Is he a nightlight? A Mask? A Puppet? A Costume? YES. YES. YES. YES.
After making my Louise costume, it only seemed appropriate that Louise bring her favorite object along too – her Kuchi Kopi Nightlight!
The Goal: Light it up!
This project was a challenge because Kuchi Kopi is a nightlight and therefore should light up! From what I can see in the cartoon, Kuchi Kopi is most likely a small plastic toy with a single bulb inside that glows evenly around its body. To accomplish the glow in the form of a mask, I used a 5V strip of LEDs and placed them strategically throughout the build.
Clear Materials:
To create a structure for the LEDs (and allow for space to diffuse the light), I used all clear materials so that I could mount the lights inside and face them outward. A combination of rigid clear plastic bowls, plastic wrap, clear packing tape, and hot glue enabled me to sculpt the form while letting the light shine through.
Fabric Covering:
My original plan was to use a plastic tablecloth-like fabric to cover the exterior, but the fabric I found wouldn’t stretch in a way that would allow for even distribution. I even tried heating it up – and that was a smelly disaster!
Felt was the answer!
I had originally ruled out felt because I was sure that illuminating it would be ugly, but after my first fabric failed, I was pleasantly surprised with the result! The muppet-like vibe was consistent with the cartoon feel from the animation, and when the felt was smoothed over the armature, it diffused the light quite evenly.
In fact, the in-person look of this project is even better than the photographs you see here (the camera makes the “hot spots” more visible.) The extra bonus was that the felt looks great with the lights on or off. :)
I hope you enjoy learning how I made this Kuchi Kopi Mask! If you want to see more of my work, you can follow me here on Instructables and on Instagram and YouTube – Please Subscribe! You can also buy tech-craft kits designed by me at TechnoChic.net.
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