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Color Relationships
and Activity
Colors are related as are members of the same family or
unrelated and as unlike as strangers who have never met. The red,
blue, and yellow are unrelated because no one of these colors
contains any of the other two. Blue, for example, does not contain
even a small amount of red or yellow. On the other hand, orange,
which lies between yellow and red on the spectrum, is a combination
of those colors and is therefore related to both of them. Primary
means original or first in importance. Some water-color boxes
contain only the three primary colors because from combinations of
the original three all other hues may be produced. Red and yellow,
when mixed together, make orange; blue and yellow make green; while
blue and red make purple, Orange, green, and purple are sometimes
called secondary colors. When working in lights instead of paints,
however, the primaries are somewhat different. They are red, green,
and violet. Some artists use this light theory, but because it is
simpler and easier to understand we shall use the older theory,
taking for our primaries red, blue, and yellow, from which we can
make all the other hues.
For convenience, artists have arranged the colors of the
spectrum in a circle instead of a band. In the circular arrangement
the violet is placed next to the red, whereas on the spectrum it is
farthest away. This is because the violet is really related to the
red. It is composed of red and blue just as the orange was made from
red and yellow. On the color circle or color wheel, as it is
sometimes called, the relationship of the various hues is more
easily seen. Besides with this device one can more readily find the
opposite or unrelated colors.
On
this color wheel you can find primary, secondary, and intermediate
colors. The three primary colors-red, blue, and yellow make one
triangle, and the three secondary colors-violet, green, and
orange-form another. The letters between stand for the intermediate
colors-BG for blue-green, etc. The circle in the center indicates
the hue that will result from a combination of all the colors on the
chart. A wheel like this is useful in selecting and combining
colors for all sorts of art work.
Color Combinations
Both scientists and artists have made discoveries that are
helpful in planning color combinations which are agreeable or
harmonious. On the color wheel the hues that lie next to each other
are like members of the same family; they agree or are in harmony;
therefore, we call them neighboring, related, adjacent, or
analogous colors. From this group of words which have practically
the same meaning we shall choose the word analogous because this
term is more generally employed. Hereafter when we speak of
analogous colors, you will know that we mean related hues or those
lying next to each other on the color circle. Green-yellow, yellow,
and orange-yellow are analogous. They all belong to the yellow
family. The color, yellow, being present in all of them makes them
harmonious. Analogous colors make an agreeable combination.
An imaginary line drawn through the center of the color
circle will pass through two opposite or unrelated colors. If it
begins with yellow, for example, it will also pass through purple,
which is just opposite the yellow on the color wheel. Purple is a mixture of the two colors, red and blue;
therefore it is wholly unrelated to the yellow. It is said to be
complementary. A complement is one of two parts necessary to make
a whole. We have seen that a combination of two complementary
colors in lights makes white; but a mixture of two complementary
pigments produces black or gray. In each case a neutral is produced.
Analogous colors agree because they are related or belong to
the same families, whereas the complementary are wholly unrelated.
They have the same effect upon each other as a visitor has upon a
family. When the stranger arrives, everyone pays closer attention to
his personal appearance and puts forth his best effort to entertain
his guest; consequently each member of the family appears more
attractive. When a color is placed near its complement, somewhat the
same effect is produced. Each color is "set up" and by
contrast seems much more brilliant than if it had been used alone.
Complementary colors are more difficult to harmonize than related
hues. It is often necessary to lower one in value or intensity or to
combine them with neutrals, white, black, or gray.
Beautiful
harmonies may also be made by using just one hue in different values
and intensities. Take orange, for example. A brown skirt, a tan
sweater, and an orange tie would make a good combination. Brown is a
dull orange. The tan is also orange low in intensity, but higher in
value than the brown, and the bright orange tie gives a good
contrast in intensity, although it may be somewhat related to the
tan of the sweater in value. A one-color scheme is called a
monochromatic scheme, because only one hue is used. Strong contrasts
in value and intensity are necessary in order to relieve the
monotony of a monochromatic scheme.
