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Copyright © 2015 Thames & Hudson

Chapter 1.4Color

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Second Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Introduction

Color is the most vivid element of

art

Attracts our attention and excites

our emotions

Perceptions of color are personal

and subjective

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Color and Light

We cannot perceive color without

light

White light can be separated into

the visible spectrum using a prism

Each color has a different

wavelength

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Chapter 1.4 Color

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields

Diagram of a Prism

1.4.1 White light can be separated into the visible spectrum using a prism

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Color and Pigment

The colors we see in objects are

the colors that are reflected back

Other colors of the spectrum are

absorbed by the pigment in the

object

Reflected color excites nerve cells

in our eyes and is interpreted by

our brain

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Diagram of Light Reflection

1.4.2 White light reaches

a blue object and blue

light is reflected

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Subtractive Color

Mixing colored light is called

additive (adding colors = lighter

results)

Mixing pigments is called

subtractive color (adding colors =

darker results)

In pigment mixtures, more of the

spectrum is absorbed (or

subtracted)

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Color Wheels

Produced since the 18th century

by scientists and color theorists;

used by artists

Display important information

about hue relationships (a “map”)

Different color wheels for pigment

(subtractive) and light (additive)

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Twelve-step Color Wheel

1.4.3 Traditional twelve-step color wheel using “artist’s colors”

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Subtractive color wheel

Primary colors: red, yellow, blue

(cannot be created by mixing other

colors)

Secondary colors: orange, green,

violet (mixing two primaries)

Tertiary colors: e.g. red-violet

(mixing primary and secondary)

Artwork: Kandinsky, Yellow-Red-Blue

1.4.4 Vasily Kandinsky, Yellow-Red-Blue, 1925. Oil on canvas, 50⅜ × 79¼”. Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre

Georges Pompidou, Paris, France

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Kandinsky, Yellow-Red-Blue

Uses primary colors + black and

white

Kandinsky intended to simplify and

celebrate art in its purest sense

Primary colors produce the purest

color because they are not created

by mixing other colors

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Diagram of CMY color wheel

1.4.5 Cyan, Magenta, Yellow (CMY) pigment twelve-color wheel with black center

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Color wheel of CMY pigments

Subtractive

Pigment mixture of cyan, magenta,

and yellow results in a “true” black

Used by designers for printing

purposes

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Subtractive Color Mixtures

1.4.6 Subtractive color mixtures using CMY primaries. When the three colors are perfectly layered together, the result is black

Artwork: Analia Saban, Layer Painting (CMY): Flowers

1.4.7 Analia Saban,

Layer Painting (CMY):

Flowers, 2008. Acrylic

and screen printing ink

on canvas,

36 × 36 × 1½”.

Thomas Solomon

Gallery

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Saban, Flowers

Seeks to “debunk” traditional

beliefs about color

Mixes red from magenta and

yellow

CMY are already the accepted

colors used in design and

commercial printing

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Diagram of RGB color wheel

1.4.8 Red, green, blue (RGB) light twelve-color wheel with white center (primary mixture)

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Color wheel of RGB light

Additive: used for mixing light

Helpful for digital artists

Primary colors: red, green, blue

Secondary colors: cyan, yellow,

magenta

Tertiary colors: mixture of a

primary and secondary (e.g. red-

magenta)

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Diagram of Additive Color Mixtures

1.4.9 Additive color mixtures using red, green, and blue (RGB) primaries

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Dynamics of Color

Color wheels can be a guide to the

many attributes of color and how

to use them

Two aspects of color that can be

seen by looking at color wheels:

Complementary color

Analogous color

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What is Complementary Color? Opposite each other on the color

wheel

When mixed, produce gray (or

black)

When painted side by side, they

intensify one another

Their wavelengths are very

different; creates the illusion of

vibrating edges

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Color Combinations and Complements

