Make a Picture Lamp

I made this lamp of pictures from the beautiful books of Richard Scarry. My children loves his books. My idea is to make a lamp that grows with my children. When they are little a lamp with pictures of Richard Scarry, then after a while the same lamp but with airplanes. When they become teens the airplanes could be exchanged with popstars and so one. Well I have to admit that the idea I had from the beginning totally failed (see next step). I nearly gave up until I saw Noahw’s lamp. I give it one more try and now I am more satisfied.

My first idea was to make a lamp with curly wires. And so I did. I think it is a complete mess, but my daughter didn't agree ;-) Judge yourself. Because I was not satisfied I made a new one. Look to the next steps to see how I made it.

This is what you need:

- pictures books

- double adhesive tape, scissors

- wire (I used 1mm galvanized wire)

- pliers

- a lamp

- wood (I used birch) and lathe, tools and sandpaper

In our city there's a very nice second hand shop where I bought these books and two lamps for this project. It did cost me 4 euro :-)

Saw a log on your band saw. The measurements are depending on your lamp.

Make a mark on one side with your chisel.

Drill a hole on the other side, the measurements are depending of the dimensions of your lamp

Place the log on your lathe

Turn it in the right size

Sand and take it out of your lathe

Sand

the little edge

Drill a hole on the top

Saw the shell in two pieces

Make it fit

Put double adhesive tape on one side and mount it on your lamp (You can glue it also but I wasn't sure which lamp to choose)

Mark

your holes

Drill the holes

Choose your lamp

Mount your shell to the lamp

Make copies of your pages and print them in mirror image. When you glue your two pictures together you will have the same front and back side.

Cut you pictures from the book and from your mirror image

Tape double adhesive tape on the back of one picture

Place a bit of wire on the double adhesive tape

Hold the picture towards the window so you can see where to place the mirror image

Tape and cut in fine shape

Choose your wire I chose a 1mm wire

Stretch the wire

Mount the wire tight on one end

Make a loop with a plier on one end of the wire

Put this end in your drill

Stretch the wire and drill slowly your wire will be straight

Don’t drill to long otherwise the wire will brake

Cut the wire in three different sizes

Mine are 16, 9 and 5 centimeters

Bent the end of the longest part in a 90 degree angel with a plier

Put the wire in hole in the holes on the shell

It will stretch out in 90 degrees, bent the ornament now downwards in right position

Make the first layer and continue with the second and the third

If you're satisfied with the arrangement, take out the ornaments one by one and glue them in the right position

I recommend using a low power lamp because of the fire risk.