The Phases of Day and Night
in Hupfeld Helios Land

Daytime in a tranquil alpine village. A zeppelin glides gracefully across the daytime sky, while below a waterwheel rotates alongside the millhouse at left and a windmill twirls in a mountain breeze at middle right. Periodically a funicular railroad climbs or descends a steep mountain slope (center) and a passenger train glides across the arched stone bridge (at lower center).

Please note: All the photographs in this set of panels were taken with all front lighting external to the Hupfeld Helios dimmed, making the colorfully painted trees and foliage that frame the animated scene visible only in shadow. This treatment, however, highlights the delicate artwork detail of the painted elements and their interaction with wonderful electrical lighting effects produced from within the animated scene itself.

The early stages of sunset. The overall daytime lighting has faded towards dusk, with the brilliant orb of the sun and its associated golden reflection on the lake's placid waters realistically projected from behind the painted glass background. The scenic background is hand-painted using translucent pigments on a sheet of white opalescent glass. Certain areas are blacked with a heavy paint out on the backside to prevent light leakage, while other adjacent areas are left clean to allow for beautiful lighting effects to be created by using appropriately placed lighting devices hidden from view behind the glass back panel. High above (in front of the mountain peak) is one of the two Zeppelins, as it glides westward toward the setting sun.

Sunset. No windows in the little buildings are lighted yet, as the setting sun hangs motionless and partially hidden behind the rugged mountains. All general purpose lighting has been dimmed for this view, with only the special back-lighted sun and its golden reflection being rear projected onto the lake's placid surface.

Dusk, the gentle transition to evening and the coolness of nighttime. The afterglow of sunset still lingers in the valley, as the sun's golden orb has slipped behind the rugged and distant mountains. The moon now hangs in the darkening sky, as a set of funicular railway cars emerges from behind the stone millhouse, and is beautifully silhouetted against the remaining glow of a reflected sunset. Lighted windows are now showing in the house adjacent to the windmill, and in the train station on the arched bridge near center bottom. Soon the windows in other buildings will be lighted, too, as nighttime gradually settles over the serene lake and valley.

Nighttime. The moon is high over the alpine lake, with its cool reflection shinning brightly on the smooth water. Lights glow brightly in the windows of both millhouses, as well as from several buildings on the shoreline across the serene lake. In front of the mountain peak a zeppelin moves gracefully across the nighttime sky.

Morning, when all is cool and quiet and the moon is no longer in view. All the lights in the buildings are extinguished after a night of gentle rest. Yet, once again, in front of the mountain peak a zeppelin moves stealthily along, heading westward and away from the rising sun.