Overview
The SoundFX Painting is an interactive art installation originally created as a Christmas gift for my mom. Behind a beautiful painting of our late family African Grey parrot lies a circuit that plays treasured sound recordings at the press of hidden buttons—bringing precious memories back to life.
The Story
Our family bird had many memorable sayings that became part of daily life. Working with artist Gabriella Kostadinova, we created a portrait that not only captures the bird’s likeness but also preserves its voice through carefully selected audio clips.
Hardware Components
- Adafruit Audio FX Board - 16MB flash with WAV/OGG playback
- LiPo Battery 2000mAh - Portable power source
- 5V LiPo Power Boost - Rechargeable power management
- Mono Speaker 3W 4Ω - Clear audio output
- Tactile Buttons (3) - Hidden triggers for sound bites
- Volume Controls (2) - Discrete volume adjustment
- Toggle Switch - Power on/off
Wiring
The circuit can be mounted behind any painting or picture frame. A prototyping solder board reduces wiring complexity between modules.
┌─────────────────┐
│ Painting Frame │
├─────────────────┤
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Audio FX │ │◀── Trigger Pins (3 buttons)
│ │ Board │ │◀── Volume Pins (2 buttons)
│ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌──────▼──────┐ │
│ │ Speaker │ │◀── Behind canvas
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ LiPo + Boost│ │◀── Hidden compartment
│ └─────────────┘ │
└─────────────────┘
Software (Optional)
While the Audio FX board works standalone via trigger pins, an Arduino sketch enables advanced control:
- Serial Communication - Command-based playback
- Track Selection - Play by number or filename
- Volume Control - Programmatic adjustment
- Playlist Mode - Sequential playback
Making Your Own
- Choose a subject - Pet, family member, favorite character
- Collect audio - Record meaningful sounds/phrases
- Commission art - Work with an artist or print a photo
- Build the circuit - Follow the wiring diagram
- Hide components - Mount behind the frame
- Enjoy memories - Press buttons to bring back precious moments