A method of forming magnetized rotating elements for a rotating element display where all the elements are magnetized in the same orientation is provided. First, at least two planar streams of hardenable liquids flowing in substantially the same direction are provided. Each stream has an associated optical modulation characteristic and at least one stream has an associated optical modulation characteristic different from at least one other stream. At least one stream includes a magnetic pigment. The streams are then merged to form a reservoir containing side-by-side amounts of each liquid from each stream. A free jet is then formed containing side-by-side amounts of each liquid from the reservoir. Then a portion of the free jet is passed through a magnetic field which is oriented transverse to the direction of the free jet to magnetize the magnetic pigment. The rotating elements formed can be either spherical in shape or cylindrical in shape. In either case, each element will be comprised of side-by-side segments. To form spherical elements the free jet can be broken into spherical portions either before or after the magnetic pigment has been magnetized. Ultimately, magnetized spherical portions of the free jet are hardened into rotating spherical elements and collected. To form cylindrical elements, the free jet is magnetized and hardened into a filament The filament is then collected and broken into cylindrical elements.