What is this special interest called?

[windowall]

Hi, this is my first post here so sorry if this is wrong or off topic.

I am wondering if anyone can help me label/identify my special interest. Basically I'm obsessed with light, color, kaleidoscopes, reflections, sparkling water, wave reflections from sun, etc. The way reflections and light create shapes and the colors that go with it.

Some examples are prisms and filament ribbons I have in my room that catch light and make rainbows. I want to try making sensory toys that use sequins, glitter, glass, mirrors, beads, etc.

Does anyone know what this would be outside of just lights and rainbow? Somehow I feel like that is not quite enough since it's the magic and active/liveliness of it changing is what catches my attention. I don't really care for rainbows themselves, just rainbows in light reflections.

 

[SusanLR]

Van Gogh was obsessed with colours.
Colours that are especially vivid and are made of light, like laser shows, etc.
The prismatic effect that certain objects create from the seven colours of light from the sun.
Dancing bright light colours.
I am fascinated by those too.
On the surface I think they are just so beautiful.
Subconsiously I have read it is a sensory processing issue.
It creates a stimulating effect. Makes one feel alive for those who feel rather numb.
Sort of like a high in the brain. Others are just the opposite and find it overwhelming.
I don't know if it has a name, but, this is how obsessions with colours and light on the spectrum was explained in a few psychology articles.
Those whom find it overwhelming can feel phobias of certain colours. Red being the most common.

Funny how in my colours for clothing and general surroundings in the house I prefer more muted tones.

 

[Streetwise]

Hi, this is my first post here so sorry if this is wrong or off topic.

I am wondering if anyone can help me label/identify my special interest. Basically I'm obsessed with light, color, kaleidoscopes, reflections, sparkling water, wave reflections from sun, etc. The way reflections and light create shapes and the colors that go with it.

Some examples are prisms and filament ribbons I have in my room that catch light and make rainbows. I want to try making sensory toys that use sequins, glitter, glass, mirrors, beads, etc.

Does anyone know what this would be outside of just lights and rainbow? Somehow I feel like that is not quite enough since it's the magic and active/liveliness of it changing is what catches my attention. I don't really care for rainbows themselves, just rainbows in light reflections.

colour is usually in the psychology category ,depending on your mood certain colours affect your mind and body in a certain way ,from what I know from Judeo Christian beliefs the rainbow is seen as healing or a blessing ,same for water, light.
for instance most people have a colour that they like the most ,probably also because you autistic you are very sensitive to colour and light .
you may be psychologically deficient in something I am not a psychologist .
you probably know all creatures have psychological needs and physical needs .

 

[LucyPurrs]

Sounds like an amazing special interest! Interplays between light and color reflections. Wow, bet your room is beautiful. Post some pictures for us!!!

Your toy ideas also sound really great, hope you can do it.

 

[Judge]

I'd call it "the science of color".

https://library.si.edu/exhibition/color-in-a-new-light/science

 

[tree]

photophilia
Means love of or need for light.
An organism that thrives in light.
http://www.encyclo.co.uk/meaning-of-photophilia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_psychology

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23547979
Abstract of study of ASD and color obsessions and phobias.

https://positively.com/dog-behavior/behavior-problems/ocd-behaviors/light-chasing/
Dogs can be "overly interested" in lights or reflections. Overly interested, from the
point of view of their owners, that is. Apparently a dog that chases lights, colors, reflections
is an alert predator.

http://www.damienhirst.com/texts1/series/kaleidoscope
An artist who painted a series of 'kaleidoscopic' pictures.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/arts/design/yayoi-kusama-infinity-mirrors.html
An artist intrigued by the use of mirrors.

https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1395&context=senproj_s2014
One hundred forty-one pages of exposition regarding the use and meaning of the use of
mirrors.

The term "auroraphobia" exists and means a fear of the Northern Lights.
Most people find them beautiful and alluring, but I didn't find a corresponding
word (*auroraphilia* or *auroramania*) to indicate love or enjoyment of it.

https://www.pchrome.com/psychology-mans-attraction-shiny-objects/
Shiny stuff.....

 

[Crossbreed]

I am wondering if anyone can help me label/identify my special interest. Basically I'm obsessed with light, color, kaleidoscopes, reflections, sparkling water, wave reflections from sun, etc. The way reflections and light create shapes and the colors that go with it.

That sounds too broad to be a single category. (I could coin one for you.)

