Lighting Architecture II

From only the first couple of pages, I have already the importance of using the correct lighting methods for a structure. Even prehistoric examples show the relevance of considered lighting effects. Illumination brings atmosphere, emotion and a sense of 'feeling' to architecture and it needs to be carefully planned and considered in order to achieve impact. Reading through the book, I was able to relate to modern examples of lighting buildings and structures. Especially how they vary between old and new builds, including the alterations in different cultures.

As read through the book, it became apparent that there are 4 major techniques into achieving effective architectural lighting.These are:

. Direction:

The direction in which we illuminate architecture has developed significantly over the years, especially with the change and evolution of modern technology. Generally, structures are naturally lit from above by either sunlight or moonlight, typically creating one direction of light. Although angles in which you see sunlight or moonlight do change depending on the times of day, it is still a generalized 'one' direction of lighting. With the increasing thirst for architectural design, lighting has become the primary focal point to achieve dynamic and atmospheric features. We are able to use a vast amount of lighting tools to illuminate buildings in unique and intricate ways. Having the freedom to light in multiple directions, with different types of lights, colours and movements enables architects to produce stunning visuals and concepts all over the world.


. Brightness

 Brightness is an incredibly important asset with modern architectural lighting. Using different intensities with artificial lighting can be incredibly transformative. It enables an architect to illuminate specific points of interest on a structure using different intensities of brightness. It is also a creative and unique way to represent different aspects of a building at night that you may not visibly see in the day. As with daylight, it can be difficult to convey particular points of interest on a structure, as it can be washed out by an overcast sky which provides a very flat source of light. Even bright sunny days can conceal intriguing secrets of a building with heavy contrasts between light and shadow, both in which can shroud those important features. Brightness is not necessarily used to highlight specific areas of interest, but is also used to accentuate colour, texture and material. Depending on the light source and it's intensity can produce different affects on a structure. It is all depending on what is atmosphere is being cast by the architect and what vision he wants to portray.


. Colour:    

Colour is also a very important asset when considering lighting technique. When applying colour to a source of light, it can drastically change the appearance of a structure, which can encourage an audience to think alternatively. Especially if a building transforms differently from day to night, it can give people a new perspective and also portray new features of the building you may not have noticed. Even white lights can alter a structure's appearance for good or bad. It can highlight specific features shrouded in shadow, or it can distort them. Careful consideration and research will aid the decision within using colour in architectural lighting. It must compliment the form and accentuate it's construction whilst using innovation.

            
. Movement: 

The final important aspect is Movement. With the rise of technological advancements, animations and movements can drastically alter the appearance of a structure. From shifting colours to moving lights, animated lighting effects are a new innovation in architectural design. However, I do not want to confuse this aspect with certain varieties of animated lighting methods. Such as neon signs or advertisements, these types of lighting methods, although indeed an example, are not really considered within an artistic mind and do not compliment a building in unique ways. My personal opinion, is that I think believe considered movement with light is virtually minimalistic and simple. It's usually the simpler and more subtle approaches that get a curious mind thinking, especially if represented on a certain structure.


I've decided to annotate two examples of structures that use the 4 elements above.
Here are the images:

The Empire State Building, New York, United States of America:  

 

The Empire State Building is one of the most important buildings in American architectural history. It's grand opening back in 1931 was widely celebrated due to reaching the benchmark for ' The World's Tallest Building' until 1972 when the North tower of the World Trade Center was erected. The production of The ESB was primarily built for the sake of being the world's tallest building and not much else, but it's significant height and architectural design made it have far superior importance to the American nation. It became a beacon to commemorate the history of a great American achievement. Although it is no longer the world's tallest building, it is still incredibly famous and easily the most well known sky scraper in the USA. In recent years, hundreds of lights were added to the top of the structure to illuminate it's architectural design at night. It is also visible on the skyline of New York and can be seen for miles around Manhattan when illuminated. The lights of The Empire State have become a beacon to signify the location of New York and is often referred to by tourists. The lights on the top of the structure and the spire are commonly changed depending on seasons, events and holidays. These changes are usually a combination of colours and animations/movements to signify special occasions. All of the lights shine in an upwards direction, which is evidently used to express and accentuate the height of the building. If the lights were shining down, it would make the building appear shorter, which would not be the intended response, especially due to the history of the structure striving to be the tallest.

