How do you convert a line drawing into a layered design for laser cutting?
We asked Rodolfo from Lekky Studio. In this article, Rodolfo will guide you through his process and teach you how to design and create a wooden lamp with your laser.
In this blog, I'll show you how I transform a flat illustration into a layered 3D wall lamp. I'll take you step by step through the design process, preparation for the laser, and the final assembly. What I love about this project is that with a clever design, you can create a functional lamp with depth and character.
In my studio, I use a 100W Aeon Laser CO₂ laser, but any laser cutter capable of cutting plywood is suitable for this project. I would recommend using a light wood type, such as 4 mm thick Linden plywood.
The idea: a tattoo as inspiration
Collected inspiration images of swallow patterns
Every design starts with an idea. I enjoy looking at tattoo culture, and for this lamp, I drew inspiration from the recognizable swallow. Everyone recognizes this symbol; sailors used to wear it as a badge of honor—one swallow meant the wearer had sailed 5,000 nautical miles, two stood for 10,000 nautical miles.
I am not a sailor myself, but this maritime culture appeals to me because I have spent a large part of my life around the Caribbean Sea. I now live in Hengelo, and this swallow reminds me of the long journey and experiences that have brought me to where I am today.
Besides this personal meaning, the shape of the swallow is strong and recognizable. It's a line drawing, but I'll show you how to transform it into a layered design.
From the start, the goal wasn't to create a flat decoration, but an object that already has sufficient depth even without lighting. By combining multiple layers, a design emerges that transforms once the lamp is switched on.
Step 1: Sketching on paper
First technical sketches for the lamp holder on paper
Before I sit down at the computer, I first work out my ideas on paper. In this photo, you can see the first technical sketches of the lamp holder on the back.
Developing this construction took a considerable amount of time initially. I made several prototypes out of cardboard to check if all the parts fit together well.
You need to consider the material thickness, in this case, 4 mm linden plywood, and allow sufficient space for the fitting and assembly. I've been using this material for years and have come to appreciate it more and more. It's lightweight, which is important for a wall lamp consisting of multiple layers that will ultimately hang on the wall.
Additionally, linden plywood has a natural wood grain that remains visible in the final result. Its light beige color works excellently as a base for paint, but also looks beautiful when you leave parts untreated or finish them with wood stain. It's a versatile material that is also very easy to cut with a laser.
Testing first prevents unnecessary errors during laser cutting.
Step 2: Digital elaboration in Adobe Illustrator
Tracing the drawing in Adobe Illustrator
Once the sketch is final, I take a photo of it with my phone and elaborate it digitally in Adobe Illustrator.
Using the Pen Tool, I redraw all lines as vectors. This requires some practice at first but gives full control over the shape and makes the design suitable for production.
Creating the back layer in Adobe Illustrator
For the back layer, I make a copy of the swallow and give it a thicker contour. Then, I convert this contour into a single closed vector shape via Object > Expand and combine the components with Pathfinder > Unite. After removing the inner remnants, a solid backplate is formed.
I export the design as a PDF before importing it into the laser software. SVG also works fine, but personally, I find PDF to be slightly more consistent during import.
Step 3: Preparation in LightBurn
Coloring the laser file in LightBurn
Once the design is ready, I import the file into LightBurn and assign different settings to different colors.
For this project, I'm using a 100W CO₂ laser and 4 mm linden plywood.
The settings are as follows:
- Pink lines (cutting): speed 20, power 60.
- Green lines (marking): speed 400, power 10.
The green lines are used as positioning markers on the back of the swallow. This ensures I know exactly where to place the lamp holder during gluing.
On the cut parts, you'll also see a small rectangular hole. This has two functions: it aids in precise positioning of the back construction and simultaneously forms a mortise and tenon joint that adds extra strength to the overall structure.
Before the machine starts, I always check the focus, the material's position, and the selected starting point one more time.
The backplate of the swallow lamp is cut out in the laser cutter
The cut backplate, with engravings and the rectangular hole, ensure everything can be positioned very precisely.
Step 4: Finishing with color
These colors were used for the lamp
After cutting, the different parts are finished with spray paint. For this project, I use spray cans from Montana Colors.
I like working with them because they have excellent coverage, especially on porous surfaces like wood. Additionally, they dry quickly, allowing you to work efficiently without long waiting times between layers. I also have good experiences with the paint's durability.
What I personally find most appealing is the enormous choice of colors. The assortment seems almost endless, allowing me to almost always find precisely the right color for a design.
For this lamp, I chose a combination of matte black, a deep blue-green color, and bright red. Some parts are deliberately left untreated so that the natural wood grain remains visible.
The combination of paint, wood grain, and the dark laser-cut edges creates an interesting contrast and gives the design extra depth.
Spray painting parts black
Step 5: Building the construction
Assembling the lamp holder
The holder on the back consists of multiple loose parts that together form a sturdy construction for the fitting and the lamp.
For assembly, I use cyanoacrylate adhesive. Over the years, this has become my favorite glue for these types of projects due to its very strong bond and quick drying time.
I used to mainly use wood glue, which is still an excellent choice, but I noticed I spent a lot of time waiting for everything to dry completely. With cyanoacrylate, I can continue working almost immediately. This makes the process more efficient and helps to complete projects faster.
However, this glue requires caution. Some variants are very fluid and can easily get into places where you don't want them.
I learned that myself over the years. I've damaged tables, chairs, and floors more than once by not using sufficient protection. That's why I always work on cardboard or other disposable material that can get dirty or damaged nowadays. Just like with painting, careful work here prevents many problems afterwards.
One pin protrudes so that the holder can be perfectly aligned during assembly
During assembly, you'll see that one of the wooden cross connections protrudes slightly. This pin slides precisely into the swallow's rectangular hole, ensuring that the construction automatically aligns to the correct position.
Afterwards, the colored layers on the front are glued one by one until the complete design is built up.
Result
The lamp inspired by the swallow tattoo is finished
When the lamp is fully assembled, the back construction forms a sturdy base for the E14 fitting, and the entire piece is ready to be mounted on the wall.
Due to the multi-layered construction, a clear depth effect is created both during the day and in the evening. As soon as the lighting is switched on, the shadows and different levels reinforce each other, giving the design an extra dimension.
Hopefully, this process provides a good insight into how you can convert a simple illustration into a functional and layered end product.
Curious about more projects or want to follow my process? Feel free to check out my Instagram @Lekkystudio or my website lekkystudio.com.
We've been fans of Lekky Studio's designs for a while now and really enjoyed getting a peek behind the scenes. We hope this tutorial has inspired you to get started yourself!
Do you know a laser creator whose design process you'd like to see? Let us know in the comments.
You might also find this interesting: How to design a personalized crate for laser cutting? Learn how to easily create designs with perfectly fitting finger joints using a box generator.
