HUE. To judge of the effect of one hue upon another, arrange the whole
five, Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, in a circle making them equal in
value and equal in degree of brightness, thus eliminating notan and
intensity. In the centre of the circle (N) paint a note of middle value,
chosen from the scale, p. 88. Then paint the other divisions R, Y, G, B, P
with the five hues. When this is well done if the circle were photographed
upon a color‐blind plate, the result would be a flat tone of middle gray.
No pigment is of the exact quality needed; red that is neither yellow‐red
nor purple‐red can be mixed from Vermilion and Crimson; Prussian Blue is
greenish, New Blue is reddish; some pigments are too light, others too
dark. This exercise requires study of great importance to the painter,
giving him a better acquaintance with his materials.
Next, make a circle of intermediates, No. 63, by mixing adjoining hues;
this gives five more notes—yellow‐red, green‐yellow, blue‐green, purple‐
blue, red‐purple. Bear in mind that these circles are only statements of
relations, of the same use as a scale. The question now is of the art‐use
of them, of composing a harmony with them.
APPLICATION. Choose a line‐design, and paint the spaces with colors from
the second circle. The effect will be peculiar because there are no
differences of dark‐and‐light or intensity; the only harmony possible
comes from interplay of hues, a kind of iridescence and vibration; see
opposite page.
Colors that stand opposite in circle—as blue, yellow‐red; or red, blue‐
green—will, if placed side by side, increase each other’s power and
produce violent contrast. Opposition of Color is analogous to Opposition
of Line (page 21) and Opposition of Notan (black and white). To unite
these extremes of difference, bring in a third hue related to each, for
example,—red, green‐yellow, blue‐green; yellow, yellow‐red, purple‐blue.
This is the principle of Transition (page 22); see also page 82, three
values.
Practice in composing with few and simple elements, of deciding when
contrasting colors are of equal value, or equal intensity, is of direct
use in art. The landscape painter opposes the whole sky to the whole
ground; he wants a vibration of color in each, without disturbing the
values; the designer in stained glass sometimes desires to fill a space
with iridescent color, perhaps as a background for figures.
The student may, if he likes, use black with these colors, producing a
very brilliant effect like a Cairo window; but here the hues are measured
against black, rather than against each other. In No. 63 are shown two
experiments in composing with HUE.
NOTAN of COLOR. Draw in outline six scales, as shown in the diagram. Paint
N in white, black and three grays (see page 88). In the spaces marked (a)
paint each of the five hues—red, yellow, green, blue and purple, middle
value and equal intensity.
[Notan of Color]
Next, paint a lighter value (b) and a darker (c) making a notan‐scale of
each hue,—light red, middle red, dark red, etc. Observe that intensity
diminishes toward light and dark. If the intermediates, yellow‐red, green‐
yellow and the rest, are also arranged in this way from light to dark, you
will have a set of notes for application in composition.
APPLICATION. A line design may now be colored from one of the scales, say
Blue. Hue and Intensity being eliminated, the whole effort is centred upon
notan of color. This is an exercise in three values (page 83) using color
instead of neutral gray. No. 64, p. 105.
[No. 63. Color Theory, HUE.]
[No. 64. Color Theory, NOTAN of Color.]
[No. 64. Color Theory, INTENSITY, scales and exercises.]
More applications can be made than in the case of Hue; historic art is
full of them. Dutch tiles, Japanese prints and blue towels, Abruzzi
towels, American blue quilts, etc., are examples of harmony built up with
several values of one hue. With two hues innumerable variations are
possible. Japanese prints of the “red and green” period are compositions
in light yellow‐red, middle green, black, and white. Other examples can be
easily found in the world’s art. The student should apply the scale‐notes
to his own designs, not using, at this stage, more than two hues, with
perhaps black and white.
INTENSITY. Color varies not only in hue and value, but in
intensity,—ranging from bright to gray. Every painter knows that a
brilliant bit of color, set in grayer tones of the same or neighboring
hues, will illuminate the whole group,—a distinguished and elusive
harmony. The fire opal has a single point of intense scarlet, melting into
pearl; the clear evening sky is like this when from the sunken sun the
red‐orange light grades away through yellow and green to steel‐gray.
This rarely beautiful quality of color can be better understood by
isolating it and testing it in designs (as has been done with each
principle, from Line onward; see page 21).
Paint a scale with one hue, say Vermilion, keeping each space of the same
value, but grading the intensity down to neutral gray.
APPLICATION. Arrange these notes in a line design. As Hue and Notan are
eliminated, the only harmony will be that of bright points floating in
grayish tones (No.65). Other hues may be scaled and tested in like manner.
Combine two hues in one design, all values equal,—adding contrast of hue
to contrast of intensity. Examples abound in painting. To cite a few: the
element of intensity gives breadth and tonal harmonies in stained glass,
Persian rugs, Cazin’s foregrounds, the prints of Harunobu, Kiyonaga and
Shunsho.
COMPOSITIONS in HUE, NOTAN, INTENSITY. In all color‐schemes these three
will be found in combination. Analysis of a few compositions will be worth
while; for example, the print, No. 69, p. 124, and the print and textile,
page 13. Note (1) the number of hues; (2) the number of values of each
hue, whether dark, light or medium; (3) the degrees of intensity of each
hue, whether very bright, bright, medium or dull; (4) the quantity of each
color and its distribution in the design; (5) the amount and effect of
black, white and neutral gray. For a simple exercise in composition the
student might color a line design in several ways, using three hues,
varying the dark‐and‐light distribution and the quantity of bright and
gray tones. Follow this with other designs in color.—flower panels,
repeating patterns, figures in costume, and landscape. A little of this
kind of work will cultivate good judgment as to color relations, and will
stimulate invention. Color Theory does not ensure harmony but is a help
toward it, as it shows where balance and adjustment are needed.
Note. It is next to impossible to reproduce colors with perfect accuracy,
and even if the hues, values and intensities could be exactly copied, it
is doubtful if the inks would remain absolutely unchanged for a great
length of time. The plates of Color Theory here shown are intended only as
statements of the fundamental color‐relations. They are not scientifically
accurate, nor do they need to be,–they are to be used in art, not in
science. Their purpose is to show the pupil how to study color, how to
make scales and apply them in art, rather than to furnish a standard to be
copied.
[“The Gundalow”, study in three values.]
[No. 66. Color derived from NOTAN.]