Abstract A new method to create elliptically polarized light based on the quadrature amplitude modulation is proposed. This method begins from an unpolarized light and does not use any classical methods, as for instance those using polarizers and retarders or also by refraction, scattering, dichroism or birefringence effects. This method is based on the amplitude modulation of two optical waves in quadrature in order to modulate the field in amplitude and phase. With this idea, we show that any amplitude relation and relative phase difference between components can be created and therefore any polarization state can be carried out. A theoretical model will be shown, and it will be sustained with numerical simulations of several polarization examples.