• Photochorea, "dancing light"
• Photorama, "light spectacle"
• Photophany, "light show/display"
• Calliphotics, "beautiful lighting"

(Maybe, @Progster could weigh in on these... )

 

[Nervous Rex]

Lots of great answers here. If it’s not a thing yet (or not popular enough yet), you may be the first to name your obsession. Call it whatever you want!

It seems like a lot of it has to do with refraction or prismatics.

Edit: prismatics, not prismatic.

 

[Tom]

Never heard of that being labeled before.

I can't resist taking a stab at it either. In Latin

luminum colores moventes

(Lights and colors that move)

 

[tducey]

Sounds like a fun obsession. Color would be a fun thing to be obsessed about.

 

[ZebraAutismo]

I under it but I don’t what’s it’s called. Light, colours, reflection, shadow... All fascinate that’s part the reason I love art.

 

[Aspie_With_Attitude]

It appears that I may have that with the old school colour TV pal test panel. I first looked at it when my Mum had me watching "Playschool" when I 2-3 years old. Then the TV station used to close for the day and that test panel used to appear.

Since this came back to me last February when I tripped out on drugs after I claimed that I cured Aspergers and Autism.

From there on I used the TV test panel as my profile picture for all my social media accounts and my YouTube video blogs.

On my computer desktop, that TV test panel looks awesome and nostalgic.

Waiting for my Sister to return our family photo disk drive before I can do a documentary on how the TV test panel influenced my creativity since I have that one particular TV set I need for my video. It's not coming up on Google image search.

 

[windowall]

Wow, thank you guys so much! These are such awesome replies and such good suggestions. Super fun for me because I never get to talk about this with anyone.

 

[Crossbreed]

If it’s not a thing yet (or not popular enough yet), you may be the first to name your obsession. Call it whatever you want!

I named mine [cross-genre, 1:6 scale miniaturism (with emphasis on figures)], sextilianism. It became popular in the 1990s, but had been largely segregated by genre prior to that.

 

[Peter Morrison]

I would hope that you work in the design field. This strong interest and intensity has a value to the world. Your eye seems to be very sensitive to the power of light and color. Once, I put a fluorescent tube light on top of very high cabinets. I covered the tube with a sheet of colored cellophane from an art store. The result was a splash of colored light along the ceiling and wall, from a source that was not visible. I remember how it made me happy for reasons unknown to me. It produced an atmosphere that I found to be calming and exciting at the same time. I appreciate your talent. Just imagine how many ASD kids could potentially benefit from this kind of light. It isn't distracting because it doesn't move, flash, or pulse.

 

[Aspie_With_Attitude]

I did a video on a subject like that, I spent over a month planning this video and took me 5 hours to upload this video.

 

[DesertRose]

I'm fascinated by colors and light myself. I especially love the effect of dropping food coloring in a clear glass of water, cheap thrill. LOL the way it moves and swirls around before mixing completely. Oh to capture that somehow in my artwork. I thought about doing acrylic paint pouring, but the thought of wasting so much paint for the effect, that isn't quite the same, is something that I can't see myself doing. Nope. Can't justify it.

 

[I love roses]

I would hope that you work in the design field. This strong interest and intensity has a value to the world. Your eye seems to be very sensitive to the power of light and color. Once, I put a fluorescent tube light on top of very high cabinets. I covered the tube with a sheet of colored cellophane from an art store. The result was a splash of colored light along the ceiling and wall, from a source that was not visible. I remember how it made me happy for reasons unknown to me. It produced an atmosphere that I found to be calming and exciting at the same time. I appreciate your talent. Just imagine how many ASD kids could potentially benefit from this kind of light. It isn't distracting because it doesn't move, flash, or pulse.

I have to pick what color i’m going to wear for the day to fit my mood sometimes. That also goes for wash cloths and towels I use. If I don’t like a color that day, it is hard to bathe with it or wear it. I’m an adult, it’s crazy!

 

[I love roses]

There was documentary of an old man who built things in his house and barn with bits of streamers, colored glass, plastic, beads, turning wheels, mobiles. He was a mystery to people. He wore the same clothes every day and didn’t bathe. He is dead now. No one knew why he did it but they were fascinated by him and his stuff was three D and hung from the ceiling. It took up the whole room. I’m not sure but seems like they had specialists disassemble it in sections and out it in a museum or was figuring out how to. I don’t know the man’s name. Saw the documentary years ago.