Here are some examples of TESB with colour changes:

 
The most recent of it's light display is that of the 2012 National Elections between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. The image above shows The Empire State illuminated in the nations colours as well as an animated spire to represent the votes between both political parties. It is evident with this structure that the innovation of lighting can transform the way in which we see things. The ESB is a prime example of how the Americans unite as a nation, referring to the lights as commemoration of events. It's as if the building speaks for the people, expressing and signifying a country of millions, bringing them together and uniting them. All this through the power of lighting techniques.


Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Japan:

The Itsukushima is one of the most famous shrines in all of Japan. Although it's construction doesn't have an accurate date, it is estimated that it was built in the early 6th century. It's fame is derived from many aspects, especially due to it's Shinto heritage. However, it is primarily admired due to it's particular construction and positioning. The entire building was purposefully made to appear as if it is floating on water, unassumingly to make it difficult for enemies to be able to access the shrine on foot. Even the Shinto Gate located north of the shrine is said to be an obstacle for infiltration, as boats would have to try steer through it. Modern day lighting techniques have beautifully brought the Itsukushima Shrine to life, especially during the night. 

Hundreds of lights have been carefully considered and positioned all over the shrine, to accentuate it's traditional material and colour. The use of white lights within the Shrine are evidently used to brighten the red colour of the infrastructure, illuminating even the smallest details also. In Japan, Red is the colour for many religious relics and shrines; this is because Red is a symbol of protection and the elimination of demons. Also many Shinto deities and gods often wore red in some variation to express the element of protection. Red is often associated with the deity of fire in Japan, as well as the nations flag and Amaterasu (goddess of the sun). Red is a very important colour for Japan, so I can see the importance to accentuate the colour within the Itsukushima shrine. Also, I noticed that the direction of the lights appear to illuminate the underneath of the roofing more significantly. Aside from highlighting the fine architectural design, I also believe it is used to cast reflections on the high tide, to give that illusion that the shrine is indeed 'floating' just as it was traditionally intended to do.

This book has been incredibly helpful for me and has aided my understanding of architectural lighting methods. When I eventually come to construct my own environment, I will reflect on this information to help myself work in an innovative mind set. The 4 key elements of lighting technique really make sense and I strongly believe they will help me in my own studies in the future, especially in 3D rendering.



Bibliography:

http://pix.alaporte.net/pub/d/25663-1/Empire+State+Building+from+Rooftop+-+Night.JPG

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1208572.1353993804!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/article-empirebldg1-1126.jpg

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2012/images/11/06/esb.cnn1.jpg

http://www.michaelyamashita.com/gallery/large/Soul_of_a_Nation_2.jpg

http://i.images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-3688666866-image/World_Heritage_Sites/Asia/East_Asia/Japan/Itsukushima_Shinto_Shrine/Itsukushima_Shrine-image-5.jpg

Lighting Architecture I

As my project contains the construction of a 3D environment, I think it is important to understand how modern Architecture is illuminated. Before I research the design of Underground stations, I want to be able to understand what lighting effects are used in public places, why they're used and what they strive to achieve. Lighting structures such as buildings from the inside out has become more of a focal point in Architectural construction. I came across a book called 'Light: Re-interpreting Architecture' where the writer, Carl Gardner, talks of his theory on how structural lighting has specific techniques that strive for some sort of atmosphere, especially in historical and cultured environments. 

