welcome to circuit scribe 2

Circuit Scribe is no ordinary pen! Our silver ink formula is

electrically conductive, letting you doodle circuits by hand.

Use this kit to add lights to your artwork, or to invent something

new. The Super and Ultra Kits come with everything you need
to start drawing your own circuits:
Circuit Scribe conductive ink pen
Magnetic steel sheet
11 or 18 Magnetic modules
Circuit stencil
Jumper stickers

meet the modules

Your conductive ink pen draws circuits between our electronic
modules. Each module is color coded by function, and has
its own symbol.

multicolor
output = yellow
LED LED Modules that emit light, make sound, or move.
buzzer motor* Includes two types of LED module.

input = red
* Modules that you interact with. The switch
switch Dimmer
double
switch turns things on and off, and the Dimmer
light
sensor pot controls voltage.

connection = gray / clear

blinker 2-pin * Modules that control and direct the flow of
transistor
current. The Blinker flashes lights on and off.

* Items found only power = blue

in Ultra Kit
Modules that provide the voltage source for
9V
your circuit, like the 9V Battery and Adapter.
 Tips and tricks 3
Using Circuit Scribe is as easy as drawing with a normal pen.
However, that means you’ll have some of the same issues like
clogged pen tips. Here are some tricks for successful sketching!
drawing with the pen
No need to scribble back and forth! A slow steady line
with a light touch actually gets more ink to flow.

Pens draw better when held upright instead of angled.

pen storage
Store your Circuit Scribe pen tip down or on its side.

When you’re not sketching, keep the cap on so the tip

doesn’t dry up.

troubleshooting
The silver flakes in the ink might settle towards the tip,
the top, or to one side. This is normal! Shake vigorously,
or store the pen in the opposite orientation for an hour.

If the tip dries out, try scribbling on a damp

paper towel to re-wet.
short!

“Shorting” the battery happens when its

two sides are connected without an LED or
another load. The red light on the module
will light up so you know something is wrong.

visit us online!
Discover lessons, projects, and more from our community of
users at: sketch.circuitscribe.com

Keep in touch with @circuitscribe on:

 drawing in the workbook 4
Get your book page ready by
1 slipping the steel sheet behind
workbook
it, like a bookmark.

Draw inside the red

2 dotted templates. LED 9V

Snap magnetic modules

3 onto your circuit, over the
matching icons.

your first circuit

Try using your kit to light up an LED! Place the steel sheet
behind this page. Draw over the template and snap on the
LED and battery modules.

You need at least a power module, an output module, and

conductive ink to make a complete circuit.

flip the battery

switch on! LED
9V
 current (i.e., electricity) 5
Current is the flow of tiny particles called electrons that exist in all
materials. On its path, current can light up LEDs, spin motors, and
buzz buzzers. Its value is measured in Amperes or Amps.

Draw on the template below, and imagine current flowing along the
wavy silver lines.

current

9V LED
current

voltage
The 9 Volt battery in your kit provides energy that current needs
to flow. In circuits we call this a voltage source.

Voltage sets the strength of current and its direction. In the circuit
above, current flows from the positive (+) side of the battery,
through the silver lines & LED, to the negative (-) side.

Try drawing the similar circuit below, but reverse the battery signs.
Can you draw arrows showing the direction of current flow?

9V
LED
 complete circuit
6
In a circuit, current needs a complete loop to flow through, without
any gaps. A circuit with a gap is called an open circuit. A com-
plete circuit is called closed circuit.

conductivity meter
Electrically conductive materials allow electrons to flow from one end to
the other. Conductivity is a measure of how easily current flows through
a material.

place material here

9V LED

Leave a gap in the circuit above. Press materials from around your
home or classroom over the gap to “close” the circuit.

Using the LED as an indicator, which of these common items are

conductors and which are insulators (i.e., do not let current flow)?

paper clip aluminum foil

pencil refrigerator magnet
pipe cleaner mechanical pencil lead
fabric your finger
bottle cap hair clip
rubber band paper
key coin
 your name in lights
7
Get creative with sketching and try writing your name in cursive in
the box to connect the battery and LED. The circuit needs to be a
complete loop, so make sure there are no gaps in your writing!

D
9v

LE
light emitting diode (LEd)
The light emitting diode (LED) lights up if a large enough voltage
is applied across it.

The LED is a type of “diode,” which is like a one-way street for

current flow. Current only flows in the direction of the arrow
symbol, and is blocked in the other direction.

RED
Our LED module has 2 LEDs wired up in
opposite directions. Flip the module around
to switch its color between red and blue.
BLUE

Try it! Rotate the LED in your circuit above 180 degrees to change
its color. What happens if you flip the battery around instead?
 single switch 8
The Switch in your kit is like a regular light switch: in one position,
the circuit is closed (connected) and in the other position the circuit
is open (not connected). What happens to the LED when you flip the
Switch?

LED

9V switch

paper “push-button”
This button is also called a momentary switch, meaning the circuit is
only closed while you press the button. To make a push-button
switch using Circuit Scribe and paper, fill in the large oval and fold
the corner over to close the circuit!
Visit sketch.circuitscribe.com to learn how to turn origami into a
paper push-button.

