Patent Publication Number: US-2018050559-A1

Title: Method of painting mutliple images selectively viewable in different light conditions

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to works of art, and more particularly to paintings and portraits, and even more particularly to paintings and portraits of multiple images, and most particularly to paintings and portraits of multiple images where only selected images or portions of images are viewable under different light conditions. 
     Pieces of art, particularly paintings and portraits, are generally static images of the painting&#39;s subject. Centuries of painting have utilized numerous marking materials (charcoal, oil-based paints, chalk, pastels, latex and acrylic paints, etc.) on countless substrates (textile, wood, plaster, ceramic, plastic, glass and stone) to form the image. However, these images are typically only viewable under ambient or incandescent lighting. 
     More recently, artists have utilized fluorescent paints to create viewable images when subjected to ultraviolet (UV) light such as via a black light. These fluorescent images are typically outlines or highlights of the underlying image that is viewable in ambient light. For example, a portrait may be painted with oil-based paints on canvas so as to be viewable in ambient light. Fluorescent paint may then be added to outline the subject&#39;s hair and facial features such that the identity of the subject may be discerned under black light. Similarly, pieces of art have also used glow-in-the-dark paint or other phosphorescent materials to permit an image to be viewable when in a dark environment. Again, these images are generally outlines or highlights of the underlying image. 
     Thus, what is needed is an article or artwork, such as a painting, wherein distinct and different images are selectively viewable under different light conditions, including ambient/incandescent light, ultraviolet light and low/no light conditions. The present invention addresses these, as well as other, needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an aspect of the present invention to provide article of artwork having multiple images selectively viewable in different light conditions. The article comprises a substrate and a first image applied to the substrate using a first marking material which is viewable under ambient and incandescent light. A second image is applied to the substrate using a second marking material comprising fluorescent compounds. The second image is viewable under ultraviolet light. A third image is applied to the substrate using a third marking material comprising phosphorescent compounds. The third image is viewable when the article is placed in a dark environment after being exposed to light. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a textile, wood, plaster, ceramic, plastic, glass and stone. The first marking material may be charcoal, oil-based paint, chalk, pastels, latex paint or acrylic paint and the second marking material is transparent under ambient or incandescent light. The third marking material is further visible under ultraviolet light. A portion of the second image may overlap a portion of the first image and a portion of the third image may overlap a portion of one or both of the first image and the second image. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of creating an article of artwork having multiple images selectively viewable in different light conditions comprises: a) applying a first marking material to a substrate to form a first image, the first image viewable under ambient and incandescent light; b) applying a second marking material comprising fluorescent compounds to the substrate to form a second image, the second image viewable under ultraviolet light; and c) applying a third marking material comprising phosphorescent compounds to the substrate to form a third image, the third image viewable under ultraviolet light or when in a dark environment. 
     In still another aspect of the present invention, the method may further comprise the steps of: i) creating individual sketches of each of the first image, the second image and the third image; ii) overlapping the individual sketches; and iii) selectively moving one or more of the individual sketches to correlate image overlap relating to colors and each visible image under differing light conditions prior to applying the first marking material to the substrate to form the first image. 
     In yet another aspect of the present invention, the individual sketches may be digital images viewable on a computing device and may be digital scans of sketches on paper. The computing device may condition the sketch of the first image to be viewable under ambient and incandescent light, condition the sketch of the second image to be viewable under ultraviolet light; and condition the sketch of the third image to be viewable in a dark environment. The computing device may then selectively simultaneously display each of the individual sketches or simulate an ambient light environment, an ultraviolet light environment or the dark environment so as to render respective sketches viewable at a time. 
