Photonic crystals are three-dimensional light scale constructs, where the dielectric constant of the materials vary periodically over a length scale of the order of wavelength of light. It has been shown that periodicity of such structures prohibits the propagation of light of certain wavelengths. This feature makes periodic dielectric structures valuable as highly ideal mirrors. Taking this concept further, if defects could be introduced in a controlled manner in such a crystal lattice, then light could be trapped or bent enabling circuits to be built that carry and modulate photons (light) just as semiconductors do for electrons. The project aims to engineer photonic crystals from colloidal dispersions through a fundamental understanding of particle ordering and consolidation in drying colloidal dispersions with a view to direct particle assembly. The project is experimental in nature.