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Rodney Haug, Kaleidoscope artist
I have been making kaleidscopes for over 17 years and hope to for many more.
Why do I make kaleidoscopes?
The smart-alec answer would be that somebody has to do it. The real
answer is that I truly enjoy creating something that gives such
pure and undiluted pleasure to people.
The color and symmetry of the kaleidoscope pattern give people
the same type of joy that they experience when looking at a beautiful
flower. People seem to have a "need" for color [that's
why we plant flowers] in their lives and a desire for "things
symmetrical". The kaleidoscope brings color and symmetry together
perfectly in a pattern that is both soothing and stimulating at
the same time.
FAQ (Frequently
Asked Questions)
What is a teleidoscope?
A teleidoscope is a kaleidoscope that has a lens instead of a tumbling chamber full of colored pieces. The lens
allows the viewer to view the world around them formed into a kaleidoscopic
pattern.
What is the difference
between a 2-mirrored and a 3-mirrored kaleidoscope?
A 2-mirror scope will display a pattern that appears as a "star
pattern" surrounded by a field of solid color [usually black].
The number of points on the star can be changed by changing the
angle between the mirrors. A 3-mirror scope will show a pattern
of interlocking triangles that appear to go off to infinity at the
outside edges of the pattern. The very first kaleidoscopes were
2 mirror scopes and many collectors still prefer that style. There
are many other mirror configurations that give varying patterns.
I only create 2&3 mirror scopes at this time.
What is "front
surface" or "first surface" mirror?
Front surface mirror differs from normal mirrors in the fact that
the reflective coating is on the front or first surface of the glass
as opposed to being on the backside of the glass. The reason for
this is that it gives an extremely bright and sharp image. With
regular mirrors, the light has to pass through the glass, bounce
off the reflective coating, then pass back out through the glass.
Each time the light passes through the glass it is refracted or
bent a little bit which blurs the image slightly. This is no problem
in your bathroom because you are just creating a single reflection.
Kaleidoscopes, on the other hand, create multiplied reflections.
By multiplying each refraction the image is blurred. This makes
for an unsatisfactory kaleidoscope. DO NOT purchase a scope that
is not made with front surface mirror.
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