My study book

I really enjoyed reading Gardener's theories of Architectural illumination, specifically in his preface where he includes the relevance of lighting methods in different cultures. One statement in particular really got me thinking and I then began thinking similarly with other examples. '...from the Egyptians in their hot sunlight but massive, cool and dark hyper style halls to Norway and Sweden's intensely coloured, timber Arctic Circle buildings, built for a climate with limited sunlight.' states Gardner. Having visited Norway many times for the last year, I had been very curious to why Norwegian cabins and households painted their timber with bright colours. In truth, I doubt I saw any plain coloured housing, they all varied from every colour imaginable. After reading through this quote, I began to grasp an understanding as to why. When we think of a overcast day, with a grey sky and plenty of dark cloud, to a sunny day with a clear blue sky and a hot yellow sun, we instantly know which we'd prefer. Scientifically, the exposure of sunshine naturally releases endorphins within the human body, making us feel emotionally happier. Also the colour comparison of Grey and Blue have different emotional properties. We often associate the colour or tone of Grey to represent depression, sadness or gloom. Whereas blue is a calming, soothing and tranquil colour. In Norway specifically due to it's location, doesn't usually have clear and sunshine filled days. It is more so a country that harbors plenty of snow and rain, with very rare occurrences of sunshine, even in the summer. In fact, in the north of Norway during certain times of the year, the sun doesn't actually rise above the horizon. How I believe Architectural design in Norway has developed, is because of the lack of colour from sunshine. Therefore they decorate and paint their timber with bright colours to bring back the feelings associated with sunshine, typically Red, White or Blue to represent their national flag. With that thought alone, I feel very humble and quite intrigued how the importance of sunshine is transferred into architecture. Although Norwegian structures are not using light in specific, it is the importance of light and the feelings it brings to that culture that make it a relevant topic.

Traditional Norwegian household.

This book also covered prehistoric references to lighting techniques in and around structures. A good example is 'Stonehenge' in England. Although it is still unaware who built Stonehenge and how it was erected, but studies indicate that it was carefully considered where they positioned the structure. During both Summer and Winter solstices, Stonehenge would be illuminated by the rise and fall of sun in a particular way. As many ancient religions celebrated the Solstices as even we do in modern times, it seems Stonehenge was positioned in such a way for certain Solar rituals, judging by the illumination of the structure by daylight. This is a clear and beautiful example of how even prehistoric structures were carefully considered with light exposure, even from the oldest of architects!

Stonehenge, England. Sun Rise.

Bibliography:

http://www.jacobmetcalf.net/norway/images/norway017-large.jpg

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/properties/stonehenge/K050086.jpg

History of Lighting Methods II

Aside from classic film, lighting has been a very important aspect in many traditional paintings that date back centuries. In a very similar way to film, traditional paintings used lighting techniques to convey the emotion of a piece, whether through environment, character or even a generalized theme. Without the understanding of light when producing a painting, a piece cannot correctly depict the artist's intent. 

One artist I consider for a lighting analysis  is Gustave Courbet. A few years ago I did a study on some of his paintings and his efforts of conveying emotion through light were substantial. One particular painting 'The Stone Breakers' is a good piece to consider as it cleverly uses light to highlight the emotion of the scene. I admire paintings that give the audience interest into studying it further, looking beyond the obvious and deriving more information with more thought.

Here is the painting:

Gustave Courbet.  The Stone Breakers. 1849

In this painting it is easy to accept the simplicity of the structure, two men working. However, with a little more thought and attention to smaller details, specifically the use of light, can alter and aid us to understand what the artist wants us to see. Firstly putting lighting aside for a moment, we look at the physical objects connected with the two figures. There seems to be many pickaxes, pots and other tools, which indicate to me that these two characters must work for long periods of time, considering there is food utensils close to their workspace. Also both figures seem to have very worn attire, holes, tears and dirt cover a lot of their clothing, also indicating the time expenditure with this labor. With the aesthetics in mind, it is briefly understood that these two figures work considerably hard and in not very comforting circumstances, making me feel this isn't a piece representing a positive emotion. If I look a little further than physical substances and look towards the lighting techniques, I begin to feel more emotion for the characters. The main focal point of the scene is that of the two workers and this is easily emphasized due to the harsh lighting. With the sharp contrast between light and shadow i can instantly tell that it is a hot and insufferable temperature for the two figures. As i look in the background of the image, we have a large area of darkness that is as an assumption some kind of shadow/shade. Further in the background off into the distance, is a small patch of bright blue, highlighting the clear sky on this hot day. From these variants of background, I begin to feel that these two figures are in some sort of imprisonment. As if the dark shadow behind them is to represent some kind of prison cell and the small patch of blue sky is the window to freedom. It feels as if they're trapped in agonizing labor, hidden from the beauty and tranquility of a sunny day. Condemned by their work for long periods of time, as if their very freedom has been snatched away from them.

