
Glass Art
Thanks to great work by Lhotsky Studios, Czechia, the Spinning Triangle is born. We talk about light and color. The sculpture made by colorless, transparent lead glass, is an optically active element which follows expected physics in terms of refraction, stray light on frosted surfaces and internal total reflection after light having entered the glass core. The forced emission of light in the area of the edges, light and shadow, diffuse reflection and shining through support the character of the sculpture and bring it into dialogue with the environment. Therefore, the target destination is a place with sunlight and nature all around.
For more about glass artists, I recommend Zdeněk Lhotský as being one of the leading glass artists worldwide, and thesis by Dr Heike Brachlow about how to predict glass properties of cast sculptures.
See more about how it works and details in my galleries.
As you see, the sculpture is in interaction with morning sun, sky and surrounding nature. All optical interaction is about direct reflection on frosted surface, and light which is entering the glass core, following internal total reflections and exiting where internal reflection is finished .. this is called 'transmitted'. Light exiting areas are screen-like marked by the frosted surface.
Now let's add color:
As may be well known, any color might be generated by adding and mixing colors red, green and blue (RGB). If this is applied to the object by independent light sources, all color variants in the RGB color space should be possible to be created and found.
This made me investigate more deeply into what optically might happen with my sculpture.
By applying Red, Green, Blue to the object from different angles and intensities, an infinite variety of colors and designs are easily established. Most of the light is entering the frosted glass surface and is guided through the glass core following mirror-like internal total reflection until the light is forced to exit the core. This exit area is what you see like on a screen by the frosted surface marked as 'Trans' or 'Transmission'. A minor part is due to direct 'Reflection' on the frosted surface itself.
By the twisted shape of the object and internal, twisted reflections, Red, Green and Blue end up in overlapping locations which create the 'Crazy Diamond' color space out of just 3 color light sources.
Just to be clear, this is a real photography - not a simulation. Many more non-RGB examples down below.
Here the basic set up:
Programmable WLAN LED light sources (Wiz App) allow full freedom to independently cover and study complete RGB color space. Bottom up light source is applied by a light box with a masked, opaque, white acrylic plastic plate on top. Side light sources have an ideal position in about 60 degree on top right and left back position away from observer to minimize direct reflections.
Final destination is an open air installation. Morning sun shining on the glass sculpture




















