This Everything-You-Need-to-Know Tutorial Shows How to Make Spirograph Light Paintings

It didn't take long for artists to realize they could literally paint with light once photography came around... but light painting was certainly popularized by Picasso. While you might find some painting specific subjects by hand, others have found endless variation in more geometric creations. Spirographs, even if you don't know them by name, are everywhere (but are mostly used as designs on wedding invitations). While people have been light painting them into their images for quite some time now, the process isn't always clear. Thankfully, Jason D. Page gives some great tips on how to set up a spirograph shot through his Light Painting Photography Vimeo channel.

In addition to helping show the process of creating the right movement for the spirograph, Page shares some tips on products to help modify his light source that you might otherwise miss. From products that help narrow the focus and color of the beam of light to finding ways to perfectly hang a flashlight with rope, Page has you covered. When all is said and done, creating spirographs seems a potentially more varied and a bit less cliché than the all-to-common steel wool designs.

For more tips on great light painting techniques, be sure to check out his Vimeo channel or LightPaintingPhotography.com, a website he created to share information on the topic.

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Adam works mostly across California on all things photography and art. He can be found at the best local coffee shops, at home scanning film in for hours, or out and about shooting his next assignment. Want to talk about gear? Want to work on a project together? Have an idea for Fstoppers? Get in touch! And, check out FilmObjektiv.org film rentals!

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4 Comments

Great!! I've allways wondered how they did this!! Thanks for the article!! :)

Terrific tutorial but a couple of questions. What distance is between the lens and the light source? I tried using a laser pen after I read this because I don't have the light painting pens but the image was scratchy...no definition to the pattern.

I think that's your issue right there. First, you NEVER want to point a laser at your sensor... You might say I'm freaking out..but you'll undoubtedly have plenty of others here tell you the same soon enough. Google: laser destroys camera sensor, and you'll see why. I imagine you'll have much better luck with a standard flashlight and some homemade narrowing "devices" to create the "beam" of light. At the end of the day, that's all he's doing, too... Those adapters are just color and size filters in front of a standard flashlight. You can do the same thing at home if you have some time, tape, and cellophane...

I have a question, but it's more in regards to the photos you have on the wall.
They're AWESOME! Do you have a tutorial for those? :-)
As for this tute, excellent. I've only just seen my first one of these yesterday
on a tog site I follow here in Perth, WA.
My immediate thought was, how'd he do dat? So thanks for that.
Nice easy description to follow.