Van Gogh is also a good example to focus on as he uses light in such unique ways with his painting technique. The aspect of colour in his work is the strength of his lighting ability and really shows dynamic contrasts of tone, especially with his unique style of work. Many of his paintings use expressive and bold movements, but in doing so result in a far deeper and richer visual experience. 

Van Gogh 'Café Terrace at Night'. 1888

I admire many of Gogh's paintings for his artistic representation of light study, however this piece is the one I think has the strongest attention to lighting effects. Cafe Terrace at Night is a unique painting as it contains not a singular stroke of black within it, regardless of the scene that is set. The nighttime sky and its illumination are portrayed through cool colours such as blues, violets and greens which beautifully contrast the warming colours emanating from the street windows and Cafe entrance. Van Gogh's technique is to use variations of warm and cool colours when producing lighting in his work. The cooler colours are representing the shadows and depth of field within the piece, making the forefront of the painting a focal point. The warmer tones are used to replicate the Cafe by using bright oranges, reds, pinks and yellows to build an atmosphere of comfort and welcoming. The bright tones are present not only in the Cafe entrance itself, but reflected outside onto the cobbled streets, illuminating a path to the terrace and enveloping outsiders in a warm and ambient glow, inviting them forward. The unique method of colour application really shows how Gogh considered his lighting methods. Using light as a colour in itself and building emotions or atmospheres based on those colours.

It's with understanding how light is used within paintings, that you can really begin to break down a piece and acknowledge it's true meaning. It is evident with 'The Stone Breakers' that lighting has been carefully considered to represent the nature of this piece and portray effective mental emotion. It is nice to see how lighting pays such significant importance within many traditional art pieces and how it is used to build atmosphere. 

I believe we don't really consider lighting too much when we watch a movie, admire a painting, or play a video game, as I feel it is something that is accepted subconsciously, unless out of interest for a person to study. Lighting, I believe is the most important element when trying to set emotion or atmosphere in any aspect of story telling. It is something that isn't always consciously considered, but effectively consumes it's audiences into a coherent world.


Bibliography:

http://faculty.etsu.edu/kortumr/HUMT2320/realism/adobejpgimages/02stonebreakerslarge.jpg

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee437/jigsawpuzzlelady/CafeTerraceVanGogh.jpg

History of Lighting Methods I

For my project I am going to make two variants of my Subway station that will convey different emotions primarily using lighting as my asset. I think it is important to represent how the correct use of light can change the entire atmosphere of an environment or scene. Without good methods of lighting, I believe it is near on impossible to portray the core elements of a video game. Whether it's the environment, character, sound and even narrative, lighting is used cleverly in many ways to portray all aspects of video game development. 

I think a lot of influences with lighting techniques in video games derived from historical and cultural examples. In old paintings, movies and even literature, light was the most important asset to convey emotion or atmosphere within a scene. Using old Film Noir movies as an example, the non existence of colour technology made it that light had to be used to demonstrate certain all aspects of the film.

One book I came across called 'Painting with Light' by John Alton, focused on how old Film Noir celebrated the fact that they only had light as their primary asset to show atmosphere in a scene. The beauty of black and white cinema, is that lighting can be used in such a diverse amount of ways to represent a story without a need for colour imagery. The strong contrasts of light to dark and all methods of lighting properties, such as diffusion and reflection are all accentuated to reveal the theme of a story. "Black and white are colors," stated by John Alton on the first page of the book. This really made me think in terms of how the lack of colour technology did not affect the portrayal of a story within classic cinema. Depending on the use of light and how a scene is illuminated is enough strength to represent any aspect of a scene in classic cinema.

For example, Traditional Murder Mystery or Crime movies used particularly heavy lighting methods to portray the intensity of the story, where needed. When we think of Murder or Crime, we perceive it to be evil, dark, curious or suspicious. Those words alone are quite shrouded, and it's with that in mind, lighting is used to represent those feelings. Cleverly using light to 'shroud' areas with heavy contrasts to highlight particular scenes in the film.

