NeoPixel Manicure

This project is great for cosplay and looks amazing both in person and in photos. Soldering wires to the tiny NeoPixel LEDs is definitely challenging, but with a magnifying glass and some patience, it's doable.

This build is inspired by the music video for Spring of Life by my favorite J-pop group, Perfume. In the video, directed by amazing media artist Daito Manabe, the singers have LEDs mounted to their nails with white wires gracefully falling from each finger. Originally, I recreated this look with SMT LEDs in just one color. In this guide, we'll take it to the next level with NeoPixels!

Keep in mind that this is really an art piece and not practical to wear in any way. Wearing this project involves temporarily attaching LEDs and wires to your hands, so it's quite a commitment to wear it out to an event. While loose wires look awesomely cyberpunk, they can easily snag on just about anything, so be careful. Also, you should not get your hands wet while wearing this. Plan accordingly! That being said, I wore this for a few hours at a wearable art show opening and had a blast.