Join us today as our tiny LEGO characters become the stars of a special show. Let's try our hand at fashion design and create the unforgettable atmosphere of a luminescent costume party that glows!

The key element of our fest is fluorescence—eye-catching lighting that will literally show off our minifigures in a new light and reveal the artistic potential of some specific LEGO elements.

Simply put, fluorescence is the emission of light by the substance that absorbed the light. Placed in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum, this substance becomes visible to the eye and gets a distinct color that stands out against a dark background. Some LEGO elements fluoresce more than others, like the trans-neon colors and even some reds. (Check out Rambling Brick’s great series of articles on fluorescence.)

But today we are looking at fluorescence less from the scientific perspective and more from an artistic one. We will apply this phenomenon in an art project combining LEGO and painting—letting us paint with light.

In our case, the “magical substance” will be a fluorescent marker ink pen or highlighter. Our LEGO minifg ladies need to be dressed in the latest fashion, so we first need to some white clothes out of thin paper. I modeled the shape of the dress with the help of glue and then “painted” them in bright-colored highlighters that are sure to delight any spectator’s' eyes in the darkness.

In the same way that Cinderella turns into a princess with a magical spell from her fairy godmother, the dresses of our minifigs come alive with blue or violet light— an integral part of this lighting experiment. You’ll need to source and then switch on blue or UV lamps in total darkness—or just put a blue gel filter over your camera flash for a similar effect. Some LED lights can replicate this light too.

The blue light immediately activates the fluorescent color of the paper clothes and LEGO elements, highlighting them in an expressive and spectacular way. Bright colors become bold and glow as much as the smiles on our minifigures’ faces.

LEGO is so rich in suitable trans-neon parts that can become the perfect decorations for each design. Just take a look at this “Bright Lemon Cocktail Lady” below and her incredible hair!

I hope you enjoyed the fashion show and will try to use florescence in a new LEGO project—using a highlighter or just normal LEGO elements that nearly glow in the dark. Thanks for your attention!

What elements have you noticed that fluoresce? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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