Here is an example of how Film Noir movies used lighting to express particular scenes in the story:

A scene from Canon City 'Painting with Light' /John Alton, pgXX

This image is from a scene in Canon City; a crime mystery made in 1948. With the theme of 'Crime' in this movie is very well presented through the expression of lighting methods. Using black and white as a helpful tool to build sharp contrasts, this type of genre can be powerful presented if the lighting is correct. Black and white compliment well with harsh lighting techniques and that is why the crime genre can be a very dynamic and atmospheric part of classic Film Noir. For example, the image above shows that of a lady and a man separated by a wire grid. It is evident from the setting that the two characters are in some kind of prison, but it isn't so much the obviousness of the environment, it's how light is used to represent the emotion within that scene. Lighting is being used to convey not only the environment in which the characters are set, but the emotions striking between the two. The lady is very brightly illuminated with little shadow to her figure, whereas the man is practically shrouded in darkness, only with a slight touch of light that we would consider is coming from the lady opposite him. With the particular theme of the story, we can indicate through the clever use of lighting, that this man is the criminal and the lady is someone important to him. If we analyze the picture, we can indicate the lady is innocent by her clear illuminosity, she has no dark imperfections like the man opposite her. He has committed a crime and is therefore enveloped in darkness. However, the soft light on his face is clearly being lit by the lady in front, highlight small facial features. It is as if the lady opposite him has some kind of importance to him, whether relative or loved one, she is framing his face with her innocence. Maybe he isn't such a bad guy after all? 

It's all these ways of lighting a scene help depict not only the personality of characters, but the way in which a story is being told. From my short analysis, I perceived the man to be a criminal kept within the shadows of his sins, but with how pure the lady is opposite him and how his face is lit by hers, makes me think maybe with her he isn't such a bad person. If someone were to visit him during his imprisonment, so clearly and cleanly illuminated, almost like an angel.

Here is another example from the same movie:

A scene from Canon City 'Painting with Light' /John Alton, pg XXi

In this image we see a man clutching a woman in a tight grip. Similar to the previous image, we can identify that the man is portrayed negatively with the way in which he is lit, indicating that he is antagonist within this scene. Compared to that of the woman, he is also shrouded in darkness, almost entirely, besides that of his hand and part of his face. His hand is clearly illuminated to highlight his actions towards the woman, his face also to perhaps give an identity to the character during his action. The darkness of the scene surrounding that character clearly indicates his evil intent within this scene, whereas in contrast the woman is clearly illuminated to perhaps express her innocence. I think it is more so a strong light to highlight the expression of her face during this particular scene. The lighting method clearly conveys her emotional trauma as the male character pulls her almost into darkness.

It is really interesting to see how lighting was used significantly more so in classic film, as with the lack of colour came supposed lack of expression. But it is evident from this analysis that it is certainly not a necessary aspect to produce a dynamic atmosphere. Lighting is a crucial part of story telling as it accentuates all elements that are relevant to the genre or theme.

The Science of Light II

Reflection:

Reflection is when light bounces off a smooth or polished surface. Reflected light is caused when an incident ray (light from a source) bounces off of a smooth surface with equal properties. The reflected ray will mimic both the speed and angle of the incident ray, the clarity of the reflection will depend entirely on the surface material or texture.

When incident light bounces off of a smooth surface, the reflected light travels at the same speed and angle as the incident light. An example of a good reflection is that of a mirror or the surface of water. The reflected ray will reflect more accurately depending on the smoothness or material properties of a surface. With mirrors particularly the surface is completely smooth and polished, making the reflected light directly bounce off the surface at a clean speed and angle, replicating that of the incident ray perfectly. That is how we see clear reflections in glass mirrors or other highly polished surfaces. The properties of water are also good for clear reflections however the texture or unevenness of the surface can distort the reflected image. For example ripples or small waves that interrupt the incident light will alter how the reflected light reacts. When a light source reflects off a rougher surface such as rippled water the laws of light don't change, however the reflection from the surface appears distorted. This is because there is no longer one angle being reflected as the incident light is bouncing off of all the uneven surfaces. This creates multiple reflected rays which will distort the reflection.

