Pi Π Paper Shadow Lamp

Hi my name is Sara Today I want to share with you how to make a circular shade lamp inspired by the celebration of the number pi

The value 3.14 or π (PI) is a fundamental mathematical constant that represents the ratio between the circumference/perimeter of any circle and its diameter. It indicates that the diameter fits approximately 3.14 times into the circumference, and is essential in geometry, engineering, and physics for calculating perimeters, areas, and volumes.

Pi Day is celebrated on March 14 (3/14 in US date format) to commemorate the mathematical constant.

So without further ado, let's start making a shadow lamp to commemorate this celebration.

-blender

-paper prints

-scisors

-glue

First, create a striking composition inspired by or representative of the number Pi

I added the symbol, part of the beginning of the number, and a commemorative text to celebrate Pi Day, as you can see in the image.

Start by creating a cylinder in Blender, and then extrude it upwards to create a semi-conical shape.

create a round face to seal the shape

Import the previously created Pi flat design, preferably in SVG format, then convert it from curves to shapes.

In the menu, go to Object > Convert to > Mesh.

then extrude all faces towards the top.

After that, locate the point where the light will be installed; this is key for the shadow or light silhouette to be projected correctly.

Then, join all the extruded vertices at that point using the command M>At Cursor.

Then select the cylindrical object and apply a modifier in its properties menu: search for boolean modifier.

In the mesh object to use in the boolean, select the curve object corresponding to the vectorized pi symbol.

Apply it completely in the modifier menu.

Then in edit mode delete the central vertex of convergence and select all faces and press Ctrl+T to normalize all vertices.

I created a simulation of how the light would be distributed and I loved it, so then I moved on to the physical design.

Print the templates on thick cardboard, preferably white or black.

and cut each piece

Enhance the folds with an old pen or a Scoring Tool, do it gently so as not to break the cardboard.

Repeat the same process on all pieces before making any silhouette cuts.

Cut out all the shapes and silhouettes on the templates, including letters, numbers, and shapes. Be careful, as a bad cut can damage the final result of the projected light.

Leave some strips connecting the top and bottom edges; this will give the figure more strength.

Now make the respective folds and with the glue, glue each tab to its corresponding part.

until it achieves a circular and cylindrical shape

Install the LED at the center point where the circular lid intersects. I recommend using a bulb that emits direct light, meaning one without internal mini-LEDs, and that also has good brightness. Use a powerful LED so that the silhouettes are clearly visible and have defined edges.

Well, in the end you'll have a striking circular lamp, perfect for celebrating Pi Day. Here's a picture of the finished lamp.

The final size of the lamp is 12 cm in diameter, and the light projection is approximately 70 cm x 70 cm.