Monthly Archives: January 2011

Snowflakes and Kaleidoscopes

Snowflakes and Kaleidoscopes. No 2 are ever alike. And within the kaleidoscope, no 2 images will ever be exactly repeated. Perfect kaleidoscope for a foggy, frosty winter day.

Here are 2 of my favorite snowflake themed kaleidoscopes!
The Durettes make this gorgeous snowflake style kaleidoscope. With this masked 3 mirror system, the image created appears to be many snowflakes floating in your view.

Interior Image like Snowflakes

Interior Image like Snowflakes


Another Snowflake Interior Image

Another Snowflake Interior Image

Here is a great value in a snowflake theme kaleidsocope created by Collier Studios.

collier-snowflake-spirit-kaleidoscope

collier-snowflake-spirit-kaleidoscope

2 mirror, 3 mirror and tapered mirror system kaleidoscopes.

Continuing in my January theme of back to basics, I’m going to blog about the mirror systems in kaleidoscopes today. The magic part of the scope is the mirrors. This is where the multiplication, geometry and physics all take place.

A 3 mirror kaleidoscope is the most common and traditional toy image. This is where 3 equal strips of mirror are configured into a triangular tube. This creates a triangular quilt of color within your kaleidoscope. The Big Jazzy Kaleidoscopes are a great example of a traditional 3 mirror kaleidoscope.

Big Jazzy Kaleidoscope 3 mirror system

Big Jazzy Kaleidoscope 3 mirror system

A 2 mirror system is still configured in a triangular tube, but the third side is matte black so the reflections are only 2 fold. This creates beautiful and symmetrical round mandalas with a gorgeous centerpoint. Peggy and Steve Kittleson make an excellent 2 mirror system.

2 mirror Interior Image from Kittleson Mystic Rapture

2 mirror Interior Image from Kittleson Mystic Rapture

A tapered 3 mirror system is configured wider at the eye and all 3 sides narrower at the object cell. This creates a domed interior image.

Tapered 3 mirror image from Westwind Kaleidoscope

Tapered 3 mirror image from Westwind Kaleidoscope


This the Westwind Kaleidoscope by Joanne Jacobs.

Westwind by Joanne Jacobs

Westwind by Joanne Jacobs


Mirror systems are the heart of kaleidoscopes,where the magic happens.

January Basics – Teleidoscope and Kaleidoscope

January always brings me back to the basics. Kids are back in school after the holidays and the house looks back to basics without the Christmas decorations. So here’s a lesson in kaleidsocopes that takes it back to the basics. What is a teleidoscope and how is it different than a kaleidoscope?

All kaleidoscopes are optical instruments that consist of mirrors configured to multiply the image of the object. The mirrors create the symmetry and the object creates the color.

Mirror systems are usually configured like a triangular tunnel. Object is where the definition of kaleidoscope versus teleidoscope comes into play.

One type of object on a kaleidoscope is wheels of color.
Here is the N&J 8 inch double wheel kaleidoscope.

N&J 8 Inch Double Wheel Kaleidoscope

N&J 8 Inch Double Wheel Kaleidoscope


8 Inch Double Wheel Kaleidoscope Interior Image

8 Inch Double Wheel Kaleidoscope Interior Image

Now the Teleidoscope design uses simply a clear marble at the end of the mirrors. This creates a multiplied image of whatever you see in the world. Here is the same tube and mirror system as a

teleidoscope.

N&J 7 Inch Teleidoscope

N&J 7 Inch Teleidoscope