Electroluminescent wire, or EL wire, was first invented in 1936.
At first, it was a bright but inflexible material that people could only use in limited situations. Since then, it has evolved to become thinner, hyper-flexible, and waterproof.
It has become a favorite of set designers and creatives who want to make a low-light or dark area look spectacular.
If you want to learn about some of the many ways you can now use EL wire lights for decoration or even practical purposes, then read on. We have eight amazing ways you can light up your life with EL wire.
1. Wearables
Wearable EL wire projects are very popular at the moment. Threading EL wire into clothing is quite easy to do and creates a spectacular visual effect. EL wire comes in various colors, so you can let your imagination and style run wild.
You can use EL wire to highlight the joins and folds in clothes to create an almost hand-drawn effect with the lighting. Or you can create your own patterns on the fabric that look stunning when you wear them in low-light places, such as at the club.
You can also use neon EL wire in your jewelry projects to create eye-catching necklaces and bracelets. You can even highlight your glasses for a unique look.
2. Wall Art
Creatives use EL wire to create incredible works of art that can be displayed inside or outside. Spectacular wall art pieces, in particular, look fantastic in low-light settings in the home, in a bar, or a club.
EL wire can be attached to canvas backdrops and traced into any pattern. Some incredible designs have involved wings that appear to flap as they change colors and city skylines that can move from day into night.
The EL wire looks best when on a black canvas to create the best neon effects in the dark. Also, you can alternate between the thick EL wire and the thinner variety to create a sense of depth and perspective.
3. Costumes
Create spectacular costumes or cosplay outfits with EL tape. You can create a realistic-looking robot or steam-punk equipment that looks like it is alive and interactive. With switches and dimmers, you can make your suit appear fully functional and hyper-futuristic.
With a good selection of EL wire, you can build some very clever and futuristic designs. For example, a meter that fills up or diminishes on your suit. Or even interactive buttons and cabling that react to people around you.
Neon EL wire is perfect for that Tron movie aesthetic if you are looking for great costume ideas for your next party.
4. Garden Decor
Put up EL wire in your garden to create light shows at night or to provide highlights to different features within your yard. Families can also use them for festive decorations during Christmas or Halloween.
You can use EL tape to decorate trees and bushes to make it look like they have been drawn against the night sky. Highlights added to fences make them visible at night, or you can even draw pictures with the wire on the fence.
Highlight the staircase leading your front or backdoors with EL wire to make it easier to see at night and create a striking entranceway for guests and visitors.
5. Streaming Setups
If you want to create an amazing-looking backdrop to your streaming set-up when playing games live on YouTube or Twitch, EL lighting is perfect for you.
Use it to highlight your background features or your desk and gaming rig. If you have already invested in an RGB set up in your computer, then decorating your streaming stage to match is a no-brainer.
Lots of top streamers already have incredible set-ups for their streaming arenas. Make yours stand out with some creative highlighting using EL wire or even some EL signage in the background.
6. Bikes
Cyclists can use EL wire to highlight road bikes for safety and style. Using EL wire will make the bike much more visible and keep you safer on the road at night.
You can also use the wire to decorate your bike and make it look like a futuristic vehicle. Putting wire on each spoke of the wheel or up and down the frame looks incredible when cycling.
Using different neon colors, you can add a rainbow effect to your wheels as they turn, creating a stunning look when moving.
7. Event and Business Signage
You don’t have to spend thousands on creating spectacular signage for your business with EL wire. It is easy to create your own designs on any material. Trace an outline of your brand name or logo with a colorful wire to create an impressive-looking sign.
If you want to hang the wire outside your premises, make sure that you invest in the hardier variety to withstand the elements.
You can even use EL wire on billboards to create special effects on what is usually a 2D surface. Use it to attract much more attention to your advertisement by making it look real.
If you are hosting an event or just want to make sure everyone can see the bar rules, creating a rules sign in EL wire will make sure that they are always visible.
8. Wayfinding
Never let your guests or patrons get lost in your establishment, event, or even your home again. EL wire is perfect for creating wayfinding pathways on the floors or walls.
You can cut the wire to create arrows that show customers where to go or outline paths on the floor to guide your guests to certain zones.
Event organizers can use different colored wires to create areas for different guests or highlight the VIP zone.
EL Wire Lights Are Incredibly Versatile
You can use EL Wire lights in a variety of different ways to create stunning effects. Whether you are highlighting an area, jazzing up your clothes, or creating some amazing signage or art.
There are many helpful guides online for EL projects that will light up your life, home, and clothes. Why not give EL lighting a try today?
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