Perception

Light reflects off of surfaces. As the reflected light enters our eyes, receptors send signals to our brain to make sense of what we are receiving. Similar to the human eye is a camera obscura. Construct a box that captures and focuses light. The camera obscura is a tool used by artists for generations. How does it work similarly to the eye, and what is it missing? Rearrange the elements. Direct a light source on an image inside the box to project the image into a darkened room – recreate one of Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest leaps of invention: a projector.

Scientists and artists want to understand how the eye and brain work together. This device lets you spin patterns at controlled speeds. Blend images. Trick your eye into seeing colors where there are none. Make columns wobble in 3D after the artist Duchamp. Animate birds. Create your own illusions. Experiment with Benham’s Tops and patterns.

When the primary colors of light, red, green, and blue are mixed, white light is produced. By looking at the shadows cast when an object blocks one or more of these color components, you can observe both the additive and subtractive processes of color mixing. Instead of subtracting light via an absorbing pigment, the object's shadow "removes" the component color from the "white" light. For example, the yellow shadow is the result of blocking the blue led and only allowing red and green to mix. Similarly, yellow pigment absorbs blue light and reflects red and green. The addition of red and green light makes yellow. The bluish-green shadow - CYAN - is the result of blocking the red light. Where the cyan and yellow shadow overlaps appears to be green. Why? This small shadow is where both red and blue are blocked. Likewise, when we mix cyan and yellow pigment cyan absorbs red and yellow absorbs blue. The only thing left to be reflected is green. Cyan pigment and yellow pigment both reflect green, so that's what we see. (In white light) Also make a Benham Top and experiment with it and its separate interchangeable patterns.