     In a further aspect of the method, the first marking material is applied to the substrate and allowed to dry before application of the second marking material and the second marking material is applied to the substrate and allowed to dry before application of the third marking material. In a further aspect, the second and third marking materials may be applied under ultraviolet light conditions. A portion of the second image may overlap a portion of the first image and a portion of the third image may overlap a portion of one or both of the first image and the second image 
     In still a further aspect of the method, the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a textile, wood, plaster, ceramic, plastic, glass and stone; the first marking material is selected from the group consisting of charcoal, oil-based paint, chalk, pastels, latex paint and acrylic paint; the second marking material may be transparent under ambient or incandescent light; and the third marking material may further be viewable under ultraviolet light. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an exemplary view of an article of artwork in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the artwork shown when viewed under ambient/incandescent light; 
         FIG. 2  an exemplary view of the article of artwork shown in  FIG. 1 , the artwork shown when viewed under ultraviolet light; 
         FIG. 3  an exemplary view of the article of artwork shown in  FIG. 1 , the artwork shown when viewed under dark lighting conditions; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a method creating the article of artwork shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an exemplary view of a pre-production sketch of the article of artwork shown in  FIG. 1  depicting the article under ambient/incandescent light; 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary view of a pre-production sketch of the article of artwork shown in  FIG. 2  depicting the article under ultraviolet light; 
         FIG. 7  is an exemplary view of a pre-production sketch of the article of artwork shown in  FIG. 3  depicting the article under dark lighting conditions; and 
         FIG. 8  is an exemplary view of a composite view of the sketches shown in  FIGS. 5-7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , an embodiment of an article of artwork is generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . Artwork  10  may be, for instance, a painting or portrait, but it should be understood by those skilled in the art that other articles, such as apparel, glassware, sculpture, etc., may be produced in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. For the sake of clarity and without limiting solely thereto, artwork  10  will be referred to as a painting throughout the remainder of the description. As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , painting  10  may include multiple images  12 ,  22 ,  32  which are selectively viewable under different lighting conditions as will be disclosed more fully below. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , painting  10  may include a first image  12  applied to the surface of a substrate, such as but not limited to a textile, wood, plaster, ceramic, plastic, glass, stone and the like so as to be viewed. For the sake of clarity and without limitation thereto, the substrate will be referred to as a canvas throughout the remainder of the description. First image  12  may be comprised of a first marking material such as, but not limited to, charcoal, pencil, oil-based paints, chalk, pastels, latex paints, acrylic paints, water color paints and the like. The first marking material may be viewable under ambient or incandescent lighting and may not include fluorescent or phosphorescent materials. Thus, under normal day light conditions, first image  12  may be viewed. It should be noted that for substances which do not fixedly adhere to the surface of the substrate (such as charcoal or pastels), a fixative agent may be applied over first image  12 . Examples of suitable fixative agents include a fixative spray or a varnish as is known in the art. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , a second image  22  may applied to the canvas of painting  10  and may overlap a portion of first image  12 . Second image  22  may be comprised of a second marking material (such as those listed above with regard to first marking material) with the exception that the second marking material further includes fluorescent compounds which fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, such as that provided by a black light. In one aspect of the present invention, second image  22  is comprised of a marking material which is transparent under ambient/incandescent lighting conditions such that only first image  12  is viewed when the painting is under these conditions. However, when exposed to UV light, the second marking material may emit light such that second image  22  becomes viewable while first image  12  becomes less discernable, with first image  12  being no longer viewable under appropriate lighting conditions (i.e. in a dark room lit only using a black light such that there is little to no ambient or incandescent light with which to view the first image). 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , a third image  32  may be applied to the canvas of painting  10  and may overlap a portion of one or both of first image  12  and second image  22 . Third image  32  may be comprised of a third marking material (such as those listed above with regard to first marking material) with the exception that the third marking material further includes phosphorescent compounds which may emit visible light when painting  10  is in a darkened environment after being exposed to light. The third marking material may also be viewable when exposed to UV light, but in one aspect of the present invention, may be transparent under ambient/incandescent lighting conditions. 
