Create Your Own Budget-Friendly Lightboard for Engaging Presentations 💡

There is not a lot of original thought here, most of this design and studio layout were taken from other lightboard guides. Credit to those that went before, specifically:


Elisa Valkyria - How to Build your Own LIGHTBOARD / Light board DIY Fast and Easy
NOTE – great to get you inspired though I did build a prototype using this plan and it is difficult to make sturdy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1au1JxMSaA

Jules White - Building a Low-cost Lightboard for Video Lectures
NOTE – he doesn’t wrap lights around the screen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYwXOLU4TKk

Jon Bergman - How to Make a Lightboard for Shooting Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNnsU1e8uoM

How to Make a Lightboard for Less Than $100 (Step-by-Step, With Illustrations)
https://flippedlearning.org/how_to/how-to-make-a-lightboard-for-less-than-100/

Closest to what I ended up with
https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Lightboard/

Shopping list:
Lightboard materials
Strip lights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DZRNQCW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

3 2x4x10’ studs

Plexiglass (see notes below) https://www.lowes.com/pd/OPTIX-0-22-in-T-x-24-in-W-x-48-in-L-Clear-Acrylic-Sheet/3502046

Markers:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0033AGVVG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Shelf brackets (any heavy duty brackets should be fine)


Photography materials (you may have these already:

Backdrop: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SR28ZG4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Lights:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082MX4SDN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Notes on plexiglass size. I was looking for glass that was close to ¼ inch thick. This would be rigid enough and would be snug in the slot made for the LED lights. I found a 2’ x 4’ x 0.22” sheet which I used in the frame. The aspect ratio of this pane is not ideal, a 3’ x 4’ sheet would be better but that was hard to find. I also found that this pane has tiny imperfections in it and it becomes opaque when you turn the lights up, something which didn’t happen with my cheaper, thinner prototype.

Random thoughts:
Use a slightly damp microfiber cloth to clean the glass. Never use Windex or similar.
Short (5m) videos are best, and you need to think through your layout ahead of time