Sometimes we find in our trade, with glass and metal used in lots of different elevations and conditions, that identical lites of glass, curtain wall, storefront systems, panels, painted and anodized surfaces, etc. can appear to be different colors under certain lighting and from different vantage points. This is an example of “sensory illusions” at work.
In some cases, the look created is perfectly intentional, like the Dolce & Gabbana storefront we constructed on the Las Vegas Strip for instance, which features varying sizes of black glass panels jetting out at various different angles.
What’s happening with light and color perception may seem relatively straightforward–light reacting with an object and cone cells in the eye–but the National Geographic, Emmy-nominated series Brain Games spends part of an episode explaining and shedding light on (pun intened) the sensory illusions of light and color.
So, if you’re ever trying to explain this phenomenon to your clients, this could be a good resource to share. It’s been helpful for us!
Press play if you’d like, and learn more about how our brains work and process information like color, light, motion, depth and sound: