A method of producing an optical component comprising a cell consisting of two spaced-apart substrates, one or more orientation layers having an orientation layer pattern produced in different directions on each substrate, and one or more anisotropic liquid crystal layers of cross-linked liquid crystalline monomers or oligomers disposed between the orientation layers and having locally different orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, wherein each of the one or more orientation layers has a surface that is adjacent to a liquid crystal layer, the surface of the orientation layer adjacent the liquid crystal layer having an orientation pattern with a defined parallel or fan-like line structure in locally limited regions, the average spacing between the lines being not greater than the thickness of a liquid crystal layer and the angle between neighboring lines being in the range from 0.degree. to 3.degree., which comprises (a) providing a first substrate, (b) coupling a first orientation layer to the first substrate, (c) micromechanically producing a parallel or fan-like line structure on the surface of the first orientation layer, (d) applying a liquid crystal layer of liquid crystal oligomers or monomers to the first orientation layer, (e) providing a second substrate, (f) coupling a second orientation layer to the second substrate, (g) micromechanically producing a parallel or fan-like line structure on the surface of the second orientation layer, and (h) cross-linking the liquid crystal layer to produce the optical component.