To understand the processes behind seeing light, we need to integrate knowledge about the incoming optical structure, its perception, and how light interacts with material, shape, and space-objectively and subjectively. To that end, we need a novel approach to the science of light, namely, a transdisciplinary science of appearance, integrating optical, perceptual, and design knowledge and methods. In this article, I review existing literature as a basis for such a synthesis, which should discuss light in its full complexity, including its spatial properties and interactions with materials, shape, and space. I propose to investigate this by representing the endless variety of light, materials, shapes, and space as canonical modes and their combinations.
Keywords: appearance; atmosphere; canonical modes; design; illumination; light; light field; lighting; optics.