year!) Student adhered gold glitter to Yup paper to create shade; added a sparkle, but also a very interesting texture, to the shade!
This student took on a very ambitious design. Foam core board was used for the round hexagonal armature and yupo paper for the red, orange, and yellow designs. The curved purple top and bottom was painted, thin, book board. Love the lamp shade shapes!
This shape was created used a balloon. The student layered LOTS of tissue paper with watered down Elmer's glue. We found that it is a good idea to layer with white tissue paper in between colors so the tissue paper doesn't bleed together so much that you lose the individual colors. This lamp totally transforms when lit! When it isn't lit it looks primarily white with hints of color. When turned on, shazaam!
This student used the tissue paper also, however instead of a balloon a round "punching" balloon was used to make it totally circular. Great shape!
Tiki mask anyone? This student painted a piece of Yup Paper and then wrapped it around a circular piece of foam core board, which houses the socket. Pieces of foam core board were painted an adhered to add a sculptural relief feel to the mask. Love the opening for the mouth!
This student wired together 2 wire wastepaper baskets purchased from the dollar store and then stuffed the negative space with small pieces of neon colored straws. (You can also see from this photo how bright the bulbs can be, so test as you go!) Love the patterns created with the straws! 
Yupo paper with Sharpie marker Echo Lines & painted black butterflies wrapped around a circular piece of foam core board. Very graphic!
This student wanted to create a dress lamp. An old white dress was sewn to a basket that holds the socket and bulb. The student also hand stitched some purple felted flowers that were then attached on the front and back of the dress. Although the lamp was very light weight, the straps of the dress were used to help hang the lamp. It looked very "ghostly" yet "elegant" when finished.