     In this manner, only first image  12  may be viewed when under ambient/incandescent lighting conditions. However, when exposed to UV light in a darkened room, both the second marking material and third marking material may emit light such that second image  22  and third image  32  become viewable while first image  12  becomes less discernable as described above. Upon termination of UV light exposure in a darkened room, the fluorescent second marking material will cease to emit light while the third marking material will continue to phosphoresce. As a result, third image  32  will remain viewable while second image  22  is substantially non-discernible. Because the third marking material is viewable under UV light, the placement and any selective mixing/overlapping of third marking material and second marking material needs to be carefully controlled and accounted for when creating painting  10 . In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the best viewing sequence of painting  10  may be to first view first image  12  under ambient/incandescent light, followed by viewing second and third images  22 ,  32  under UV light, followed by viewing third image  32  in a dark environment. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 4-8 , an embodiment of a method  100  for creating an article of artwork having multiple images selectively viewable in different light conditions may generally begin with application of a first marking material to an underlying substrate (i.e., canvas) at step  110 . Before application of the second marking material in step  120 , the first marking material may be allowed to dry at intermediate step  112 . As discussed above, a fixative agent may also be applied following application of the first marking material at step  114  so as to affix the marking material to the canvas. The fixative agent may be allowed to dry at intermediate step  112 . With first image  12  affixed to the canvas (following step  110  and/or step  114 ), the second marking material may then be applied to the canvas at step  120  so as to create second image  22 . The second marking material may also be selectively mixed with third marking material at optional step  122  so that a combined second/third material may be applied to desired areas at the same time. Following application of the second marking material (step  120 ) and/or optional application of mixed second and third marking materials (step  122 ), second image  22  may be allowed to dry at step  124 . Drying step  124  may allow the applied materials to fix to the canvas and/or underlying first marking material prior to application of third marking material in step  130 . 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the first image must be fixed and dried prior to application of the second marking material. Should the first image not be sufficiently dry, unwanted bleeding or mixing of the second marking material into the first marking material may result. In a further aspect of the present invention, the first image must be completed and dried prior to application of any second marking material because any edits or touch-ups to the first image after application of the second marking material may interfere with, or prevent, the desired fluorescence which generates the second image. By way of example, multiple coats of second marking material may be applied to the canvas to create the desired shade of color/fluorescent intensity of the second image. Should any first marking material be later added which overlaps the multiple coats of second marking material, the desired second image may be compromised. Retouching the second image would also be extremely difficult, if not impossible, due to the finely controlled application and overlapping of the multiple coats of second marking material. As a result, the second image may not fluoresce as intended or wanted. 
     To aid in the creation of painting  10 , method  100  may further include additional steps  140 - 170  as described more fully below. That is, prior to application of any marking material to the canvas, a number of sketches may be generated. For instance, at step  140 , a sketch of first image  12   a  may be created (see  FIG. 5 ). Sketched first image  12   a  generally includes the major elements of the desired final painting of first image  12  as see in  FIG. 1 . Similarly, a sketch  22   a  ( FIG. 6 ) of second image  22  is created in step  150  and a sketch  32   a  ( FIG. 7 ) of third image  32  is created in step  160 . At step  170 , each of sketched images  12   a ,  22   a ,  32   a  may then be overlaid upon one another to form a composite sketch  40   a  (see  FIG. 8 ). One or more of sketches  12   a ,  22   a  or  32   a  may then be manipulated so as to correlate image overlap relating to color and viewable image under the different light conditions. By way of example, sketched images  22   a  and  32   a  may be selectively arranged such that the phosphorescent material of the third marking materials does not interfere with the desired second image  22  created by the fluorescing second marking material. 
     To further aid in the creation of painting  10 , each sketch  12   a ,  22   a ,  32   a  may be digitized at steps  145 ,  155 ,  165  respectively, such as via a color scanner, and uploaded to a computing device, such as but not limited to, a personal computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone (not shown). The computing device may selectively simultaneously display and overlap the image of each of the individual sketches to assist in manipulating the sketches as described above. The computing device may also selectively simulate an ambient light environment, an ultraviolet light environment and/or a dark environment so as to render respective sketches  12   a ,  22   a ,  32   a  viewable at a time when under the proper lighting conditions. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is understood that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the full spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.