COLOUR HARMONY AND CONTRAST
It should be stated that there is a great need for a fuller knowledge of
the basic principles of colour harmony and contrast in the knitting
industry if the artistic qualities of the knitted product are to be
enhanced. Colours are too often employed together without due regard
being paid to their suitability, and many knitted productions offend the
aesthetic sense in a very marked degree. This is easy to explain,
because for a long time the knitted industry was chiefly confined to the
manufacture of articles used for underwear and as such did not require
to be specially suitable in regard to colour selection, the tints were
of the most ordinary character such as drabs, greys, naturals and
whites. As the scope of the knitted texture became enlarged and outer
garments produced, colour became more important, and those who had
previously handled the dull shades extended their activities to the more
highly-coloured varieties. The use of these garments has now come to
assume such an important _rôle_ that specialists in colour are required
if the productions are to take their proper place on the market. The
chief defect of these knitted productions has been their incongruous
combinations of bright, strong colours with tints delicate in hue; there
has also been too little appreciation of the relative weight of colour,
strong contrasting colours being used in too great proportion to the
more delicate variety.
_Colour Theory._—Some useful hints regarding the use of colour in
knitted goods may be gleaned by a study of the colour theory if the
operator possesses the instinct to extend the theories to cases which do
not come strictly under the technical definitions. According to the
pigment theory of colour, which is generally recognized as having the
closest application to textiles, three primary colours are given,
namely, red, yellow and blue. These are taken as basic or elementary
colours, which means that by combining these colours with each other in
varying proportions and tinting with white or shading with black, all
other colours can be produced. The general attributes of these colours
may be given as follows—
_Red_ is strong and vivid in its nature and at once arrests attention by
its power and striking effect on the retina of the eye. It is symbolical
of all the attributes of warmth, heat and agitation of the senses, the
red cloth incenses the bull, whilst the red flag has also its
associations of stirring character. It is used as a signal for danger,
and at the same time is found in colour combinations where it is
intended to produce an influence of comfort and warmth, the reds and
their derivatives are found largely in articles intended for winter wear
as the prevailing aspect is that of warmth.
_Yellow._—Yellow as a colour calls up visions of a rather conflicting
nature which are sometimes difficult to reconcile. At its worst it is
regarded as a symbol of the past and indicates a glory that is faded and
gone. When white deteriorates in hue, its place is usually taken by a
dirty tone of yellow, whilst the yellow discoloured tinge of wool is the
bane of many departments of textile manufacture, necessitating expensive
bleaching operations. It is likewise the colour of the fading leaf and
denotes decaying life in the vegetable world. In its sense as a primary
colour, yellow has an entirely different meaning and denotes brightness
and gaiety as prevailing characteristics, it is outstanding in the
property of luminosity, it is bright and attractive, and its use on gala
days greatly contributes to the festive spirit. Yellow by itself cannot
be said to occupy a prominent place in the knitting industry except for
the purposes of brightening up otherwise sombre blends, when it is used
in a limited quantity according to the character of the ground. The
colour in its modified form such as salmon and canary shades prove very
attractive for the summer knitted coat and scarf trade; the most
brilliant derivatives of yellow have an enormous success in certain
years for the height of the summer season, these colours being of a
brilliance and gaiety which could never be permitted in other
departments of the textile industry. When toned down to make tan shades,
it has an extensive use in all branches of the knitting industry.
_Blue._—Blue may be considered the great corrective of the other two
primary colours, and although inherently useful by itself it is in
combination with others that its full value comes to be recognized. It
stands in direct antithesis to the two primary colours red and yellow,
and in its primary form is indicative of coldness and gloom combined
with a certain strength and harshness. On the other hand, when enlivened
by a tinting agent such as white, it becomes extremely bright and stands
out distinct from all other colours. When toned with black its sombre
qualities are intensified, particularly that coldness and aloofness
which makes it the recognized official colour for formality and duty. It
is by no means a sociable member, and care has to be exercised in
bringing it into combination with other colours in a fabric, special
regard having to be given to its strength and intensity which in many
cases give rise to hardness of colour effect and displeasing results in
colour harmony.
