# Printed LED Sculptures

> Printed frames turn light strips into geometric desk lights, wall pieces, and an open-frame color-changing sculpture.

Canonical page: [Printed LED Sculptures](<https://devanmetz.com/portfolio/printed-led-sculptures/>)

Project date: 2022

Updated: 2026-10-14

Category: Lighting & fabrication

Status: Physical builds

Tags: 3D printing, LEDs, CAD, Electronics

- **My work:** Printed frames, lighting integration, and assembly
- **Forms:** Desk light, wall frame, and open geometric sculpture
- **Lighting:** LED tubing and exposed light strips

## In short

I made printed frames for a geometric desk light, a wall piece, and a larger open-frame sculpture. The frames hold the lighting along edges, corners, and diagonals, making the structure and light path part of the appearance.

![A glowing blue and white Ethereum-shaped desk light in a printed frame beside a clock and plant.](<https://devanmetz.com/_astro/led-sculpture.5a9-pjSJ_6AOQT.webp>)

A freestanding geometric light with LED tubing held by a printed frame.

## Overview 

I made printed frames to hold LEDs in geometric shapes: a desk light shaped like the Ethereum emblem (the geometric symbol of the Ethereum blockchain network), a wall piece, and a larger open-frame sculpture.

The frames position the lights along edges, corners, and diagonals.

## Desk and wall lights 

### Freestanding desk light 

The desk light uses LED tubing, lighting enclosed in a tube, held in a freestanding printed frame. Its continuous lines follow the outline of the Ethereum emblem.

### Wall-mounted frame 

The wall version uses channels in the frame to position the lighting. With the LEDs off, the purple printed structure and its supports are visible.

## Open-frame sculpture 

The larger sculpture has LED strips, flexible bands carrying individual LEDs, running along the edges and diagonals of a three-dimensional frame. The strips and wiring remain exposed during assembly, with individual points of light tracing the structure when switched on.

The finished sculpture can light up blue, red, and green. The gallery shows it during assembly and illuminated in blue.

## Structure and light placement 

The smaller lights create a continuous outline, while the larger sculpture makes the separate LEDs part of the appearance. In both, the printed frame determines the path of the light and holds it in place through corners and intersections.

## Related builds 

My [Rust furnace lamps](<https://devanmetz.com/portfolio/rust-furnace-lamps/>) hide the light inside painted shells. These sculptures keep the structure and light path visible.

I printed the frames, assembled the lights, and integrated the wiring. The small lights use the existing Ethereum emblem as their shape.

## FAQ

### What kinds of lights are shown?

The builds include an Ethereum-emblem desk light, a wall-mounted frame, and a larger open-frame geometric sculpture.

### How do the printed frames hold the lighting?

The frames position LED tubing or light strips along edges, corners, and diagonals. The wall frame uses channels, while the larger sculpture has strips along its edges and diagonals.

### Which colors can the larger sculpture display?

The finished sculpture can light up blue, red, and green. The gallery shows it illuminated in blue.

## Build photos

![The unlit purple geometric light frame mounted on a wall, showing its channels and support structure.](<https://devanmetz.com/_astro/led-frame.C6wgeoRl_XQIRR.webp>)

The light's frame with the LEDs off, making the printed structure easier to see.

![An open geometric frame on a desk with exposed LED strips following its edges and diagonals.](<https://devanmetz.com/_astro/led-polyhedron-build.Vc3COks7_Zrcs3r.webp>)

The larger geometric light during assembly, with the strips and wiring visible.

![An open-frame geometric sculpture glowing blue at its edges on a workbench.](<https://devanmetz.com/_astro/led-polyhedron.DW8j6Nhb_2nz8pz.webp>)

The assembled sculpture glowing blue. It also lights up red and green.

## Related reading

- [Reflector Lantern](<https://devanmetz.com/portfolio/reflector-lantern/index.md>)
- [From the Workbench](<https://devanmetz.com/portfolio/workshop-builds/index.md>)
- [Catan Organizers](<https://devanmetz.com/portfolio/catan-organizers/index.md>)