Creating lightning - what materials to use

[Pictish Mini Painting]

Hi folks,

i am working on a project for GD 2012, basically i am looking to create lightning coming a hand ala The Emperor in star wars to give you an idea.

What i am trying to sort out is a way of creating the lightning in the correct scale.

A few ideas are in my head, such as fine fuse wire or very fine plastic rod etc.

Has anyone attempted something similar or have any ideas about stuff i could try?

cheers folks.

 

[me_in_japan]

I'd think fine, relatively inflexible wire would be your best bet. You'd have to give some thought as to where the lightning forked and how it sparked off the target (assuming some poor bugger is getting zapped), as well as your method of joining one fork to another (a knot wouldnt work - lightning doesnt have blobs where lines join), and of course you'd have to OSL the living daylights out of the scene, but yeah, I reckon it can be done.

 

[RuneBrush]

I'd think fine, relatively inflexible wire would be your best bet. You'd have to give some thought as to where the lightning forked and how it sparked off the target (assuming some poor bugger is getting zapped), as well as your method of joining one fork to another (a knot wouldnt work - lightning doesnt have blobs where lines join), and of course you'd have to OSL the living daylights out of the scene, but yeah, I reckon it can be done.

Pretty much what MiJ has said. Lightening will need forks in it where one elbow breaks into two and the elbows will need to be very crisp angles. I don't know if you could use fuse wire and then apply many layers of varnish (or resin?) to strengthen it up?

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

You are going down the same thoughts as me, i think fine fuse wire as a base with clear resin ran down the length once i have a shape defined, this would allow me to thicken the lines a bit for the main 'bolt' and work any joins of the wire out with a smooth resin coat.

As for the boy getting hit, thats a bit of a secret for the diorama, but the OSL will be tricky but i am going to try a few attempts before the final miniature to get my hand in.

shall try a few ideas out over the next week.

 

[kittykat23uk]

I used wire for lightning effects on the Conflict:

 

[QuietiManes]

I've seen it done with wires a few times. You can get thin wires from old cables if you have any lying around, but they're usually really soft. You can get somewhat rigid thin wires in the beading section of craft stores, get the "memory" wire. There's also the floral section of craft stores, usually has thin wires as well, get the uncoated spools, they're much stronger as part of the width is not replaced by plastic/rubber/what have you. I don't think electricity NEEDS to fork, but wires can be soldered or even just glued if the piece is shorter...if you get really thin wires, multiples can be twisted and separated at the fork, like Kat did above. The thickness of the wire can be built up with white glue, if need be, it will also strengthen it somewhat as mentioned earlier, OR you can fill in the grooves between wires if you twisted them together.

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

Thanks QuietManes, i have a hobbycraft in town that has a big jewelry and dried flower bit, so will have a look at the selection of wires and have a play with what seems to work best.

 

[Dragonsreach]

If you are already heading to hobby craft look at the transparent beading thread.
It's like fine fishing line and be bent and glued. Just watch were the cut pieces go as they can be sharp when you aren't expecting to find a piece.

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

Cool, will give that a go, as i could cut n shape it with thin cyano glue.

will grab some on sat

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

I had a rummage in Hobbycraft, i got the clear beading wire, your right its a lot like fishing line but slightly less flexible. I also got something called 'crinkle wire' which is a thin gauge wire that is basically formed into a zig zag weave through it, which i thought could be usefull as the main 'arc' then use the fishing wire to have as little offshoot arcs. gonna play with it at the weekend and see what works.