_Secondary Colours._—To produce the whole range of colours from these
three primaries in combination requires attention to certain
well-defined principles, and in dealing with the possible combinations
of a given number of colours, the total number of permutations should be
considered seriatim. If they are selected in a haphazard manner, many of
the best colour effects may be overlooked. In regard to the primary
colours, only three permutations are possible, and each of these
combinations of the ordinary colours are two at a time, namely, red with
blue giving purple, red with yellow yielding orange, and blue with
yellow giving green. These combinations hold good in various ways when
adopted for blending colours in yarns and fabrics. In the case of dyes
the primary yellow is blended with the primary blue to give the
secondary green, the result being quite clearly defined. When wool dyed
with primary red is blended fibre with fibre with wool dyed primary
blue, a melange of coloured fibres is obtained which gives a green
mixture effect, but there is a decided difference in the quality of the
green so produced in comparison with dyes mixed in the dye bath. The
general quality of colour resulting is of a less defined character, if
the melange be examined at close range, the individual green and yellow
fibres may be quite well distinguished, but a little way off the
predominant effect is green due to the mixing of the yellow and blue in
the eye. The third manner of blending is less satisfactory in result
although more readily performed, and that is the twining of two coloured
yarns together. A yellow thread folded with a blue will produce a yellow
and blue beaded effect in the yarn, but when worked into the knitted
fabric the general result is green, provided the twist is not too slack
nor the gauge too coarse. The best example of this form of colour
blending is to be found in the basses of intermediate colour found in
the patterns of clan hosiery used by officers and men of Highland
regiments. If, for instance, the ground-coloured basses are yellow and
blue, there would appear solid diamond squares of these colours with
squares of melanged colour intervening. The two ground colours are given
a slight twist on the winding frame by spooling the two yarns together,
the twist going on to the yarn when the threads are issuing from the
bobbin. The two solid colours twisted together in this way make a result
which is predominantly green in aspect, although the marl character is
not entirely concealed. This system of colouring provides an explanation
of the fundamental harmony of such productions, for the yellow element
of the melange answers to the solid yellow diamond and preserves contact
with it, whilst the blue element of the ground preserves liaison with
the solid blue diamond squares of the patterns. Although these patterns
are built with colours of primary or secondary character in strong
contrast, the groundwork of marl produced by twining the two bright
colours together preserves harmony between the strong ground colours.
These Highland patterns are very striking in hue, but the basic harmony
of colour here outlined has much to do with their never-failing
popularity for military as well as civilian wear.
_Qualities of Secondary Colours._—Yellow and red primary colours mixed,
blended or marled together give an orange secondary, and it will be seen
that a secondary unites the qualities of the two primaries of which it
is composed. Orange is a most brilliant colour because it combines the
strong and arresting characteristics of red with the luminosity and
brilliance of yellow. Orange and a number of its near relations in the
colour scale have an important _rôle_ to perform in knitted goods. Owing
to its strength and intensity it has not a large use for the ground of a
garment, but employed as a fancy in minute quantities it is distinctly
effective. Thus it is employed in collars, rosettes for belts, where the
smallest tip of the colour is often sufficient to give brightness and
charm to a composition which might otherwise be dull and feeble. With
suitable ground shades it may be found in certain seasons as a covering
for buttons where the small colour circle in harmonious surroundings
gives a very elegant result.
When red and blue are blended together the result is purple, and this is
a secondary colour which in many respects possesses an individuality
absolutely unique. Recalling the strong and bright qualities of the red
and the coldness and strength of the blue, these qualities are
effectively fused and blended in the resulting purple. Real secondary
purple has a depth, richness, saturation and bloom which cannot be
approached by any other colour, the aggressive qualities of the red are
effectively subdued by the retiring qualities of the blue, whilst in
both is a strength of character which is the basis of the undoubted
handsomeness of the purple. There is an air of quiet dignity about
purple, qualities are held in reserve which do not strike the eye at
first sight, and these undoubtedly form the basis of its use for
ceremonial robes, where it is desired to give the fullest expression to
dignity, pomp and power. Purple can be used with great effect as a
ground colour, but as such is difficult to blend with other colours for
good results, it is socially "stand-offish," and its companions have to
be carefully selected if harmonious and helpful results are to follow.
