Figurative ‘Polarized Light Paintings’: Static and Kinetic Types

Leonardo, Vol. 10, pp. 213-214. Pergamon Press 1977. Printed in Great Britain FIGURATIVE ‘POLARIZED LIGHT PAINTINGS’: STATIC AND KINETIC TYPES Ronald A. Brown* 1. While teaching general courses in the history and philosophy of physics, wherein the effects of science on society were discussed at length, I began to appreciate various ways in which aspects of physics had affected the visual arts. Later, in order to pursue this idea in greater depth, several students and I decided to make a study of the use of polarized light and to attempt to develop a technique for the construction of polarized light pictures. We were particularly interested in both static and kinetic pictures of figurative subjects.(Several similar techniques for making kinetic pictures have been discussed in Leonardo [I, 2, 31.) We believe the technique we have devisedwill be of interest. Thepictures obtainable (wecall them ‘polarized light paintings’) remind one of stained glass windows (Fig. 1, cf. color plate). It is well known that, when a piece of sheet birefringent (doubly refracting) material is sandwiched between two polarizers (e.g. two pieces of sheet polarizing material, such as that produced by the Polaroid Co.. Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A.), striking color effects are produced when ordinary white light is passed through the sandwich[4,5]. Furthermore, when one of the polarizers is rotated through 360°, a particular color will change to its complement twice during this rotation. Additional color effects can be produced when different thicknesses or several layers of a birefringent material are used (such as ordinary transparent cellulosetape, cellophane or certain other plastics), when the angle of the surface of these materials is varied with respect to the surfaces of the polarizers and when their birefringent property isaltered, for example by heat or chemical treatment. The colors produced also generallyvary with the type of light source used. Thus, since the wavelengthcomposition of sunlight and of light from fluorescent and incandescent lamps are different, the amounts of light at each wavelength transmitted by the sandwich are different, leading to the production of different colors. 2. ‘St. Acquin’ (Fig. 1. cf. color plate) by S. Regan was photographed on Kodak Ektachrome film. usins fluorescentlight for back illumination.The picture itselfis transparent. Both Regan and the photographer of the picture, G.W. Burgess, were students in a special independent study course relating to physics and art.. The picture was assembled under fluorescent lamp back illumination. The first step involved the drawing of the black linesin wax crayon on the front(forward facing) *Dept. of Physics, State Univ. of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126, U.S.A. (Received2 Aug. 1976) 213 I surface of the support, an ordinary piece of nonbirefringent sheet plastic with dimensions of the final picture. The plastic sheet with the (front surface)drawing was then placed, face down, on a polarizer sheet of the samedimensions. Then bits of birefringent cellulosetape [such as that manufactured by Lepage’s Inc., Pittsburgh, Penn., U.S.A.) were stuck on to the back surface of the plastic sheet. Other types of material, both birefringent and nonbirefringent, were cut and stuck in place with this samecellulose(sticky)tape. No glueof any kind wasused, the tape itself being sufficiently sticky to attach the various materials firmly to the plastic sheet. In general, cellulose tape, cellophane and miscellaneous plastic sheeting materials were utilized in the construction of the painting. In order to choose the desired colors, it was necessary to view the picture-making in progress through a second polarizer that was placed over the back sideof the plastic sheet, thus forming a sandwich. It was necessary to view each new bit of birefringent material in the sandwich, orient it to produce the desired color, trim it to fit in its assigned place and stick it on (using the cellulose tape). After the picture was finished, it was placed, without the two polarizer sheets, in an open frame for support and then mounted between two pieces of Plexiglas for permanent protection. The two pieces of Plexiglas are held together by small metal clamps, the edges being left unsealed. In order to see the colors, the picture must once more be placed between two polarizers...