Refraction:

The speed and angle of light can change when it passes through a material or object, but the laws of light are still obeyed. When light travels through an object that is transparent such as water or glass, the direction of the light changes as it passes through the surface, bending it's direction and altering the way we see things. A good example is when you place your hand underwater, the light direction is bent distorting the image of your hand under the surface. The same happens with a straw in a glass of water also. The direction of the straw alters slightly once it comes in contact with the water (from air to water) this is a visual representation of how light is refracted within those sorts of objects/materials/surfaces.

Diffused Light:

Diffused light acts in similar way to how light is reflected off of a rougher surface. Incident rays bounce off of multiple surfaces creating many reflected rays. Depending on the property of the object will depend on how we see that information. For example because of the molecules in water, we see reflections clearer although it is distorted. This is because of the properties in water that reflect light in a more complete way. However, although all light is reflected or bounced in some way, Diffusion is a representation of light that has been partially absorbed and then scattered in multiple directions. The type of surface and its properties will change the amount of light that is absorbed and scattered. Alterations in colour and the type of reflected source light can create Specular Diffusion, which is a lot brighter and illuminates more vividly. Standard diffusion is a regular occurrence with light, how a room is illuminated is primarily through the source light being bounced off all of the surfaces in that room. How certain objects are illuminated depends on the amount of diffusion. The closer an object is to a light source, the more light is absorb, broken and then scattered, making the luminance of the object greater. As the light source is distanced from a surface, the diffusion lessens as there isn't as much light to be absorbed and scattered. Diffused light also illuminates other surfaces around it depending on the intensity of the light source and it's material properties. This is an example of 'Bounced' light.

Bounced Light:

Bounced light is when a surface reflects a light source and scatters information to other objects. A room can be entirely illuminated by one light source, but it isn't the light itself that  makes the room more visible. It is because of surrounding objects or surfaces reflecting the light source off each other that makes that area illuminated. Depending on the properties of the objects or surfaces in that room, will depend on how much light is being reflected or 'Bounced'. For example a room entirely made of marble, is more likely to be brightly illuminated that a room made entirely of wood. This is because the surface structure and material of marble reflects light cleaner, making the reflected light information similar to that of the incident light (light source). 

Subsurface Scattering:

Subsurface Scattering is when an object absorbs light and scatters the information within its structure. This varies entirely on the properties and densities of the object. An example of Subsurface Scattering is within a leaf. Leaves absorb light and scatter that information within itself, illuminating the inside. This type of light can alter depending on the properties of an object, an example of an object with a higher density is our ears. Ears absorb light and that is how we can see the red or 'blood' within them, sometimes even veins. This is because our ears are absorbing the light and scattering it around our ear structure. However it is not as clear as that of a leaf and that is because our ears have different properties which allow less light to be absorbed.

For me, understanding the science of light is crucial for when I come to lighting my own environment next year. It is not so much knowing what different types of light exist, but how and why they occur, focusing on materials and specific objects that affect it. When I build my own Subway station, I will need to consider how my two variants Clean/Eroded will be portrayed specifically using lighting methods. Utilizing the materials and textures of a surface and how particular methods of lighting will alter the surrounding. Understand the mechanics of light and lighting is very important for me to portray the two different styles in the future.

The Science of Light I

The most crucial part of my study is to understand the science behind light and lighting methods, by identifying the different behaviors many light sources have. The focus of my project is to light a scene with two different themes solely using lighting as my technique to convey the alternatives. I must carefully analyze ever aspect, property and function of light, so I can recreate it successfully using relevant software. Recreating light in a program can be very difficult as it is not so easy to portray lighting accurately, even with many presets given to you. First you must understand how light behaves with your environment, the mood in which you want to set, the materials, textures, colours and objects all will reflect how your light be portrayed. Reflection, Refraction, Bent and Diffused light are just some examples of light and how it is affected depending on the objects/surfaces in which it interacts with, so I really must thoroughly analyze every aspect of my environment so that when i create my lighting, it will look perfect.

Light can come from many different sources both man made and naturally. Examples such as fire, the sun and many electronic items like televisions, lamps or torches. Even certain creatures like fireflies have a type of light that is naturally developed through evolution. All these different types of light all equally affect the area in which they are in. Depending on the intensity of that source and it's behavior will create different types of effects and how we see those are based on how the light travels to our eyes.

