Back in 2010, indie fashion designer Diana Eng burst onto the New York fashion scene in a shower of light: electroluminescent light. Her ghostly gowns glowed, flowing and ethereal on the runway. Under the skirts, Eng used fans, LEDs, and the precursor to EL tape to create the effect.
Ten years later, electroluminescent tech has evolved.
In 2012, it got thinner. Vega Zashi Weng debuted her pulsating, UFO-inspired collection. Boundaries pushed.
In 2014, it got sleeker. Federico Sangalli’s Light My Night collection debuted in Milan, breaking new ground.
Today, EL design technology may have reached its zenith. Electroluminescent paint has arrived.
What is Electroluminescent Paint?
Electroluminescent paint is both an electric circuit and a spray-on liquid coating.
Simply put, it’s a compound paint made of four layers. These ultra-thin layers come together to form an electric circuit. When the circuit is connected to a battery (or another source of electricity), the paint lights up.
Notably, the EL paint is a multi-layer circuit that uses an Alternating Current (A.C.) power source.
Electric Light, Phosphorous Color
It’s important to note that electroluminescent paint is not “glow-in-the-dark” paint. It is not bioluminescent. The light of the paint doesn’t come from a chemical reaction. It also isn’t a secondary effect of high heat, as the glow of a filament inside a traditional lightbulb does.
Instead, electroluminescent paint’s effect hinges on the phosphor color layer within the circuit. Phosphor is a category of substances that all share a unique property: they react to electric energy by emitting light.
Different phosphor substances emit different colors of light. Artists can alter the color and hue of the electroluminescent paint with a surprising degree of nuance just by choosing to incorporate different types of phosphor in that layer of the paint.
Four-Layer Circuit
Electroluminescent paint only works when all four layers of the paint are applied in the correct order. Without the correct order, the circuit doesn’t work.
The four layers in electroluminescent paint are:
- the backplane layer
- the dielectric layer
- the phosphorescent layer
the busbar layer
The backplane layer and the busbar layer are both conductors. They need to stay separate from each other to complete the circuit. So, these two layers stay on opposite sides.
The dielectric layer is also called the insulating layer. It keeps the two conducting layers separate without altering the phosphorous layer.
DIY vs. Pro
It is possible and fun to DIY electroluminescent paint yourself. Creating a four-layer paint circuit can be an interesting challenge. Since different substances can be used for the same key properties (insulation, conduction), there are many homemade electroluminescent paint recipes out there.
DIY-ing EL paint also gives you the freedom to experiment with colors and PSI.
The downside of DIY, though, is that the substances can be expensive. If they are not layered and applied precisely, the paint can become useless. If something disrupts the completion of the circuit, it’s difficult to fix.
DIY Danger
In the worst-case scenario, accidentally choosing the wrong substances can be dangerous, causing burns or toxic fumes.
Professional bioluminescent paint kits are known quantities. One that comes highly rated is Lumilor and Lumilor Pro. The lighting professionals at https://www.ellumiglow.com/electroluminescence/el-paint note that these paints have passed multiple ASTM standards tests. They also have a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) rating of <250g/l.
This is low enough to handle safely, as long as you’re taking reasonable precautions.
Whether you DIY or buy electroluminescent paint, it’s an intriguing creative medium. There are a lot of exciting applications. First, though, it’s good to get the hang of the basics.
Getting Started
You can coat many materials with electroluminescent paint. But, it doesn’t work with everything.
Electroluminescent paint works best with non-porous materials, including:
- vinyl plastic
- carbon fiber
- fiberglass
- metal
- wood
You can also apply the paint to car-part materials, like glass, rubber, or HDPE plastics. That said, these substrates need to be treated with automotive clear before you begin painting.
Tools
To create an electroluminescent paint design, you need tools to create or sculpt your design itself. You also need tools to create and complete the circuit.
To create your design, you might need sculptural material. Vinyl and vinyl cutters are great for fabrication. Fiberglass and carbon fiber are easier to manipulate with precision, so Sangalli used them for the Light My Night series.
You’ll also need a wire. Think about your project, then choose a wire with the right gauge and voltage rating.
Then, get some type of conductive adhesive. This is how you attach the wire. Conductive tape is a specialty tape embedded with metal particles. You can also use conductive welds and epoxies.
Finally, you’ll need an airbrush applicator to apply the paint. Most airbrushes used to paint cars are compatible with electroluminescent paint.
Safety Equipment
When creating an electrical circuit, you could get burned. Protect yourself with gear like safety goggles, nitrile gloves, and a 2.5m particulate mask.
Electroluminescent Design
When developing an electroluminescent design, consider the different types of light. Diffusion effects can create softer light, like a glow. At the same time, other techniques can bring out a bold, vibrant vision, something reminiscent of neon signs or stage lighting.
Different colored phosphorous can be used to create ombre effects. You can achieve a dappled light effect by using silhouettes or opaque cut-outs to break the light source into pieces.
Ultimately, which effects you choose, whether in a dress or on another piece, should be guided by artful questions. What emotion do you want to inspire? What scene do you aim to evoke?
It’s also worth noting that how your lighting design works in specific conditions matters. Will it be mostly seen from the street at night? Or will it be noticed up-close and personal while dancing in a club? Is a wall supporting the design or a human body? Or the body of a car?
To get specific, explore three popular types of design created with electroluminescent paint.