1.4.10 Color combinations and color complements in pigment

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Complementary Colors

1.4.11 Makeup artists’ guide to

complementary colors

Artwork: Frederic Edwin Church, Twilight in the Wilderness

1.4.12 Frederic Edwin Church, Twilight in the Wilderness,1860. Oil on canvas, 40 × 64”. Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio

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Frederic Edwin Church, Twilight in the Wilderness

Complementary colors create

dramatic effect

Intense red-orange clouds

complement the blue-green

evening sky

Powerful color reveals Church’s

awe and respect for the American

landscape

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Analogous Color

These colors are adjacent to each

other on the color wheel

Similar in wavelength

Create color unity and harmony

Artwork: Mary Cassatt, The Boating Party

1.4.13 Mary Cassatt, The Boating Party, 1893–94. Oil on canvas, 35⅜ × 46⅛”. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

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Mary Cassatt, The Boating Party

Analogous color palette (yellows,

greens, blues) creates a

harmonious, relaxed effect

Cassatt was a female Impressionist

(the only American member)

The Impressionists shared an

interest in the effects of light and

color

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Subjective Perceptions of Color

Our experience of color is

subjective, varying from person to

person

Our interpretations and

associations are influenced by

culture, personal experience,

physiological differences, and

other variables

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Key Characteristics of Color

All colors have four basic

properties:

Hue

Value

Chroma

Tone

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Properties of Color: Hue

Hue is the general classification of

a color, as seen in the visible

spectrum

Red, yellow, blue, green, orange,

and violet are hues

We associate a hue with an ideal

version of a given color

Artwork: Kwei, Coffin in the Shape of a Cocoa Pod

1.4.14 Kane Kwei, Coffin in the Shape of a Cocoa Pod (Coffin Orange), c. 1970. Polychrome wood, 2’10”× 8’6”× 2’5”. Fine Arts

Museums of San Francisco

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Kane Kwei, Coffin

Painted a brilliant, intentionally

exaggerated, mid-hue orange

Bright colors add to the

celebratory mood of funerals in

Ghana

Commissioned by a cocoa farmer

who wanted to tell everybody

about his lifelong passion

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Properties of Color: Value

Each hue has a value, meaning its

relative lightness or darkness

compared to another hue

A tint is a color lighter in value

than its purest state

A shade is a color darker in value

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Color-value Relationships

1.4.15 Color–value relationships

Artwork: Picasso and Braque

1.4.16 Mark Tansey, Picasso and Braque, 1992. Oil on canvas, 5’4”× 7’

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Mark Tansey, Picasso and Braque

A work that uses only one hue is

called monochromatic

An artist can give variety to such a

work by using a range of values

References Picasso and Braque,

who referred to each other as

Orville and Wilbur in the early days

of Cubism

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Properties of Color: Chroma

We tend to associate a color with

its purest state, its highest level of

chroma

Refers to the strength or weakness

of a color

Sometimes described as

saturation, chromaticness, or

intensity

Artwork: Newman, Vir Heroicus Sublimis

1.4.17 Barnett Newman, Vir Heroicus Sublimis, 1950–51. Oil on canvas, 7’11⅜”× 17’8¼”. MoMA, New York

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Barnett Newman, Vir Heroicus Sublimis

Visual impact is dependent on

value and strong chroma

There are subtle variations in the

strong red hues; narrow vertical

lines (“zips”) alternate in color

Newman wants viewers to stand

close to the canvas, engulfed by

color

MoMA Video:

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Barnett Newman: Vir Heroicus Sublimis

Artwork: Derain, The Turning Road, L’Estaque

1.4.18 André Derain, The Turning Road, L’Estaque, 1906. Oil on canvas, 4’3”× 6’4¾”. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas

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André Derain, The Turning Road

Strong bright color makes the

entire scene glow with energy and

vitality

The Fauves

French for “wild beasts”

Used colors in their purest and

strongest states as an act of

defiance against the Academy

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Properties of Color: Tone

The weaker chromatic state of any

hue

A hue that is almost gray is a tone,

because it has been dulled from its

brightest, most pure, state

A tone (low chroma) may be similar

in value to a hue at its most

intense state (highest chroma)

