Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and ApplicationsLuckiesh, Matthew
Science
Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications
Luckiesh, Matthew
Optical illusions
Some time before the Great War began, it occurred to the writer that
colored filters could be utilized in aiding vision by increasing the
contrast of the object to be viewed against its surroundings.[9] Studies
were made of various filters, made with the object of the experiment in
mind, in viewing the uniforms of various armies. Further developments were
made by applying the same principles to colored lights and painted
pictures. Many of these have been described elsewhere. With the
development of the science of camouflage, filters came into use for the
detection of camouflage. As a result of the demand for avoiding detection
by photographic plates and by various colored filters, some paints
provided for the camoufleur were developed according to the spectral
requirements. Many other applications of science were developed so that
camouflage can now be called an art based upon sound scientific
principles.
Natural lighting is so variable that it is often impossible to provide
camouflage which will remain satisfactory from day to day; therefore, a
broad knowledge of Nature's lighting is necessary in order to provide the
best compromise. There are two sources of light in the daytime, namely,
the sun and the sky. The relative amounts of light contributed by these
two sources is continually changing. The sky on cloudless days contributes
from one-tenth to one-third of the total light received by a horizontal
surface at noon. Light from the sky and light reflected from the
surroundings illuminate the shadows. These shadows are different in color
than highlights, although these finer distinctions may be ignored in most
camouflage because color becomes less conspicuous as the distance of
observation increases. In general, the distribution of brightness or light
and shade is the most important aspect to be considered.
The camoufleur worries over shadows more than any other aspect generally.
On overcast days camouflage is generally much more successful than on
sunny days. Obviously, counter-shading is resorted to in order to
eliminate shadows, and where this is unsuccessful confusion is resorted to
by making more shadows. The shape and orientation of a building is very
important to those charged with the problem of rendering it inconspicuous
to the enemy, but little attention has been paid to these aspects. For
example, a hangar painted a very satisfactory dull green will be
distinguishable by its shape as indicated by its shadow and shaded sides.
In this zone a hangar, for example, would be more readily concealed if its
length lay north and south. Its sides could be brought with a gradual
curve to the ground and its rear, which is during most of the day in
shadow, could be effectively treated to conceal the shadow. A little
thought will convince the reader of the importance of shape and
orientation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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