Light is measured in waves similar to that of sound. However, the different wavelengths of light indicate visible and non visible colour on the Electromagnetic Spectrum. When light reflects off a surface, the wavelength will alter to represent a visible or non visible colour. For example, if an object is red, when light reflects off that surface into our eyes and we recognize that colour as 'red', it is because all other wavelengths on the Electromagnetic Spectrum have been absorbed by the object and the remaining/dominant wave is red. I learned a fascinating truth a while ago that no object or surface has any colour properties; everything is clear. It is when light information bounces off a surface and the wavelength alters through the Spectrum for the human eye to identify a colour. However, some colours that do not appear in the spectrum, such as brown, are because they have combined wavelengths, for brown the combination of red and green are present from a reflected surface. If an object is brown, it is has absorbed all colours other than red and green, which combine as the information travels to our eyes.

Here is an image representing the Electromagnetic Spectrum:

Another interesting fact I found out recently, that this naturally occurring system can be easily recreated artificially. Any form of technology with a screen such as a television, mobile or computer uses the RGB (red/green/blue) colour methods. Everything on a screen is purely red, green and blue. Technology generates the correct light wavelengths which transmit colour information to our eyes through the same method as the Electromagnetic spectrum. Our eyes adjust to the alternation of light information from the screen and the RGB format transforms accordingly. I found that fact incredible fascinating.

Getting Perspective

Before beginning my research on lighting, I wanted to look around the city and take photographs of lighting and it's effects that caught my eye. 

As my practical study will be in an entirely man made setting, I wanted to look at ways in which light is used in a relative environment. I used a basic set up on a DSLR and took some photographs at the local shopping mall as I figured this would be the perfect place to find various types of lighting and many effects that it causes. I want to really look out how light casts shadows and patterns depending on the type of lighting and the material it illuminates.

Here are some photographs I took showing examples of man made lighting and the different effects it has on some surfaces:

These two images differ from each other to convey alternative methods of lighting. The left image is that of a shop window with vibrant purple, UV style lighting. The shop recently had a structural change to enhance the 'modern' aspect of the business. The purple lights reflect nicely off of the large glass display windows and also project a nice reflection on the black marble. This makes the store more visually appealing to customers and stands out differently from other stores, for it's edgy approach to modern design and lighting methods.

The image on the right is very different as it is directional light used to highlight the entrance of a public toilet. This also adds a fairly modern input to the structural design of the mall, which I noticed utilized lighting in many innovative and attractive ways. The material used on the walls of this entrance is that of a tiled, marble effect which is subtly illuminated by the above spotlights. This highlights that recognition of tiling with bathrooms and makes it noticeable to the public. It also conveys the modern design of the mall and reflects a classy atmosphere, even in a toilet environment.

Here is another example of a man made lighting method that really stood out for me. This entire edge of the store front is illuminated by colour changing lights and sparkling effects that are incredibly bold. The sheer luminosity of the lights reflects on many of the surfaces around the store, making it incredibly attractive and eye catching to any member of the public. The marbled flooring and wooden bench here in either photos show how bright the lights actually are and how it's surroundings compliment the visual style. It makes the store more noticeable and recognizable simply by this clever method of lighting, using it's surrounding environment to it's advantage.

This lighting method is used to direct the public to their nearest exit route. The clever aspect here is how it highlights the displayed advertisements and sweet vendors at either side also. The concave structure of the ceiling also has hidden lighting which illuminates the domes, creating a more spacious environment.

I really adore this photo as it highlights many methods of lighting. The malls infrastructure generates lighting from both man made and natural sources, to illuminate the environment of the food court in the shopping mall. A large open space is more inviting if it actually 'feels' spacious. This area has utilized both natural and man made light cleverly using unique methods of building framework. The ceiling has large windows, paneled with wonderfully crafted 'blinds' that illuminate the area with natural light, creating a bright and open space. The man made lights are used to set the mood of the scene, using warming and attractive colours that are used to invite customers to the available food stalls. The materials used in this area compliment the lighting well to create a far more humble and relaxed atmosphere for the consumer. The creams and warm browns of the wood are presented here to create a far more comforting and yet modern environment for the public, so they can rest from the bustle of the shops. It has become more apparent in my research images, just how important lighting is, even in a commercially busy environment. Especially how cleverly it can encourage consumers to 'feel' based on colours, lighting effects on materials and structures. Giving them a sense of want, relaxation or fun.

