I thought that was leds as light detectors.
No I am having a laugh, there is no such thing as a black LED. I wish there were because one project of mine is stalled because I want a black "light". I have tried using a smoked plastic filter but it is not very satisfactory.
This project isn't really that bad. I'd use an Arduino Mega (for the larger SRAM, mostly) and see what can be done with WS2811 pixels. Break up the array into several 50-100 pixel chains. It would still be a lot of soldering, unless you got some small custom boards and cables made. I don't see any easy solution coming in much less than $1500...that's how projects work, you have to trade knowledge and work for money in one direction or the other.
Grumpy_Mike:
do any other colors other than R, G, B, white and black would make the project significantly more comple
No you get the secondary colours as well just as easy.
Mind you those black LED are cutting edge, there are currently avaliable in three shades of black as well.
Sorry, forgot to mention "or 100% combination thereof". Glad to see the picky police are here to "help".
IR LEDs are kind of like black LEDs, and they do come in different shades 
Tim
Grumpy_Mike:
Black LEDs are basically white LEDs but wired up backwards so the light is sucked into it not pushed out of it.
In a dark room, wiring up a white LED backwards would indeed make it black.
Tim
Grumpy_Mike:
No I am having a laugh, there is no such thing as a black LED. I wish there were because one project of mine is stalled because I want a black "light". I have tried using a smoked plastic filter but it is not very satisfactory.
Me too. Led as a detector does soak up photons, like I can see any difference!
But for the practical, an unpowered led on a relatively big black background, could I see the difference there? If the background is light color (grey to white) though, then 
Maybe he should try flip-dots? Real big flip dots....
teckel:
Glad to see the picky police are here to "help".
Yes, like the faculty of the Unseen University in Pratchett's Discworld novels.
Just ignore it unless you want to laugh.
IR LEDs are kind of like black LEDs, and they do come in different shades
Tim
Oh, I didn't recognize you, Dean!