Revisiting the Fluorescent Mosaic Technique

A visual art technique first described in an early issue of CR&A is discussed here in the way it has been modified to expand its practicality. As a first-of-its-kind application of additive color mixture in the two-dimensional visual arts, the fluorescent mosaic technique is considered in terms of its historical context, and its conceptual and technical development are presented as it grew out of an awareness of a theoretical dissonance between the worlds of art and science. Three visual designs created in the additive fluorescent mosaic technique as proof-of-concept demonstrations are presented and discussed as they evolved from early methods requiring special lighting which severely restricted the technique's applicability, to a more broadly functional method requiring only white light that is strong in blue content, such as average daylight. Because digital photography and electronic displays capture the appearance of fluorescent mosaic images quite well, their use as an educational instrument for teaching color mixture theory on a wide-scale basis is promising. An outline of basic procedures for creating fluorescent mosaic artwork is provided. As a fine art medium, it is an area of visual expression that is virtually unexplored. Lastly, other approaches to creating visual art using luminous mosaic imagery are suggested.