Purple and its near relations heliotrope, mauve, etc., quickly respond
to the brightening effects of a pure white when combined in a garment,
and white edging greatly enhances the richness and gives it increased
brightness. Used with black it provides an effective mourning
combination as the black tones down the whole colour aspect.
Green is also a secondary of considerable utility in the knitted goods
trade, and has qualities distinctly suitable for use in an extended
capacity. The primal components are yellow with blue, that is, the
brightest primary blends its qualities with those of the darkest primary
colour and the resultant is distinctly different from either of its
components. In examining a purple or an orange secondary, for instance,
the component primaries can always be distinguished, but in green it is
not always possible to detect the primary components at a glance. The
brightness and luminosity of the yellow tone into the strength and
coolness of the blue with the result that the secondary green is cool
and refreshing in aspect and proves what has been termed a sociable
blending colour, it is not difficult to harmonize and is not too
fastidious as to its associates. Green is a colour which has to be used
very carefully because in itself it is not always suitable for a ground,
and is improved in association with other colours. All secondary colours
can be varied in quality according as either of the two primary
constituents is made to predominate in the blend, and this quality is
more marked in the case of green than any other. The quality of the
green can be varied from yellowish green which has only a modicum of
blue in it, to a blue green where the yellow can only be traced with
difficulty. This range of greens is very extensive and undergoes a great
change in quality according as one or other of the primary constituents
is made to rule.
_Colour Harmony._—The question of colour harmony is one which requires a
long experience to be efficient in, and rules of theory can never
replace the skill in blending colours, which comes as the result of
highly-trained natural talent. When one examines the crude combinations
of colour which are so often placed on the market by the makers of
knitted articles, it is obvious that knowledge of the principles of
colour harmony as they are set forth in any book on colour would be
instrumental in avoiding many of the glaring defects which have
characterized certain branches of the knitting industry in the past.
These productions often violate every law of colour harmony and are a
grave menace to the prosperity of the industry. The more progressive
manufacturers are now becoming fully alive to the importance of this
subject, and are taking trouble to engage the services of managers who
have received a long and careful training in the blending of colour and
the art of garment production. In any branch of the textile industry
there is a large and important section of colour effects which depend on
the principle of colour analogy, that is, the colours employed are of
the same nature in regard to quality and hue, but they differ in
strength or intensity, they are lighter or darker in hue. The best-known
examples of colour analogy are, of course, the greys, and colour effects
are produced by dark grey used along with mid grey, or mid grey employed
with light grey and so on. At the upper end of the series the light grey
can be graduated into white, whilst at the lower end the dark greys can
be graduated into black. These colour combinations are always in favour,
and no matter what the prevailing shade may be there is always a certain
proportion of trade done in the neutral tints. In the knitted coat trade
are found grounds of grey and variety introduced by having the garment
bound round the edges with white to brighten or with black to tone down
the ground. Another effective method is to have the binding done in
black and white striped fabric worked two courses white with two courses
black on the ordinary flat knitting machine in a horizontal stripe, and
these impart an appearance of considerable smartness to the garment. A
large number of pleasing and serviceable articles are made by folding
white with black, or light grey with dark grey, and working these
together in the knitting machine. If the yarns lend themselves to
raising on the teasles of the gig, the individuality of the separate
threads is covered up and the final effect is a pleasing grey. In
addition to the folding of greys with each other in a twist yarn,
suitable contrasts may be obtained by using various tints of lavender
for the garments as these harmonize with grey and black and white
combinations. What applies to the grey colour blends of analogous
effects also applies to the shades and tints of other self colours. Very
useful designs are obtained by having various shades of brown in one and
the same garment, the edging often being of fawn to brighten up the
articles, whilst a garment of fawn ground may be effectively toned down
by a dark-brown scheme of colouring for the edges, tops of pockets,
belts and cuffs. Greens are not great favourites for analogous
colourings, because if an article is too decidedly green it tends to
nauseate the wearer in a way which would not happen with brown. A blue
garment may be effectively designed with trimmings of darker or lighter
blue as the case may be; also mauves, purples and heliotropes may be
made the foundation of pleasing colour schemes of analogy.
