Materials:

• Graphite pencil
• Encaustic medium
• Natural brushes (the rough ones)
• Ceramic needle tool
• Wax warmer pot
• Heat gun
• Canvas
• Cardboard
• Masking tape
• Neopixel LED strip with alligator clips
• 4 1.5v AA batteries
• 6v battery holder
• Jack plug adapter barrel connector
• 2 pin jst connector
• Mini screwdriver
• CPX
• Inkjet printer
• Paper

Instructions:

1. Cut out a piece of cardboard that fits the back of your canvas appropriately. (Optional)
2. Preheat encaustic medium in wax warmer pot. Make sure you know what temperature to bring the wax to!
3. Using masking tape, line the sides of your canvas. This allows for easy cleanup and removes any unnecessary wax that may drip onto the sides of your canvas.
4. Choose desired photo you want to include within your encaustic piece. Print and cut your sheet as necessary and put into desired position on canvas.
5. Line your workspace with newspaper or anything else disposable. This makes cleanup so much quicker.
6. Once your encaustic medium has heated through, use your natural brush to lay an even layer of wax over your canvas. Don’t worry about the messy streaks!
7. Using a heat gun, reheat the brushed wax into an even layer.
8. Using a ceramic needle tool, or any other sharp tool, carve out pieces of the wax to your desire. Fill these spots with charcoal and wipe away excess.
9. Repeat steps 6 and 7 until you achieve your desired texture/design! This is where you have fun!
10. Allow your canvas to cool.
11. Remove masking tape carefully to remove excess wax from sides of canvas.
12. Upload your Arduino code onto your Circuit Playground.
13. Attach your neopixel strip with alligator clips directly to your CPX. Be sure to attach your Data input to the appropriate pin from your code.
14. Attach your 2 pin jst connector to your jack plug adapter barrel connector. Connect this to your battery pack.
15. Using a mini screwdriver, screw these male/female wires into the jack plug adapter.
16. Insert batteries into holder.
17. Position everything behind canvas as desired.
18. Insert cardboard behind canvas for security.
19. Clap to active (:

Code:

#include <Adafruit_CircuitPlayground.h>

#define NEOPIX_PIN    A2

#define NUM_PIXELS    30

#define SOUND_THRESHOLD 90       // higher = less sensitive

const unsigned long CLAP_DELAY_WINDOW = 1000;

const int colors[][3] = {

  {50, 168, 141},    // Color 1 (Teal)

  {235, 226, 59},    // Color 2 (Yellow)

  {235, 59, 217}     // Color 3 (Magenta/Pink)

};

const int NUM_COLORS = 3;

Adafruit_CPlay_NeoPixel strip = Adafruit_CPlay_NeoPixel(NUM_PIXELS, NEOPIX_PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

int clapCount = 0;

unsigned long lastClapTime = 0;

int currentColorIndex = 0;

bool lightsOn = false; 

void setup() {

  Serial.begin(19200);

  CircuitPlayground.begin();

  strip.begin();

  strip.setBrightness(80);

  // Start off

  setAllPixels(0, 0, 0);

  strip.show();

}

void loop() {

  float value = CircuitPlayground.mic.soundPressureLevel(50);

  unsigned long currentTime = millis();

  if (value > SOUND_THRESHOLD) {

    if ((currentTime – lastClapTime) > 100) {

      clapCount++;

      lastClapTime = currentTime;

      if (clapCount == 2) {

        lightsOn = !lightsOn;

        if (lightsOn) {

          setAllPixels(colors[currentColorIndex][0], colors[currentColorIndex][1], colors[currentColorIndex][2]);

        } else {

          setAllPixels(0, 0, 0); // Turn off

          currentColorIndex = (currentColorIndex + 1) % NUM_COLORS;

        }

        strip.show();

        clapCount = 0;

      }

    }

  }

  if (clapCount > 0 && (currentTime – lastClapTime) > CLAP_DELAY_WINDOW) {

    clapCount = 0;

  }

}

void setAllPixels(int r, int g, int b) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_PIXELS; i++) {

    strip.setPixelColor(i, r, g, b);

  }

}