Micro-optic security and image presentation system presenting a synthetically magnified image that appears to transform into another image

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• the system having a plurality of layers of image icons at different depths in the system and the focusing elements having differing focal lengths for focusing at the different depths of the plurality of layers of image icons in the system.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• the system including a second periodic array of focusing elements placed substantially parallel to the side of the array of micro image icons opposite the focusing elements.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• the system including a second periodic array of focusing elements placed substantially parallel to the side of the array of micro image icons opposite the focusing elements,
• the system having a second array of image icons in between the two arrays of focusing elements.

A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons with a substantially regular array spacing between a substantial number of image icons within the image icon array;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons such that at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• wherein, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements has a thickness of less than 50 microns, or image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns, or both.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the transformation is produced by scale distortions of either or both a repeat period of at least a portion of the image icons and a repeat period of at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the image icon focusing elements are polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements having polygonal base geometries in the plane of their planar array.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the system is protected by a sealing layer, the sealing layer being applied to the side of the array of a plurality of image icons opposite the array of focusing elements, the sealing layer having at least a portion that is transparent, translucent, tinted, pigmented, opaque, metallic, magnetic, or optically variable,
• wherein the sealing layer includes optical effects.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein upon illumination of the system the synthetically magnified image appears to have a shadow.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the transformation is produced by scale distortions of either or both of an image icon repeat period and a focusing element repeat period.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the synthetically magnified image appears to have additional effects selected from two or more of appearing to lie on a spatial plane deeper than the system, appearing to lie on a spatial plane above the system, appearing to move between a spatial plane deeper than the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system about an axis that intersects the plane of the system, appearing to move in a direction parallel to an axis of tilt of the system upon tilting the system about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the system, appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, and appearing to be three dimensional,
• wherein the two or more effects appear on different image planes.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the synthetically magnified image appears to have additional effects selected from two or more of appearing to lie on a spatial plane deeper than the system, appearing to lie on a spatial plane above the system, appearing to move between a spatial plane deeper than the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system about an axis that intersects the plane of the system, appearing to move in a direction parallel to an axis of tilt of the system upon tilting the system about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the system, appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, and appearing to be three dimensional,
• wherein the two or more effects appear on different image planes,
• wherein the different image planes are further different in at least one of form, color, movement direction of the effect, or magnification.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the focusing elements provide vertical blurring of a central focal zone of the focusing elements.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• the system further including a plurality of arrays having a plurality of image icons spaced a plurality of distances from the array of image icon focusing elements, and wherein the array of image icon focusing elements includes focusing elements having a plurality of focal lengths corresponding to the various spaced distances of the planar arrays of image icons.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the focusing elements include pinhole optics.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• the system further including a surface layer that must be removed for the synthetic image to be viewed.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the image icon focusing elements are polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements having polygonal base geometries in the plane of their planar array.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the system is protected by a sealing layer, the sealing layer being applied to the side of the array of a plurality of image icons opposite the array of focusing elements, the sealing layer having at least a portion that is transparent, translucent, tinted, pigmented, opaque, metallic, magnetic, or optically variable,
• wherein the sealing layer includes optical effects.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein upon illumination of the system the synthetically magnified image appears to have a shadow.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the transformation is produced by scale distortions of either of both of an image icon repeat period and a focusing element repeat period.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the two or more effects appear on different image planes.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the two or more effects appear on different image planes,
• wherein the different image planes are further different in form, color, movement direction of the effect, or magnification.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• the system further including a plurality of arrays having a plurality of image icons spaced a plurality of distances from the array of image icon focusing elements, and wherein the array of image icon focusing elements includes focusing elements having a plurality of focal lengths corresponding to the various spaced distances of the arrays of image icons.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• the method further including placing a surface layer on the array of focusing elements that must be removed for the synthetically magnified image to be viewed.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the method further comprises providing a plurality of layers of image icons at different depths in the system, the focusing elements having differing focal lengths for focusing at the different depths of the plurality of layers of image icons in the system.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• further providing a second periodic array of image icon focusing elements placed to the side of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• further providing a second periodic array of image icon focusing elements placed to the side of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements,
• having a second array of image icons in between the two arrays of focusing elements.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons with a substantially regular array spacing between a substantial number of image icons within the image icon array;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, wherein the array of the image icon focusing elements is disposed a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons, at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, and
• wherein the image icons are selected from the group of positive image icons, and negative image icons.

A method comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,
• wherein at least a portion of the image icons are arranged in relation to at least a portion of the focusing elements in a manner such that the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns,
• wherein the transformation is produced by scale distortions of either or both a repeat period of at least a portion of the image icons and a repeat period of at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements,
• wherein the transformation is produced by incorporating spatially varying information in the image icon array.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements,
• wherein, the array of image icon focusing elements is disposed a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• wherein the system has a thickness of less than 50 microns.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) a substrate positioned between the arrays of image icons and focusing elements, wherein at least a portion of the image icons are formed as shaped voids or recesses on or in a surface of the substrate,
• wherein, the array of image icon focusing elements is disposed a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) a substrate positioned between the arrays of image icons and focusing elements, wherein at least a portion of the image icons are formed as shaped posts on a surface of the substrate,
• wherein, the array of image icon focusing elements is disposed a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, which includes polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements,
• wherein, the array of image icon focusing elements is disposed a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons, which includes microstructured icon elements having a physical relief;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements,
• wherein, the array of image icon focusing elements is disposed a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color.

A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

• (a) an array of image icons;
• and
• (b) an array of image icon focusing elements, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements is disposed a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons, at least a portion of the focusing elements forming at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color,
• wherein, transformation is produced by (i) scale distortions in either or both the image icon array and the focusing element array, or (ii) incorporating spatially varying information in the image icon array.

A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an array of image icons;
• (b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements;
• and
• (c) disposing the array of image icon focusing elements a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons such that at least a portion of the image focusing elements form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the at least one synthetically magnified image appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size, or color to another of a form, shape, size or color, and
• wherein, transformation is produced by (i) scale distortions in either or both the image icon array and the focusing element array, or (ii) incorporating spatially varying information in the image icon array.