Here is another example of how the 'man made' lighting is used to attract consumers in a retail environment. The lighting used here emphasizes on a fiery glow that illuminates the front of the food store. There are also hanging lamps which compliment the colours and also set a theme for the store which is recognizable to the customer. The colours of red, yellow and orange are ones that are warming and comforting, which in a food environment, encourages the customers to stay for longer periods of time within the area. Yet another clever use of lighting technique. 

Here is another view of the ceiling at the food court in the shopping mall. Just to get a closer look at the materials and how the two different types of light compliment their surroundings. The different shapes here help cast appealing shadows across the ceiling which further adds to the clever method of design.

This image was taken in the Media Lab at University. I have never really looked into how the different methods of lighting illuminate the beam structures in the ceiling. From both the natural light from the windows and the man made light for the bulbs, they cast really interesting shadows that add a really modern touch to quite an old area.

This image shows a typical spotlight highlighting three photographs in a coffee shop. It is quite interesting how the colour of the paint matches that of the photographs and also how the lighting is similar. It is obvious that the lighting in this area is used to make the photographs a focal point for the consumer.

Here are some more images showing how lighting is used to highlight different areas of a commercial environment. Each used specifically to convey areas of interest and importance to the public.

These two images caught my attention because of the modern use of lighting and colour. In both photos, each structure is lit in a stylish and modern way that fits in with the decor of a shopping mall. A consistent approach in structural design within a shopping mall is crucial for consumer recognition, even where lighting is involved. I noticed with one shopping mall that the colour 'blue' was used to highlight particular areas of interest, such as the bathrooms and photo booths.

 Here is another example conveying the colour theme and stylish appeal of the shopping mall.

Lighting is thought out well with the building framework of a large commercial area. I noticed in one shopping mall that all primary usage of lighting, was to not only highlight stores but also to show points of interest such as exits, guiding walkways, escalators, elevators and stands.

From this small analysis, it really made me realize just how much lighting is used to create different effects, feelings and themes depending on the environment. I must further proceed into lighting techniques and information so I can have a broad understand when it comes to lighting my own scene

The Idea

For my final year of study I have decided to thoroughly analyze the importance of lighting techniques within a range of different examples such as film, photography, and literature and study how they influence the composition of video games. Each relevant media has their own unique way of using light to represent atmosphere, emotion, genre or even subtly indicating the change of events within the narrative. The importance of lighting should never be underestimated and it is with that thought I have chosen this subject as a focal point in my studies. The composition of lighting can often go unnoticed consciously, but subconsciously it is one of the most crucial design factors that make us as the audience react accordingly based on how the theme, narrative or genre of the story being told to us. It is evident even in historical and cultural examples how the effect and power of lighting can portray such drastic moods and help develop the atmosphere of a scene or story. I believe for my studies that it is important to make identified connections between historical and cultural examples to show how it has influenced the effects of lighting in the present and also how itʼs creatively implemented in game design.

I have chosen to focus on the theme of an underground station because of how frequently theyʼre beginning to appear in current video games. I believe the usage of metro or subway stations in video games creates a familiar and relatable atmosphere for the player, therefore making the game world more coherent and realistic. This implementation of environment is making our game worlds and narratives far more believable than they have ever been before. Primarily because theyʼre situations in which we have been exposed to ourselves in reality in some way or another. Applying a fictional story, atmosphere or genre to this relatable element can then depict new experiences for the audience when they encounter that element again in reality. Whether positively or negatively, the way in which relatable environments are transferred make the game world believable as itʼs interacting with the player on a personal level. It is with that where I will focus on how we look at underground stations presently. There are many opinions on the London tube service itself, I believe both equally for and against. A positive example is the novelty of being in a famous city or the aspect of getting around efficiently. A negative example commonly is the fear in claustrophobia or stress with delays. With these different opinions and popular use in game design, I will focus on how effective use of lighting can portray different emotions in that scene.