DIY Network

Light Bulb Sculpture Make art from dead light bulbs. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-405

There's a lot of life left in that burned-out light bulb – just ask Michele Beschen. The B. Original host is a pro at seeing the potential in life's castoffs, even a dead light bulb. In this easy project, she shows different ways you can resurrect those burned-out bulbs as small masterpieces like:

A gumball machine...

A hot air balloon...

Or even a funky flower.

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Light Bulb Sculpture

Materials:

porcelain keyless lamp holders
burned out light bulbs
polymer clay
plaster cloth
scissors
acrylic paints or spray paints

	Figure A
	Figure B

• Purchase a couple of porcelain keyless lamp holders, found in the electrical department of any hardware or home improvement store. Michele Beschen prefers the porcelain holders to plastic ones because of their weight and strength.

• Install a burned out light bulb in the lamp holder (figure A). Then step back, take a look and see what ideas you get from the shape. Does it remind you of a flower? A hot air balloon?

• Follow that inspiration to decorate the bulb and holder. Glass paints work well on bulbs; this project is safe for paints that need to be cured in the oven.

• Mold some polymer clay over the piece (figure B). You can work it up right over the base and around the bulb, then add extra shapes and even found objects (figure C).

• Plaster cloth also also works well (figure D). This is available at any art store, but Michele Beschen finds the best prices at medical supply stores, which also carry it in several colors.
  

  Figure C

  Figure D

  
  

• To use plaster cloth, cut it into strips. Place the strips in water until they get soft and goopy, wring out the excess water and apply the strips to the bulb (figure E). The strips don't have to lay flat – try wadding them up to create shapes that stand out (figure F).
  

  Figure E

  Figure F

  Figure G

  
  

• Lay, wrap and shape the wet plaster across all areas of the bulb and the base. When it's dry, give it some color with acrylic and/or spray paints (figure G).