LED

9V
basic logic
switches in series
In this circuit, both switches
(A and B) need to be a
turned on in order to light
the LED. This is called an
“AND” gate.

9V b switch

LED

switches in parallel
In order to complete the circuit, any combination of switches
(A or B or both) can be used to turn on the LED. This is called
an “OR” gate.

LED

9V
switch b
a
 resistance 10
Resistors are components that restrict or slow down the flow of
current. Their main property, called resistance, is measured in
units of ohms.

Low resistance: current flows easily, resulting in brighter LEDs,

faster motors, and louder buzzers.

High resistance: current is restricted, resulting in dimmer LEDs,

slower motors, and quieter buzzers (or no activity at all).

dimmer module
The Dimmer is actually a variable resistor. That means as you slide
the handle, the resistance changes from 10 ohms to 100,000 ohms
(or “bright” to “dim”).

Use the Circuit Scribe pen and modules to complete the circuit
below. What happens to the LED when you move the Dimmer?

Dimmer

9V LED

Tip: The Circuit Scribe ink conducts easily, with a resistance of

only about 1 ohm per centimeter.
 blinker module 11
The Blinker turns outputs on and off at a constant rate. Try it out in
the circuit below. Make sure the battery is connected to the VCC
and GND feet of the Blinker. (Note position of the Blinker knob
when placing the module).

LED

watch the flashing

rotate! green light
blinker
9V

Try turning the knob!

The gray wheel on the LED
Blinker module changes
the blinking rate.

The LEDs in the circuit are connected in two different ways.

Do you see the difference after you complete the circuit?

Bottom LED: The LED connected between the Blinker output

and GND is in sync with the green flashing light.

Top LED: The LED connected between VCC and the Blinker
output alternates with the green light.

Visit sketch.circuitscribe.com to learn how to turn your Blinker

circuit into a flashing fire truck.
fun with flashing lights 12
You don’t always need to use the Blinker module to
create a flashing light effect! In this circuit, we
combine several paper push-buttons to create a
custom switch.

Fold the page along the dotted line, and run your
finger up and down the fold to make the lights
alternate!

LED

LED

9V
 NPN transistor 13
The NPN Transistor can be used as an electrical switch. Instead of
being activated by a handle, a small current into the base controls a
large current between the collector and emitter.
touch sensor
In this circuit, you’ll use your fingers (i.e. a poor conductor or resistor)
to activate the transistor. Try touching the circuit with both index
fingers. A small amount of current flows through your arms!

LED

touch here!
(make sure ink is dry)

9V

Tip: Remove the Transistor and put a Switch where the collector and
emitter feet go. Do you see how both modules are a type of switch?

Visit sketch.circuitscribe.com to learn more about the Transistor and

how to turn this circuit into a high five detector!
 buzzer module 14
The Buzzer contains a film that vibrates in response to an
electrical voltage. Notice that the Buzzer has a plus (+)
and minus (-) sign. The Buzzer only works in one direction.
Does this remind you of anything?

buzzer

9V switch

Now try combining the Buzzer and LED in parallel. Similar to

the parallel switches project from page 9, if you remove one
output module the other will stay on!

9V buzzer LED

Try reversing the direction of the battery. What changes do

you expect to see (or hear) in the Buzzer and LED?
 multi-colored LED 15
The Multi-Colored LED has 3 LEDs on one module: red, green,
and blue. Each LED shares its negative (-) terminal, which
always connects to the (-) foot of the battery.
In the circuit below you will control each color with its own
switch. If you have the Super Kit, try using your single switch on
each of the switch icons, one at a time.

switch

multicolor
LED switch

switch
9V

What happens when you turn on two switches at a time?

Or all three? The guide below shows you how our eyes
interpret mixing of colored light.
red+blue
=magenta
red

red+green
blue
=yellow

green
red+green+blue
blue+green
=white
=cyan
 color palette 16
Fill in the template with Circuit Scribe; you can leave dark
pads empty. Keep the (-) terminal of the Multi-Colored LED
on the center pad, then rotate it around the circuit.

multicolor
LED

9V

Use the template below to design your own color palette.

Decide which pads on the outer ring to connect with
Circuit Scribe.

9V

Visit sketch.circuitscribe.com to learn more about the visible

light spectrum.
 bright light sensor 17
In the circuit below, supply power to the Light Sensor module.
Shine light on it from a mobile phone flashlight or other
source to increase the voltage at the output foot. The LED
will shine more brightly as your light gets closer!

Lig
ht
sen
sor

light
9V sensor t
tpu
ou

LED

reverse light sensor

Now try hooking up an LED between VCC and the output.
How does the LED respond to the flashlight now? The voltage
actually decreases as you shine the light.

Lig
ht LED
sen
sor

light
9V sensor t
tpu
ou

Tip: The Light Sensor is a "photo transistor." Instead of

responding to a small electrical current, it amplifies or switch-
es in response to light. Learn more about the Light Sensor at
sketch.circuitscribe.com.
 voltage divider 18
One of the most common circuit configurations you'll see is
called a voltage divider. Below you will use the Potentiometer
(or “pot”) to adjust voltage across the LED with a knob.

