A radiation-curing liquid crystal having cholesteric regularity is applied to a glass substrate 11 provided with an alignment layer 12 to form a first cholesteric liquid crystal film 13 in the uncured state (FIG. 2(a)). Radiation 20 is then selectively applied, through a photomask 14, to the desired portions of the first cholesteric liquid crystal film 13 to partially cure it (FIG. 2(b)); thereafter, the first cholesteric liquid crystal film 13 is immersed in an organic solvent 22 to remove the uncured portions 13b thereof (FIG. 2(c)), thereby forming the first cholesteric liquid crystal film 13 in a desired pattern (FIG. 2(d)). Then, in the same manner as described above, a radiation-curing liquid crystal having cholesteric regularity is applied to the surface of the formed first cholesteric liquid crystal film 13 and the alignment layer 12 to form a second cholesteric liquid crystal film 13' in the uncured state (FIG. 2(e)). To the second cholesteric liquid crystal film 13', application of radiation 20 (FIG. 2(f)) and immersion in an organic solvent 22 (FIG. 2(g)) are carried out to remove the uncured portions 13b' thereof (FIG. 2(e)), thereby producing an optical element 10 having the cholesteric liquid crystal films 13 and 13' in desired patterns (FIG. 2(h)).