sketch light box

This was my first experiment in utilizing bounced color to alter the hue of a fixed external surface.  Visible from within the lightbox, the colors shift depending upon the position of the light.  This first exploration gave me direction, and taught me a lot about controlling the phenomena and constructing a decent lightbox.  I used white foam core, which it turns out, is actually translucent.  The openings and the positioning of reflective and absorptive surfaces were a bit clumsy in this model, but they were exceedingly informative in thinking about the most effective ways of creating the effect.

Moving from that point, the second box I’ve created explores how passively modulating color might be applicable in an architectural setting.  The sizing of the absorptive surfaces on the outside have been shrunk down to allow some direct light and shadow into the space.  The corners of the penetrations were carefully filleted to make the shadows quieter on the walls.   The reflecting surfaces on the outside of the box are all red, so the color of the absorptive surfaces vary.  The center penetration is red, the corners are green, and the sides are blue.  When light bounces off the red reflecting surface onto the absorptive surface, it changes the color.  Green becomes yellow, and blue becomes purple.

The video shows a few different passes, examining how sun angle affects the phenomena.

Click here to view the embedded video.

(music: animal collective – loch raven)

(the true colors of the absorptive surfaces)