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Chroma, Tone, Shades, and Tints

1.4.19 A sampling of chroma, tone, shades, and tints in red hue

Artwork: Klee, Ancient Sound

1.4.20 Paul Klee, Ancient Sound, 1925. Oil on cardboard, 15 × 15”. Kunstsmuseum Basel, Switzerland

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Paul Klee, Ancient Sound

Associates the tonal qualities of

color with sound, for example,

yellows are similar to bright, high-

pitched noises

Darks are similar to deep, low

sounds

Klee was both an artist and

violinist

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Chapter 1.4 Color


The Sensation of Color

Some colors are associated with

emotional states (e.g. feeling

“blue”)

Color temperature is based on our

associations with warmth and

coolness (e.g. red is hot)

Color can affect the way we see

(the illusion of optical color)

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Color Temperature

We associate color with

temperature because of our

previous experiences

Relative to colors nearby

Communicates physical and

emotional states

Artwork: Mosque lamp

1.4.21 Mosque lamp from

the Dome of the Rock in

Jerusalem, 1549. Iznik

pottery, 15” high. British

Museum, London, England

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Mosque lamp from the Dome of the Rock

Blue and green reflect the

meditative atmosphere of the Dome

In Islamic art, green has positive

associations and supports the

peacefulness of prayer

Cool colors are peaceful,

associated with water, plant life,

and the sky

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Optical Color

Colors our minds create based on

the information we can perceive

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Optical Color Mixing Effect

1.4.22 Two squares, one filled with red and blue dots and the other with red and yellow dots to create optical color mixing

effect

Artwork: Georges Seurat, The Circus

1.4.23a Georges Seurat,

The Circus, 1890–91. Oil on

canvas, 6’⅞”× 4’11⅞”. Musée

d’Orsay, Paris, France

Detail of Georges Seurat, The Circus

1.4.23b Detail of Georges

Seurat, The Circus

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Georges Seurat, The Circus

Pointillism is the use of small dots

of color, painted close together

Our eyes see the colors differently

through optical mixing

Colors appear more intense

because they retain their individual

intensity

Video:

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Video:

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Georges Seurat: Sunday on La Grande Jatte

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Color Deception

We can be deceived by a color

because of the influences of color

adjacent to it

Color theorist Josef Albers

described some of these color

deceptions in his experiments

For example, he created

illustrations of how one color can

look like two

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Chapter 1.4 Color


Josef Albers, Two Colors Look Like One

1.4.24a Josef Albers, Two Colors

Look Like One, State A. From

Interaction of Color, Ch. IV, plate 1

1.4.24b Josef Albers, Two Colors

Look Like One, State B. From

Interaction of Color, Ch. IV, plate 2

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Interpreting Color

Color and our cultural beliefs

about color affect how we think

and feel

Studies show that color can affect

human behavior

Colors also have traditional

symbolic values

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The Psychology of Color

Color can alter the way we feel and

react

Some reactions are culturally

biased, whereas others are

universal

For example, red may provoke

passion or anger; green is

associated with restfulness but

also decay and illness

Artwork: Vincent van Gogh, The Night Café

1.4.25 Vincent van Gogh, The Night Café, 1888. Oil on canvas, 28½ × 36¼”. Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven,

Connecticut

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Vincent van Gogh, The Night Café

Colors express Van Gogh’s sense

that this nightspot had a

detrimental psychological

influence on its patrons

Fierce red, feverish yellow, and

sickly green convey feelings of

unease and sorrow

MoMA Video:

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Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night

To learn about another artwork by Vincent van Gogh, watch this video of a MoMA lecturer talking about Starry Night:

Video:

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Video:

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Vincent van Gogh in His Own Words

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Expressive Aspects of Color

Artists sometimes want viewers to

“feel” an artwork, rather than

merely understand it

Color can express a wide range of

emotions

Artists can use color to engage the

viewer and suggest meaning

Artwork: Matisse, Open Window, Collioure

1.4.26 Henri Matisse,

Open Window, Collioure, 1905.

