Designing Interactive Light: LEDs, DMX, and Pixel Mapping - Spring 2026

A 4-week course led by BRANDON STARGRAVE

🗓️ Sundays, 2pm - 4pm | May 10th - 31st, 2026
📍 IRL @ dadaLab| Austin, TX
4 class sessions total + opportunity to exhibit your work at dadaLab on June 26, 2026!
🎟️ $195

Howdy, dadageeks 💙

We're glad you're here! dadageek is excited to offer this in-person course to the Austin, TX dadageek community. You can learn more about the course below. Feel free to reach out with any questions to kyle@dadageek.com

dadageek is a non-profit community of immersive artists and electronic musicians. Our mission is to offer education and community to those creating at the intersection of art, interactive media, and tech. Our community is filled with talented and creative technologists with a passion for sharing their expertise with others. https://dadageek.com/

What is this course about?

This course explores the creative and technical foundations of interactive lighting design, with a focus on LEDs, DMX-based lighting systems, and Pixel Mapping workflows. Students will dive into how digital visual data can be translated into physical light, blurring the boundaries between video, lighting, and spatial design.

Starting with the fundamentals such as DMX, ArtNet, Pixel Mapping, and basic LED hardware, we will gradually scale up to more complex systems used in live performance, stage design, and large-scale interactive installations. Along the way, students will learn how to design, route, and control lighting systems that respond to visuals, audio, and real-time interaction using tools like TouchDesigner and Resolume.

This course balances hands-on technical skills with creative experimentation, giving students a practical framework for designing lighting systems that are expressive, flexible, and production-ready.

The course consists of four sessions that meet once a week, followed by an exhibition of student work scheduled for June 26, 2026!

What is Pixel Mapping?

Pixel Mapping is the process of using video RGB pixel data to control physical RGB lights. Instead of thinking about lights individually, Pixel Mapping allows designers to treat large lighting systems as extensions of a video canvas.

This can include DMX-controlled stage lighting fixtures, LED strips and strings, or complex custom multi-channel LED installations. By using video content either pre-rendered or generated in real time, Pixel Mapping provides a visually intuitive way to design and control lighting, unifying visuals and physical light into a single creative workflow.

Pixel Mapping is widely used in concerts, theatrical lighting, architectural installations, immersive environments, and interactive artworks.

What will I learn?

Students in this course will walk away with an understanding of:

• Output unified video and lighting signals from TouchDesigner and Resolume
• Understand and select the appropriate hardware and software for both basic and advanced Pixel Mapping applications
• Design and route content for complex lighting and output scenarios
• Work with LED strips and strings, including power calculations, data distribution, signal limitations, and real-world constraints
• Build scalable lighting systems that can be adapted for performances, installations, and experimental projects

It is completely okay if some of these concepts feel unfamiliar at first. This course is designed to guide you step by step through both the technical and creative sides of interactive lighting design, giving you the tools and confidence to start building your own light-based systems and environments.

Who is this course for?

Students who enroll in this course are:

• Working artists looking to add new technology to their toolset,
• Technologists and programmers looking to explore creative approaches to tech,
• Musicians looking to add reactive lighting to their music, and
• Anyone interested in the intersection of art, tech, and design!

What is the class like?

Each class session meets once a week at dadaLab, our headquarters in East Austin. The class is capped at 18 students, ensuring plenty of opportunities to connect with the instructor and ask questions. Your fellow students will be an eclectic mix of dadageeks—artists, musicians, programmers, and creative humans—excited to learn, create, and connect.

Are there any requirements?

• A Windows or Mac laptop
• 3-button mouse
• A recent version of TouchDesigner (free non-commercial version is ok)
• A recent version of Resolume Arena (free demo availabe)

TouchDesigner can be downloaded here:
https://derivative.ca/download

Resolume Arena can be downloaded here:
https://www.resolume.com/

Meet your instructor!

Brandon Stargrave is a creative technologist focused on generative, interactive, and immersive audiovisual experiences. He builds deeply interconnected systems that meld hardware, software, and protocols into tangible expressions of art and technology. Brandon has extensive experience with laser technology, including serving as the lead laser technician for the national Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular tour. He is the Lab Manager for the Lab for Immersive Media (LIM) and an instructor in the Department of Arts and Entertainment Technologies at UT Austin. He also designs, develops, and engineers interactive installations with dadaLab.

FYI

Refund Policy: Students can receive refunds up to 7 days before the class start date.

Class Minimums: If the class minimum has not been met, the class will be canceled or rescheduled. Those who have pre-paid will be notified in advance and will have the option to receive a class credit or a full refund.

Media Release: Please note that some events may be photographed or video recorded. Registering for this event hereby authorizes dadageek and dadaLab to use said photos or videos on social media or in future promotional materials.