Sources of Pigmentless Colour in Nature – Seashells, Butterflies and Beetles

Leech, Damien

Abstract

Colour arises most prominently in the world from subtractive processes, such as pigmentation. When light is shone upon a painted wall, for instance, pigment absorbs portions of the electromagnetic spectrum that the material underneath did not and we view whatever light is reflected/rejected. This translates directly into a colour - the eye's interpretation of one small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

However, there are other methods of colouration that are possible. Structural colour, for instance, instead arises from the interaction between light and a physical structure. The light reflected now depends on the physical spacing, materials and overall construction of structures thinner than a human hair. This incredibly complex process however is seen commonly in nature and can explain the iridescent colours seen in everything from seashells and plants to butterflies and feathers and even explains the rainbow of colours seen in oil on a water puddle. We discuss a range of colour producing structures in nature and the physics that underly them, the concepts of ‘colour engineering’ and ‘bioinspiration’ and look toward how we can begin to introduce these ideas to printmaking and manufacture.

Citation

Leech, D. (2020, June). Sources of Pigmentless Colour in Nature – Seashells, Butterflies and Beetles

• Presentation Conference Type: Lecture
• Start Date: Jun 16, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jun 17, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 17, 2020
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6035498
• Related Public URLs: https://nafae.org.uk/