Download What is hidden in your paint?

What is hidden in your paint?
Uncovering Overtones For Better
Mixing
But First, Let’s Think Again About Color In Objects and Materials
David Hornung’s Colour: A Workshop for Artists and Designers
• “When different colored lights are combined (as on a theater
set), the combination adds luminosity or brightness. Hence,
light intermixing is considered an ADDITIVE COLOR process.
• In contrast to mixing colored light, the intermixture of spectral
colors in pigment tends to produce colors that are duller and
darker than those being combined. (Spectral colors are those
that approach the purity of colors cast by a glass prism or
seen in a rainbow.) The more unalike the pigments being
mixed the darker the result. Darkness means less
LUMINOSITY, thus mixing pigments is a SUBSTRACTIVE COLOR
process.”
Trisha’s comment: Remember that material absorbs light; as you
add more pigments you are subtracting more of the spectrum,
moving away from white light.
In practical terms, this means that painters often have to add
small amounts of white to keep mixtures luminous. The more
unalike the darker and duller the mixture is apt to be.
OVERTONE
This term is borrowed from music theory, which refers to a
series of secondary vibrations that accompany the major
vibration on a given pitch. Because the perception of color is
also based on frequency of vibration (light in this case, not
sound), this musical analogy is appropriate. Like musical
tones, each color of the primary triad (blue, yellow, red)
transmits characteristic overtones.
For all you musicians…
In music, a note has a fundamental wavelength and pitch that depend on the
nature of the vibrating air column or string. A violin string’s pitch depends first on
its vibrating length, and then on its thickness and tension. Secondary notes linked
to this fundamental pitch are created when the string vibrates as though split into
halves, thirds, quarters, and so on. The overtones have higher pitches than the
fundamental pitch, and the note we hear is a combined sound, enriched by the
overtones. The relative strength of the fundamental and overtone pitches
contributes to the unique sound we associate with each instrument.
With the scarlet color Cadmium Red, the
overtone is orange. In terms of primary colors,
we could say that Cadmium Red Light tends
toward yellow.
Crimsons, as opposed to Scarlets, tend toward blue,
in terms of primary colors. The overtone is blue
violet.
The curious case of lemon yellow
COLOR OVERTONES AND THE PRIMARY TRIAD
• “Red, yellow and blue form the primary triad. When the full
continuum of color is represented as a wheel, the relative
positions of red, yellow and blue form a perfect
equilateral triangle…
While an infinite number of such triangles reside within the
spectrum, the primary triad is unique because red, yellow and
blue are each, in theory: indivisible. They cannot be made by
combining other colors. Conversely, all other colors can be made
by combining two or more colors of the primary triad. But, as
with our initial comments on color reflection, this is an over
simplification. Any color mixture also includes, along with the
intended colors, their subsidiary color reflections.”
•
• Colour: A Workshop for Artists and Designers, David Hornung.
In Theory, Red and Blue should equal violet, but paint is material,
made from insects, earth minerals and the like. It is impure, real, and
contains secondary notes (overtones) that can turn theory on its head.
“It is commonly understood that green can be
mixed by combining blue and yellow. But to
make a vivid, seemingly pure green would be
impossible if the only blue available were
ultramarine. An even duller green would result if
the mixture were based upon a combination of
ultramarine blue and golden yellow.”
Trisha asks, “Can you tell me why?”
Trisha asks, “Can you tell me why?”
Answer: “Both ultramarine blue and golden yellow are
biased toward colors that contain red (violet and orange,
respectively). Red lies opposite green on the COLOR
WHEEL.”
Trisha says, “You are mixing complements. The orange
in the golden yellow is going to run smack dab into the
blue, while the violet is going to run smack dab into the
yellow. Remember, when you mix complements things
get DULL AND MUDDY.”
Rule of thumb: ask, “What is my intent?” (In this
case the answer would be green). Then ask,”what
is the general primary drift of the colors that I am
mixing?” (In this case the drift is toward red in
both). If the first answer is a complement to the
second, you are apt to get a dull mix.
“To mix a vivid green, choose lemon yellow and
sky blue. Both are biased toward green and
reflect insignificant amounts of red.”
Within your paint supply, you should have 2 reds, 2
blues, and 2 yellows, as well as white and black (The
names of these hues will differ by brand, and even
colors with the same names will look different from
brand to brand.)
PULL THEM OUT, IT’S TIME FOR AN
IN CLASS EXERCISE !!!!
Each of your colors contain overtones of the
secondary hues (orange, green, & violet.)
The goal of the exercise which follows is to get to
know your colors, identifying overtones of each
primary hue and gain a better understanding of how
any two primaries can create an innumerable number
of secondary hues, from the “ideal,” pure secondary
color to a more neutralized version.
RULES TO GET YOU STARTED
• In the reds, scarlet casts orange overtones,
while crimson casts violet overtones.
• In the yellows, deep yellow casts orange, while
lemon casts green.
• In the blues, ultramarine blue deep casts
violet, and sky blue casts green.
FIRST STEPS
• Supplies: You will need: 6 primary colors (2 reds, 2
blues, 2 yellows) + white; painting supplies (brushes,
water, palette, etc.); pencil, ruler, compass (or tiny lids);
Bristol paper
•
• Primary Row 1:
• On the top of a piece of Bristol paper, draw out six
circles (about the size of a quarter)—one for each of
the six primaries. Squeeze out small amounts of each
of the six primary hues on your palette, then apply the
primaries, one per circle, in a smooth, opaque manner.
(See diagram below for layout instructions.)
Secondary Rows 2-4
• Each row should consist of four different
combinations of primaries. For example:
orange should be made four times, as follows:
• 1. Red 1 + Yellow 1 = Orange 1
• 2. Red 1 + Yellow 2 = Orange 2
• 3. Red 2 + Yellow 1 = Orange3
• 4. Red 2 + Yellow 2 = Orange 4
Mixing Advice
• In mixing these secondary colors, always aim at what
you believe to be a true representation of the color you
are trying to achieve. This may mean more yellow is
required than red to get a true orange. The
proportions will vary depending on which paint you are
using.
• Mix on your palette, and only when you achieve the
truest color from the combination, apply color EVENLY
and NEATLY into the appropriate circle.
• Rinse your brush THOROUGHLY between mixtures.
• Label each color combination lightly in pencil.
Due Next Week
• Color Overtone Chart (paint)
• Catch up on all assignments and re-do any that you
want to re-work. (Don’t forget the “free choice”
assignments.)
• For this week’s journal entry, look at a row of your
completed secondary colors (greens, oranges or
violets) and think about how you might use all the
colors in one row. You can suggest subject matter,
discuss emotional mood, accent vs. primary hue, but
come up with one use for each color in your chosen
row. You can also come up with groovy names for your
newly found colors.
If you finish early…
• Another way to describe the differences in
color created by overtones is TEMPERATURE.
• Oranges, Reds and Yellow provoke a warming
sensation, while blues, violets and greens
provoke a cooling sensation.
• A yellow green is a “hot” green; a blue green
is a “cool” green.
• Look at your rows of secondary colors and give
them ratings on a scale from hot to cool.