Other interesting combinations may be made by using triads or
three colors, such as red, blue, and yellow, which are equidistant
from each other on the color circle. A triangle with three equal
sides will assist one in finding the various triads. Place one angle
of the triangle on the yellow. Another angle will point toward the
red, while the third angle will touch the blue. The triads are
unrelated as are the complementary; therefore, as in the case with
the complements, it may be necessary to lower the intensity of one
or more of them or to combine them with neutrals.
In all good color combinations or schemes there are both
relationships and contrasts. Since the analogous and monochromatic
schemes are related in hue, for the sake of variety there should be
some contrast in value or intensity. When the complementary and
triads which are unrelated in hue are used, there should be some
relationship in value or intensity in order to hold together the
hues that are so different.
Choice of Color
Certain rules or principles are most helpful in the game of
choosing colors that agree and look well together. One of the most
important is the principle of repetition. If one color is used in a
combination, we say that it should be echoed or answered. It may
be slightly different from the original color in hue, value, or
intensity, just as the echo which repeats the sound of the voice may
seem farther away or softer in tone.
The amounts of color used should also be considered, and
there should be a good balance so that one part of the drawing or
design will not seem heavier than another part. This does not mean
that we should draw an imaginary line down through the center and
place equal amounts on either side, because a small amount of light
color will balance a large amount of dark, a small amount of warm
color will balance a large amount of cool color, or a small amount
of bright color will hold its own against a large amount of dull
color if all of the hues are properly distributed within the space.
Your color scheme may be predominantly warm or cool, or it may be
dark or light. The amount of each color used determines largely
whether or not the combination will be harmonious.
Now that we know some of the secrets of color we are ready to
experiment. The following experiments can be performed by you to
prove to yourself that the above statements are true.
EXPERIMENTS
1.
Take a brightly colored object, hold it in the light, and closely
observe the color. Move slowly into a dark room or closet, and note
the change in hue. What has happened? Can you tell why the change
took place?
2.
Hold a three-sided glass prism or a pendant from an old-fashioned
candlestick or chandelier so that the light can pass through it. You
will observe somewhere on the floor, wall, or better still on a
white paper placed in the proper position, a band of brilliant
color, called the spectrum. What is the source of these brilliant
hues?
3.
Take two or three thin tissue papers of different colors; place them
one on the other. Hold them up so that the light may pass through.
Do you find that the combined colors have produced another color? Is
the result the same as if you combined the same colors in paint?
4.
Place two large white pieces of paper some distance apart on a
bulletin board. On one paper place a square or circle of blue paper.
Stare at the blue spot for almost thirty seconds. Glance at the
other piece of white paper. What color do you see? Is it related to
the blue or is it complementary? Repeat the experiment using a
yellow or purple spot instead of the blue. Note the result.
5.
When you are in the country, observe closely the beautiful coloring
of the animals, birds, trees, stones, or plants. Try to name the
hues, or to tell whether they are high or low in value and
intensity.
Are the birds which live near the ground more or less brilliant
than those which live among the trees? Are the colors near the earth
brighter or duller than those which are nearer the sky?
6.
Plan a color scheme for decorations for a party.
7.
Paint a landscape in colors suggesting one of the seasons, spring,
summer, fall, or winter.
8.
Plan a color scheme suggesting a certain mood for a particular play.
This may be used in the stage setting.
9.
How could you improve your school-room with the use of color?
10.
Plan a color scheme for your room.
11.
Collect poems containing color patterns similar to one mentioned
above.
Select
three of the above experiments to engage in. In the box below,
respond to the following questions: What
experiments did you do? What did you learn from the
experiments? If you were to redo the experiments, what would
you do differently (change colors, use different materials, etc)? Answer
the questions in at least 4 complete sentences, with proper
spelling, punctuation, and grammar. When
you have completed your work and placed it into the box below, click
on the button at the bottom of the page to turn in your work.
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