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Ever wonder what powers the electronics we use today like TVs, phones, aIr conditioners, computers, stoves and more?Well, it’s the tiny electrons that make electricity work! One cool thing about them is that they are able to move (repel) through an electrical circuit and carry a negative (-) charge.

A circuit is a path that starts and stops at the same place. A circuit must be complete, or “closed”, to work. When a battery is supplying electric power, it releases an electron that runs through the circuit, in this case a closed wire. The end marked negative (-) is the source of electrons that will move and deliver energy to something else like a LED, or light emitting diode.

An LED is a device that emits or shines light when electrons pass through it. Electricity or current can only pass through an LED in one direction. The long leg of an LED is always positive (+) and should be connected to the red (+) wire of a battery. The short leg is negative (-) and should be connected to a black (-) wire of a battery.

Three things are required to make the LED turn on and shine in your art. 1) An energy source which will be a battery. 2) A path which will be copper tape. 3) A resistor which will be the LED). The circuit must be closed meaning that all the items are connected, in order to work.

Only a closed circuit will conduct electricity. So, if one of the LED’s legs comes loose from the circuit the circuit is “open” then the flow of electrons will stop moving through the circuit and the LED will not light up. The LED’s legs are not the only point of connection that can become loose. If your LED fails to light, be sure to check where the copper tape connects with the wires of the battery holder.

In most electrical equipment the red wire is positive (+) and the black wire is negative (-). Circuits must be closed to work! Positive goes to positive and negative goes to negative until they meet at the battery. If these wires are crossed anywhere other than the battery they divert the flow of electrons and cause what is called a “short circuit”; the electron flow stops “short” before it reaches its destination.

Required Materials

  • AA Battery Holder
  • 2 AA Batteries
  • LED
  • conductive copper tape
  • markers
  • paint (optional)

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1

Create your art using the markers and be sure to make the 2 LEDs the focal point of your picture.

Step 2

Switch on the battery holder OFF. Slide open the case and and insert the batteries. Match the +/- symbols on the battery to those on the case. Close and secure the battery pack.

Step 3

Use the push pin to prick two holes (one for each wire “leg”) in the canvas where you’d like to place each LED.

Step 4

Insert the slightly longer wire leg of the LED so that it is facing facing the the direction of the positive wire (red) and face the short wire leg towards the negative wire (black). Bend the LED legs apart to secure. LEDs and batteries are polarized so electricity will only flow in ONE direction through them. Be sure to face the wires towards the matching tape.

Step 5

Use the copper tape to connect the end of the short leg of the LED to the negative (black) wire of the battery pack taking care not to touch any part of the long leg positive wire. Be careful not to attach the copper tape near the base of the LED as the wires here are very close together.

Step 6

Push all of the tape down to secure. If needed, add additional layers of conductive tape to reinforce the connection.

Step 7

Turn the battery holder switch to ON and your LED should light. Turn the switch on the battery holder to OFF when done.