Electroluminescent Paint Dress
An electroluminescent paint dress, or other wearable design, must include a few traits.
First, it needs to have a comfortable space to hide or carry the battery pack. Even a short walk can get tiring fast if you find the battery pack is insecure. Don’t wedge the pack anywhere uncomfortably. Instead, incorporate a discreet harness or pocket for it.
Then, make sure you’re using a material known to work well with electroluminescent paint. Vinyl and many poly-blends can work, as can more avant-garde materials.
When you’re thinking about the design, plan for natural spaces to comfortably thread the wires under the cloth. Think about securely connecting them to the paint circuit design (the part of the dress that lights up).
Finally, structure the lit aspects of your design in a way that uses natural contrast well. Negative space is your friend when designing for the human form. Try using stencils to keep the lines of paint precisely where you want them.
Remember, the electroluminescent paint is applied with a spray brush, not a hand brush! If it’s not a tool you’re familiar with, practice using it with a less complicated paint first.
Child’s Night-Light Mural
A softly lit paint is a unique material to paint a mural for a child afraid of the dark. Choose colors associated with a healthy circadian rhythm.
Since a mural is completely vertical on a wall, it becomes more important to have strong and plentiful enough adhesive to keep the wires attached to the touch-points.
Each lit element in the mural will be its own complete circuit. That means, for example, if you’re painting a full moon and stars, each star will use separate connection points. As will the moon.
That said, creating an electroluminescent paint circuit for a mural is an elegant solution. To keep the total number of wires needed to a minimum, consider stenciling in interconnected glowing elements. For instance, create a stencil of an entire constellation, then use it as a single closed circuit.
Car Exterior
It can be cool to use electroluminescent paint to elevate a car’s detail.
EL paint designs for cars can be applied at popular car detailers on request. If you’re an automotive painter yourself, electroluminescent paint will likely already be compatible with your gear.
Use the same process to create the circuit on a car exterior as you would elsewhere. Then, coat the design with a clear conductor layer topcoat to protect the design from the elements.
Some automotive painters become Certified Lumilor Labs, which means they’ve mastered the art of painting cars with EL paint.
Creating the Circuit
Whether you’re creating a circuit for clothing, a wall, or a car, there are key steps that are the same no matter how you’re using electroluminescent paint.
Before beginning the design, gather your tools. Get the wires, raw materials, and any kind of blade or cutting machine you’ll want to make stencils.
You may also find 1000-grit sandpaper handy throughout the process.
Then, still in the pre-application stage, set up your airbrushes and pumps. Follow video instructions to set up each paint layer in a different brush.
You should have four containers and four airbrushes. Each container needs to contain a different layer of electroluminescent paint. You’ll need all four to complete the circuit.
Clear your workspace so you can move freely. Precision is key. When you paint, keep your wrist steady. Aim to move with your forearm, slowly.
Finally, create the shapes you want to make light up. Use your materials (vinyl, fiberglass, etc.) to cut them out. You will need to attach the wire later, so keep attachment points in mind.
Once you create the shapes for your design, you’re ready to begin applying the layers.
Apply the Backplane Layer
The backplane layer is the bottommost layer of EL paint. It’s made of a highly conductive material, like copper.
Use the airbrush to spray the backplane layer. Coat your shape entirely. If there are parts of the piece that aren’t meant to be part of the circuit (that you don’t want to light up), make sure to keep them covered with painter’s tape.
Get Rid of Grit
Once you’ve applied the backplane layer, sand it down. Professionals recommend using 1000-grit sandpaper. You may also want to dust it. This is to get rid of any grit, dust, or other particles. These particles risk disrupting the flow of electricity between the layers.
Grit and dust is a leading cause of electroluminescent paint malfunction. If it doesn’t work, something is likely breaking up the circuit. Keep the layers clean, and the circuit can close.
Apply the Dielectric Layer
After applying the backplane layer, the dielectric layer comes next. Spray this paint layer directly on top of the backplane layer.
The Dielectric layer is insulation. It keeps the two conductive layers separate to prevent burning and to effectively complete the circuit.
Apply the Phosphor Layer
The phosphorescent layer creates colored light. When applying the phosphor layer, spray the paint evenly.
Phosphors can be mixed safely. Feel free to blend paint colors to get diverse results.
Note that not all phosphorescent colors are equally bright. Green and blue phosphor layers are the most vibrant. Orange shades have lower levels of illumination.
The color of phosphor layers may be altered according to which metal particles and crystal particles are used to create the pigment.
A note about red electroluminescent paint:
There are no naturally red phosphors. To achieve a red electric light effect, use a pink or orange phosphor layer. Then, use an opaque or semi-opaque top coat. The darker tint to the topcoat will change the light’s color.
Apply the Busbar Layer
The busbar layer is a clear conductive layer. It is Once applied, this layer effectively completes the circuit. If all layers fit together smoothly, your electroluminescent paint is ready to light.
Get ready for the glow-up.
Apply Top Coat
In certain circumstances, you may want an additional topcoat. This topcoat can be used as a tint to alter the color of the light. Or, this coat can be used as an additional protective coating.
Design Different
Stand out from the crowd. Electroluminescent design is just one way to elevate your style. Whether you want to light up your clothes, your car, or the club, we hope we’ve jump-started your next big creative project. There are so many ways to evolve your design with electroluminescent paint.
Ready to give it a try?
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