Morning journal and courier., 1883-10-11

joyed the soft and pleasing effect of pure
 cold white contrasted with the warm fest
 tints of our sisters and children. Tones
 that contrast badly can be often made har.
 nonious and friendly by the use of white placed between them. Painters know this
 of course, but these hints are not intended for their use.
 Color is made pleasing by two distinct l methods, contrast of cold and warm, or by
 harmony of either. The strongest possible ] effect is produced by contrast of warm and
 cold tones. Examine carefully the most successful and celebrated pictures to which you have access, and you will Eee-if you examine carefully and know how to look-in the soft roundness of the skin of the cheek,
 in the rosy brilliance of the lips, in the nose,
 the shining hair, everywhere in the picture where nature seems most nearly and skillful- ly presented, the subtle effect of simultane ous contrast of warm and cold tones.
 The justly admired atmosphere of land scape is simply the adroit mixture of cold blue and gray reflections of the sky with every thing on the canvas, from the dim noun tains in the hay distance to the trees, cattle and figures of the immediate foreground.
 Colors may be said to exist in families. Ties of relationship hold them with a force that is not the less effective and binding be- cause intangible, and is visible only to those who are willing to take the time and give the study needfuI to train the eye to truly see. Brother and sister eolors cling to each other with the natural fondness of an affectionate family, and this cohesion extends to cousins
 the numerous but beautiful greys-of re- mote degree.
 What color shall I paint my house is query to which the householder finds the proper reply does not always easily come. And yet the normal, real and complete an- swer to this question-the answer that can stand the test of time, and that experience shall prove satisfactory-is often suggested so forcibIy by location and surroundings that the cue is given and taken with little ef- fort or study from the face of unerring na- ture. The modern country house rising from a widespread, close-shaven lawn, em- Dower6o auu stIaueu by T0w1Tfpts ufr15 UI- oaks, has a local tone Of it's own that be- longs to it-so to say-by right of birth. The individual tastes of owners of such houses may have every right to vaciilate among and debate the qualities and claims of a hundred varying shades, any one of which might well become tho foundation tone of chord of color that should harmonize the into genuine and artistic beauty.
 House painting, like music, requires at least three notes to make tone chord that is rich and pleasing-body, trimming and blinds It is suggested that the trimming be made of tho same mixture as the body, only a somewhat darker shade, but not deep enough to lose close family relationship, or appear like an intruder from another family of color. Keeping the colors clean and lively cannot be insisted upon too forcibly. The color for the blinds should be selected with especial care in this particular, as when prop erly toned they give relief and value te the other colors, and in an important measure determine the general effect. Who has not seen blinds colored to look as if painted with chocolate? ? Such is the kind of color to be avoided as typically dirty. The whole family of browns are unpleasant neighbcrs and generally give trouble when meddled with. We also see houses painted with shades from different families of color own ing no relationship, and being even positive ly unfriendly. The result is what might be discord of color tone that would be absurd if it were not painful.
 When reds are used let them be refined with blue instead of being made muddy and dirty with the customary lampblack. Be- sides being clean and clear the color for the outside of houses should-as q rule-be warm. There are few mixed houss tints that are not rendered cheerful and lively by the presence of warm yellow in the mixture It is sure to be pleasing if even only felt and not seen Cold tones for the outside of dwellings look cheerless, uninvi- ting, unsociable, unsubstantial.
 Cottages by the seashore, whose back ground is mainly sand and sky, look better and harmonize more completely with sur when colored with lighter scale of tones than those which we'll suited the country house standing in deep tree shade. Not unfrequently there is 8 prevailing and pronounced local tone, native to the land scape, which should not be overlooked in he choice of a house color-chord if it may be SO called.
 Fences and outhouses can be made prom 1 nent or almost unnoticed as desired. | When made for use rather than beauty good | taste would lose them in the local tone.
 City houses would, however, seldom look | heir best if treated with the very colors l Te have been selecting for country use. | It need only be remembered that dark warm
 II 1e | themselves tend to give body to a structure.
 Little effort of attention is needed to fix n the mind for constant daily use the law If warm and cold color. The elementary ;oIor law alluded to above is as plain and positive as any rule of mathematics, and y it's use the desired result and product s just as sure to come right and more lnIy the "values'' must be preserved, which mears that the strength of each tone must correspond with the strength of the thers in simultaneous contrast Thus dark ed demands dark green as complement ght red light green, etc. Simple enough ut important.
 For interiors, cold walls require warm urniture and carpets and Uice oersG-again lot forgetting the values nor that the con rast of color be repeated with rooms as ften as convenient.
 Once understood, this simple rule will olve many color difficulties, and can be epended upon always and ever. Without , feminine evening toilet cannot be made 7holly effective and perfect in contrast The same may be asserted of the porten- sus subject of-bonnets.
 Correctly dressed men should wear warm -even decidedly warm, but with values with cold colored walk az costume. In this case the gice versG is ot always necessary for happy result, still as effect, according to rule, is always in ood taste and therefore must be elegant.
 F. ". F. |