A method of making a transparent capacitor apparatus includes: providing a first transparent substrate including a first patterned conductive layer having a first pattern; providing a second transparent substrate including a second patterned conductive layer having a second pattern different from the first pattern; locating the first transparent substrate over the second transparent substrate so that the first patterned conductive layer is effectively parallel to the second patterned conductive layer. Overlapping portions of both the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are patterned time into spatially matching conductive areas and non-conductive areas by locally applying heat to melt conductive materials in the non-conductive areas so that the surface tension of the conductive materials causes the conductive materials to coalesce into structures with a reduced conductive layer area.