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“I want to use LEDs but I don’t know how to solder and program and don’t want to learn” then buddy have I got a THREAD FOR YOU today on how you can Add Lights Easily And They Aren’t Too Intimidating I promise
First up: I buy all my electronics from @adafruit and I use their tutorials HEAVILY. Please listen to me when I say they are A Great Supplier and they are the coolest. If you want something cheap and fast tho (especially fairy lights), go to Amazon!
CHEAP N EASY: Fairy lights! You can stick them into props! Fold them! Come in one color! Not very bright but if you need a twinkle with a tiny coin battery, these are it! Here, they’re shoved into my sheikah slate with cellophane and my Ana rifle edge and scope!
CHEAP-ISH N EASY: EL Wire! Very bendable! Kinda bright! Easy to sew! It makes the most ANNOYING humming sound though so bury that battery pack into the void!
NOT CHEAP BUT EASY: Neon pre-diffused flexible light strips! I used these for Brigitte! They are bright as hell and have a huge ass battery but I LOVE THEM and it looked great! I got mine from @adafruit !
IT DEPENDS: traditional BATTERY OPERATED led strips! These will need diffusion of some kind, but some are pre-programmed! I used these for my guardian sword, however, I did have to solder a battery cause space! Higher density = more $$$ BUT more diffused as is!
CHEAP N EASY: tea lights or cake decorator lights! I used these for my McCree nipples and grenades! They’re not super bright, but they definitely are kinda like single fairy lights! Diffuse nicely, but require some room!
I AM WILLING TO LEARN!!: Great, this is the best way to save money! Buy a soldering kit and check out THIS GUIDE: https://learn.adafruit.com/lets-put-leds-in-things which is aimed at cosplayers! Please, also check out some other lovely LED cosplayers I know, @kuristinaakos and @m42sc_cosplay!
And before you say “I am intimidated”! Many guides walk through this step by step—this Guardian Sword was my FIRST PROJECT and I used this tutorial: https://learn.adafruit.com/breath-of-the-wild-guardian-sword-led-3d-printed/overview so go and explore LEDs!