Oil on canvas, 21¾”× 18⅛”.

National Gallery of Art,

Washington, D.C.

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Henri Matisse, Open Window, Collioure

Matisse, an influential member of

the Fauves, focused on the

expressive use of color

Used color intensely to reveal the

rich character of painting

Complementary pairs enhance the

painting, resulting in vibrant color

MoMA Video:

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Henri Matisse, Red Studio

To learn about another artwork by Henri Matisse, watch this video of a MoMA lecturer talking about Red Studio:

Artwork: Gauguin, The Yellow Christ

1.4.27 Paul Gauguin, The

Yellow Christ, 1889. Oil on

canvas, 36¼ × 27⅞”.

Albright-Knox Art Gallery,

Buffalo, New York

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Paul Gauguin, The Yellow Christ

Choice of color is primarily symbolic;

expresses the optimism of rebirth

Through color he connects the

crucifixion of Christ to the seasons of

Earth and the cycle of life

Bright color creates a simple

emotional connection with the viewer

Artwork: Cecilia Beaux,Self-Portrait

1.4.28 Cecilia Beaux,

Self-Portrait, 1925. Oil

on canvas, 43 × 28½”.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

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Cecilia Beaux, Self-Portrait

Beaux was selected to create a

self-portrait for the prestigious

Uffizi gallery in Florence, Italy

Painted it after a life-changing

injury

Strong red reflects the pain she

endured, but also strength and

resolve

Artwork: TRASH maximalism NYC (Harlem)

1.4.29 Adrian Kondratowicz, TRASH maximalism NYC (Harlem), TRASH project, 2008–

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Adrian Kondratowicz, TRASH project

Artist asked Harlem neighbors to

look at trash differently

Distributed bright pink, rodent-

repellent, biodegradable trash

bags

Elicits a positive emotion from the

community

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PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios

Chapter 1.4 Color

Chapter 1.4 Copyright Information

This concludes the PowerPoint slide set for Chapter 1.4

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts

Second EditionBy Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

Copyright © 2015 Thames & Hudson

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Chapter 1.4 Color

Picture Credits for Chapter 1.41.4.1 Ralph Larmann

1.4.2 Ralph Larmann

1.4.3 Ralph Larmann

1.4.4 akg-images

1.4.5 Ralph Larmann

1.4.6 Ralph Larmann

1.4.7 Photo Joshua White. Courtesy the artist and Thomas Solomon Gallery, Los Angeles. © Analia Saban 2008

1.4.8 Ralph Larmann

1.4.9 Ralph Larmann

1.4.10 Ralph Larmann


1.4.12 Cleveland Museum of Art, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund, 1965.233

1.4.13 National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Chester Dale Collection, 1963.10.94

1.4.14 Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Gift of Vivian Burns, Inc., 74.8


1.4.16 © Mark Tansey. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery, New York

1.4.17 Museum of Modern Art, New York, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Heller, Acc. no. 240.1969. Photo 2012, Museum

of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence. © ARS, NY and DACS, London, 2012

1.4.18 The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Gift of Audrey Jones Beck. © ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2012


1.4.20 Kunstmuseum Basel, Switzerland

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Chapter 1.4 Color

Picture Credits for Chapter 1.4 (contd.)

1.4.21 British Museum, London


1.4.23a Musée d’Orsay, Paris

1.4.23b Musée d’Orsay, Paris

1.4.24a © Yale University Press

1.4.24b © Yale University Press

1.4.25 Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Bequest of Stephen Carlton Clark, B.A. 1903, 1961.18.34

1.4.26 © Succession H. Matisse/DACS 2015

1.4.27 Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, General Purchase Funds, 1946

1.4.28 Photo Scala, Florence–courtesy the Ministero Beni e Att. Culturali

1.4.29 Courtesy the artist

Art & Photos

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