Learn, how to create lightfishes, also called LED-Swimmies: Highly lucid fishes.

The artist Karl Klar did an installation in the public space, which was placed in the construction site of the new Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria. To vivify the flooded reservoir, 500 lucid fishes got placed into the see - plastic fishes with bright battery-powered LEDs in their inside.

They got put into the construction site at the evening of the 16. September 2007 to illuminate the whole place. The colorful glow coming out of the reservoir integrated the building site in the city of lights. The fishes symbolize the transition from the natural state of the meadow, which was there the last hundred of years, to the new modern technical museum.

Furthermore, it was possible to fish the lightfishes from the construction border using fishing rods with magnets. The fishermen and -women could take their booty with them as a trophy. This was possible in the night and 350 of the 500 fishes got catched by the audience.

In this instruction I will show you how we did the fishes.

For more information about the installation check out http://www.karlklar.at http://www.karlklar.at

Step 1: Equipment

You need this equipment:
1 plastic fish
1 LED
1 battery (CR 2032)
1 2x2cm piece of metal
1 rubber band
1 hot glue pistole
1 carpet cutter
gaffer tape

Step 2: Open the Fish

First, you have to get the plastic fishes - the company, where I bought them doesn't exist any longer, so you have to find similar toys.

Cut a round hole in the fish with a carpet cutter, attention to your fingers!

Step 3: Attach the LED an the Battery

1. Attach the bent LED with the rubber band to the battery.
2. Put some gaffer tape firmly around it.

Step 4: Glue the Pieces Together

Glue the LED/Battery to the metal piece and then inside the fish.

Step 5: Close the Fish

Use the hot glue to close the fish again and let it dry a minute.

Step 6: Finish!

Now, repeat the first five steps 500 times and drope them in a see at night.

Check out http://www.karlklar.at/eng/lightfishing for more pictures of the installation lightfishing.