A projection apparatus (10) has an illumination section with a light source (20) providing a substantially unpolarized illumination beam of multiple wavelengths. A multiple wavelength polarizer polarizes the substantially unpolarized illumination beam to provide a substantially polarized illumination beam of multiple wavelengths. A uniformizer conditions the substantially polarized illumination beam of multiple wavelengths to provide a uniformized polarized beam of multiple wavelengths. A color scrolling element provides a repeating, scrolled sequence of colors from a set of colors, thereby providing first, second, and third component wavelength illumination. A component wavelength modulating section accepts the sequence of first, second, and third component wavelength illumination from the color scrolling element and sequentially modulates the first, second, and third component wavelength illumination at a transmissive liquid crystal modulator panel (118) to provide a modulated component wavelength beam to a lens for projection toward a display surface (40).