Prepare a set of three gray washes, light, medium, and dark (page 83) in
three white dishes. Japanese ink will not mix with our water colors; use
Ivory Black with a touch of Burnt Sienna to bring it to neutrality.
Having settled upon a color arrangement for some simple design, mix a
small quantity of color into each dish. Suppose the subject to be a tulip
panel in three values:
1. Leaves—middle yellow‐green
2. Flower—middle red‐yellow
3. Background—light yellow
Add to 1st dish a yellow green (Prussian Blue and Gamboge); to the 2nd
Vermilion and Gamboge; to the 3rd Raw Sienna. Paint these notes upon the
design. (See opposite page.) Make a half dozen tracings of the same
design. As each one is painted add more color to the washes until the last
one has a very small quantity of gray. The result is a series in which
color grows gradually from neutrals. No. 66. Next, use bright and gray
tones of the same hue, an effect like faded rugs and age‐stained Japanese
prints. Dulling colors with gray may not harmonize them. One who
appreciates fine quality is not deceived by those who “antique” rugs or
prints with coffee and chemicals. A design poor in proportion, weak in
notan and harsh in color cannot be saved by toning—the faults are only a
little less apparent.
ONE HUE and NEUTRALS. Another approach to color, from notan, is through
substitution of hues for grays. This might (in a short course) follow
exercises in five or more values (page 89.) Referring now to the scales of
five and seven values, for application to a design, substitute a hue for
one of these grays, carefully keeping the value. If the subject be a
variation of a Coptic textile, a warm red or yellow‐green may be chosen;
for a flower panel, bright yellow, yellow‐red or emerald green. Excellence
in result will depend upon distribution of the one hue among neutral
tones.
Examples are many; two kinds only need be mentioned now,—American Indian
pottery, and landscapes in black, gray and vermilion red from Hokusai’s
“Mangwa,” (p. 57.)
ONE HUE in TWO and THREE VALUES. The next step would be to replace two
grays with two values of one hue, making scales like these:
White White
Light green
Middle green
Dark gray
Black
White
Light purple
Middle gray
Dark purple
Black
Follow by eliminating all the grays, and the scale might be like this:
White
Light blue‐green
Middle blue‐green
Dark blue‐green
Black
Choice of color will depend upon the nature of the design. The medium may
be crayon, wash, opaque water color or oil paint.
TWO and THREE HUES. If two hues are introduced the complexity will be
greater, but there will be more chances for invention and variation. With
at least ten hues to choose from—R, YR, Y, GY, G, BG, B, PB, P, RP—each
one of which might have perhaps four degrees of intensity (from very
bright to dull) the student has material to compose in any key. Two
typical scales are given below: