The SpectraBloom is an invention of light artist Daniel Conrad. This is a page about some SpectraBlooms made with Dan as art objects. I met Dan at Baltimore's premiere experimental music hub The Red Room. Dan plays flute with electronics, he was playing a handmade ringmod that piqued my curiosity. We got together to look at and dissect the ringmod. We ended up talking more about his invention instead, the SpectraBloom. I really like the idea of the SpectraBloom! Subsequently the discussion turned to producing a run of these lamps. Over the course of two years, with Dan's support, I settled on a design that would be fairly easy to produce using machine assembled PCBs, a custom extrusion of aluminum, and some CNC cuts of 100% recycled plastic.
2023 limited run of SpectraBlooms with sandblasted and anodized aluminum base. 1/4"-20 threaded hole in the base for tripod mounting.
The SpectraBloom uses three ultra-bright colored LEDs to project light on any wall surface. When an object is placed between the lights and wall, shadows appear as an array of colors. A bouquet of flowers or a cluster of twigs can be used to make shadows that become a brilliant presence in the room. Household objects or artistic sculptures can be shadow-makers. The Spectrabloom can produce a great variety of effects and subtle color mixtures. Close to a wall it makes richly-hued images; when tilted up and pulled back, a lighter but larger image is splashed across the wall.
Specifications
- Powered by a 12V 1A DC power brick
- 3W LEDs (Bright!)
- Color control options:
- Brightness control for each LED using buttons.
- Slowly fading animation of the LEDs - “Conrad mode”.
- Good heat dissipation for the LEDs, giving them a longer life
- Overall dimensions: Width 8.75" x Depth 3.75" x Height 4.75"
Notes
- When powering on the SpectraBloom, be sure that it is pointed at the wall, the LEDs are VERY BRIGHT! and can be harmful if stared at directly.
- Do not leave the SpectraBloom on for long periods unattended.
- For indoor use only.
- Use only the supplied power adapter, or one with equivalent specifications. (12V 1A center positive 2.1mm x 5.5mm)