The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-06-22
atseful aud Curious.
HARMONIOUS COMBINATION OF
COL0Rs.

Color decoration in particular offers a broad
field for the crude attempts of the tyro, ana the
unmeaning forms and less harmonious tInts, IN
stead of gratifying, are likely to become an out
rage to good taste. Now, in order to overcome
this, one of the first principles which 1t would
be desirable for US to establish is the theory OF
complementary coors. Although we 90 not
propose to make this a technical paper, a lew re-
marks upon the subject would not come atnls =;
We know almost instinctively that blue VIII
not harmonic with green, and that RED Will,
but the theory upon which this contrast Is oased
is but vaguely understood. We remember learn
ing in our natural philosophy that white is the
reflection of all colOrs that is that all the prim-
ary colors combined produce it. 1t is the gener-
al impression that there are seven primary col
ors viz: those seen in the rainbow, whereas
in reality there are but three-blue, red and yell
low.
Green. orange and purple are secondary colors,
| produced by the admixture of the primaries.
| Thus, blue and yellow make green red and
yellow produce orange, and blue and red purple.
The mixture of these again produce what are
called tertiary colors-citrine russell and olive;
orange and green forming citrine, purple and
orange russell, and green and purple olive.
A knowledge, also, of the quantities in which
| these colors harmonic is requisite, the whole
| system being to combine them in the proportions
which produce white, which in the primaries
| are five of red, three of yellow, and eight of
| blue; in the secondares, thirteen of purple ele-
ven of green, and eight of orange; and in the ter
tiaries, twenty-fOur of olive; twenty-one OF rus
| set and nineteen of citrine.
A primary color-say red-juxtaposed to the
| secondary green, which is its complementary
| (being composed of the two remaining primary
| colors, blue and yellow,) arranged in the above
| proportions, produce the harmony required. 1t
| is also a fact that in looking at any color its
! complementary is reflected. Thus green reflects
| red. and when placed in juxtapOsition with it,
makes the green greener, and the red more in
| tense, whereby richness of effect is produced I;
and to complete the formula, blue and orange,
also yellow and purple, are harmonious, for in
each case all the colors producing white, when
mixed in the right proportion, are present.
| We would here state that when several prim-
airy colors are placed together, the contrast is
| apt to become too violent, producing, We might
say, something of a swimming sensation. If
| these, however, are separated by small members
or lines of white, this dazzling effect may be
| Obviated.
| By certain combinations colors may have an
enlivening or depressing effect. For example,
blue is a cold, quieting color, while red is warm
| and exciting and they can be made to affect the
| mind in any manner desired. Again, prominence
| or subordination may be given by their employ
ment. For instance, blue produces the effect of
distance and, if placed upon the ceiling, causes
| it to appear higher; or, if in a recess viii deep
en- it. Yellow, the contrary, appears to
| advance toward the eye, and if used upon the
ceiling, will seem TO lower it; or if upon a pro-
| jecting moulding, will exaggerate its promn
ence while red is the only color that remains
stationary. 1t is as painful to the eye to see
| hues nharmoniously disposed as are discordant
sounds to the musical ear.-Hdrper's WdgDsiHe
! for June.