_Colour Contrast._—Most foremen have a fairly good idea of the methods
of using colours in articles where the scheme is mono-chromatic or
one-coloured, but when it is a matter of blending colours which are
entirely different in character and hue the difficulties begin. The most
usual faults are combining colours which can never harmonize so as to
give results agreeable to the aesthetic sense; colours are combined
which vary greatly in relative depth of hue, that is, light, delicate
shades are employed indiscriminately with colours which are strong and
decided in nature. In regard to colours which should harmonize in a
poly-chromatic or a multicoloured combination, the basic principles of
harmony as enunciated by the colour theory may be of service in many
cases. In this connection it is necessary to define the complimentary
pairs of colours to be found in the range of primaries and secondaries
which have been already discussed. Whenever two colours are placed
together so as to fulfil the condition of complementariness, all three
primaries must be present in the combination. Thus we have purple and
yellow as a complementary pair, the purple being composed of red and
blue with yellow as the remaining primary. When these two colours are
employed together the idea is that the harmonic triad is complete and
the result is pleasing, because the eye perceives all the chief elements
in a perfect colour circle. In the same way red and green are regarded
as complementary because green being composed of yellow with blue, the
remaining primary is red which is found by combining these two
complementary colours together. The remaining complementary pair are
orange and blue.
_Colour Separation._—The colour theory shows that complementary colours
produce an effect pleasing to the eye, and this simple principle may be
found quite a useful guide if the worker exercises discrimination in
employing colours which are as nearly as possible of the same depth of
hue or of the same weight of colour. Heavy, strong colours cannot be
employed successfully with colours which are delicate and light in
effect, or at least the quantity of the strong vivid colours has to be
reduced in proportion to the strength of the light colour. If the
relative weight of colour be carefully considered, colours of varying
intensity and weight may be employed together with quite good results,
but there are members of the colour circle which can never harmonize
when placed in juxtaposition. In such cases a harsh and displeasing
result may be avoided by a judicious use of black or white as separating
agents, and the maker of knitted articles has not sufficiently
appreciated the saving grace of these toning and tinting agents. They
can be introduced quite simply on the knitting machine by about two
courses of black or two courses of white inserted between the offending
colours and these have the influence of considerably modifying the harsh
effect to the eye of the observer. The result of two colours placed in
juxtaposition depends to some extent on the nature of the stitch,
colours which show indifferently when appearing in continuous stripes
may prove quite attractive when employed in a fancy stitch where the
colours intersect in fragments.
_Weight of Colour._—The weight of any colour is based on its position in
the colour scale as has already been mentioned, any colour may be
modified by the addition of white or of black which is carried out
either in the dyeing operation or in blending of coloured wools. For any
colour a scale of weights may be determined according as it is a tint or
a shade of the colour. The tints can be so thin that they almost
approximate to white for delicate effects, whilst the shades may be so
dark that very little of the ground colour may be discernible, the
effect being almost black. When blending colours, whether of the same
quality or of different hue, regard must be had to its position in this
scale of tints or tones, for fabrics where two colours are combined in
equal quantities the best results will be attained by employing them as
nearly as possible of the same weight, if one colour predominates over
the other in strength or brightness, it should be used in relatively
less proportion to prove effective. If colours differ greatly in
intensity the more heavily toned colour should, as a rule, be employed
in relatively less proportion to the lighter shade.