Apply power from the battery between terminals 1 and 2 of the

Potentiometer to get a sweeping voltage out of the dial
between 0 and 9 volts (the max that the battery can provide).

LED

Tip: replace the LED

with a Buzzer and
now you have a
volume controller!

pot

9V

Visit sketch.circuitscribe.com to learn how to add a paper-

craft gauge and arrow to this project.
 potentiometer 19
The Potentiometer (or “pot”) has a 10,000 ohm resistor
divided in two parts by the “wiper.” When you rotate the knob,
the ratio between R1 and R2 changes, but they always add up
to 10,000.
wiper

Example 1: The knob is in the

center and R1 = R2 = 5000 ohms

R2
R1
Example 2: The knob is turned
clockwise. R1 = 7500 ohms
and R2 = 2500 ohms

LED fader terminal 1 terminal 2

The circuit below uses just the wiper and terminal 2 to control
the brightness of an LED. Does this remind you of the Dimmer
module?
1
pot
2

per
wi

LED 9V

Tip: Always use the wiper foot in your circuit - peek under
the knob opposite the squiggly line to see the “wiper” label.
Visit sketch.circuitscribe.com and use the Potentiometer to
turn a Multi-Colored LED into a red-yellow-green traffic light.
 resistors and 2-pin connector 20
Resistors restrict or slow down current. To explore how they
work, use a 2-Pin Connector module and the bag of 2-pin
components (not included in Super Kit). Insert resistors into the
module as shown.

After drawing the circuit, swap in different resistors and watch

the change in LED brightness. See if you can line up the resistors
based on their conductivity!

LED

9V 2-pin

Resistance is measured in ohms. Higher resistance = lower

current and a dimmer LED.

The resistor colors indicate its value in ohms. Flip to the next
page to learn how to read the colored bands.
 resistor color code 21
A resistor restricts or slows the flow of current through a
circuit. Resistors are used to control the brightness of an LED,
the volume of a buzzer, or the speed of a motor.

The electrical component called a resistor has a resistance

value measured in ohms. The colored stripes on the resistor
are a code that indicates its value. This chart explains how to
read the code:

COLOR 1st BAND 2nd BAND multiplier

BLACK 0 0 1
BROWN 1 1 10
RED 2 2 100
ORANGE 3 3 1,000
YELLOW 4 4 10,000
GREEN 5 5 100,000
BLUE 6 6 1,000,000
VIOLET 7 7 10,000,000
GRAY 8 8
WHITE 9 9
Example resistor:
The first two bands are the first two digits
(brown and red = 12).
Multiply by the third band (blue = 1,000,000).
Resistors in your kit: match the resistor with its value
100 ohms

1000 ohms

10,000 ohms

100,000 ohms

1,000,000 ohms
 double switch 22
The larger switch (Ultra Kit only) is more than an on/off switch.
By toggling this switch you are changing the current’s path. Try
it below! See if you can draw arrows to show the two different
paths that current can take.

double
switch LED
9V LED

The circuit above only uses the top of the Double Switch. This
switch is actually two separate toggle switches controlled by
one lever. It can control not just one, but two circuits!

w n as a
no
a l so k switch
w i tch is throw”
s e top
d o uble e doubl Switch up: 1 is connected to
The le pol
“dou
b TOP 1 and 2 is connected to
1 bottom TOP 2

top Switch down: 1 is connected to

2
BOTTOM 1 and 2 is connected
to BOTTOM 2
bottom

Visit sketch.circuitscribe.com for projects using the Ultra Kit’s

Double Switch module.
 switch LED colors 23
Now use the Double Switch (Ultra Kit only) to change the color
on an LED module. The switch is used to flip the direction of
current flow through the LED.

double
9V switch LED

or... motor

motor module
use these 2 feet
Or try the motor! Replace the LED above
with the Motor Module. Flip the switch
to change the direction that the motor spins.

The Motor (Ultra Kit only) converts

electrical energy from the battery into
rotational motion.

On the module, there are four feet for

stability. You only need to use two for
the motor to work.
...or these 2 feet
If your motor is not spinning, try
rotating the module 90 degrees.
 light-controlled motor 24
Now you will use the Light Sensor to control the Motor (Ultra
Kit only). Before trying out this project, go back to page 17
and replace the LED module with the Motor. Does the
circuit work?

It was probably hard to get the Motor started using the Light
Sensor. That’s because not enough current was running through
the output foot of the Light Sensor module.

This is the perfect time to use the NPN Transistor as an amplifier!

Small current into the Transistor's base results in a large current
through the collector, emitter, and Motor.

motor

Lig
ht
sen
sor

light
9V sensor t
tpu
ou
Discover new projects and help grow the community at:

- Circuit name tags

- Soft origami buttons
- Interactive maps
- Light-up architecture
- Electronic paper dolls
...and more!

@circuitscribe