Looking for a way to freak out your guests? Make your own creepy portrait picture with moving eyes using a 3D printer and Arduino.

You know how da Vinci’s famous painting of the ‘Mona Lisa’ has eyes that seem to follow you around the room? Well, this is even weirder. Why? It’s a wall portrait you can make yourself – with eerie moving eyes that track your every move.

This new Sonic Robot tutorial combines crafts, a bit of 3D printing, and Arduino software to create a uniquely creepy project. All you need is an old-fashioned frame, a photo of yourself or someone you know with the eyes cut out, and a separate piece with the ‘eye strip.’

So how does the creepy portrait picture work? When you connect the eyes to the back of the picture, they move left to right because of an automatic servo control device and a fishing line. The Arduino Uno microcontroller board controls the movements of the eyes behind the picture.

Just attach this contraption to the eye strip behind your chosen photo. Then, use a rubber band to keep the tension on the fishing line from the other side. This makes the eyes snap back to their starting point, so they look left, then right, and center.

Weird. But hey — it could be really cool on Halloween. 

Since everything is Arduino Uno microcontroller board based, there’s even room to expand the project. For example, you could even add on sensors or lighting effects. 

Make sure to check out Sonic Robot’s video to get an idea of what you need to do:

What You Need to Make Your Creepy Portrait Picture

Making a creepy portrait picture takes around six to eight hours, but make sure to order the materials in advance. You’ll need hot glue, wire and, of course, frames with old pictures. For software and hardware, you need an Arduino Uno along with a Standard Servo Motors from Futuba or Hitec. 

When you choose the image, pick one that’s high-quality. Sonic Robot suggests using an online oil painting generator to create an old-fashioned feel. You may also want to hunt for an old frame at your local flea market. Also, you should have a few tools at hand such as a cutter, drill, and screw driver. 

The folks at Sonic Robot reckon it’s not easy to find decent eyeballs on the internet. Luckily, they’ve prepared everything you’ll need. Just download some from their instructions page.

Once your eyeballs are in place in the frame, move onto the electronics. Using a 3D printer, print a holder from the STL files on GitHub. Once you’ve put the holder, eyes and servo motor in place, program your Arduino. 

You can either improvise here or use the code software that Sonic Robot supplies on Github. They even give you a good description of how to wire the servo into the code. 

Why do you need such a freaky contraption in your life? We still aren’t sure. But if you have some time on your hands and feel like making a creepy portrait picture of your old Aunt Mildred, head over to Sonic Robot to follow their detailed instructions.