Year: 1876

Color decoration in particular offers


broad field for the crude attempts of
the tyro, and the unmeaning forms md


less harmonious tints, instead of gra<1
flying, a1e likely to become an outrage


to gQo1 faste. Now, in order to over
come one Of the first principles which


1t would be desirable for us to establish


Is the theory of complementary colors.


Although we do not propose to make


this a technical paper, perhaps few re-


marks upon the subject would not come
amiss. We know almost instinctively
that blue will not harmonize with green,
and that red will, but the theory upon


which this contrast is based is but


vaguely understood. We remember
learning in our natural philosophy that
white is the reflection of all colors,
that is, that all the primary colors COM
bined produce it. 1t is the general i'm
preston that there are seven primary
colors, viz, those seen in the rainbow,
whereas in reality there are butthree-
blue, red, and yellow.


Green, orange and purple are second
ary colors, produced by the mixture of
the primaries. Thus blue and yellow
make green; red and yellow produce
orange; and blue and red, purple.


The mixture of these again produces
what are called tertiary colors-citrine,
russet, and olive: orange and green
forming citrine; purple and orange,
russet; and green and purple, olive.


A knowledge, also, of the quantities in
which these cOlors harmonic is requi-
site, the whole system being TO combine
them in the proportions which produce
white, whicn in the primaries are five
Of red, three of yellow, and eight of blue ;
in the secondaries, thirteen of purple,
eleven Of green, and eight of orange;
and in the tertiaries, twenty-four of OIL
i've, twenty-one of russet, and nineteen
of citrine.


A primary color--say, red-juxtaposed
to the secondary green, whicn is its
complimentary (being composed of the
two remaining primary colors, blue and
Yellow, arranged i'm the above proper
tions, produces 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
tence, whereby the richness of the effect
is produced; and to complete the for
mula, blue and orange. also yellow ana
purple, are harmonious, for in each
case all the colors producing white when
mixed in the right proportions are pres
ent.


We would here state that when sew
eral primary colors are placed together,
the contrast is apt to be too violent,
producing we might say, something of
a swimming sensation. If these, how
ever, are separated by small members
or lines of white, this dazzling effect
may be obviated.


But certain combinations, may have
an enlivening or depressing effect. For
example, blue is cold, quieting color,
while red is warm and exciting, and
can be made to affect the mind in any
manner desired. Again, prominence
or subordination may be given by their
For instance, blue pro-
duces the effect of distance, and if
placed upon the ceiling, causes it to APP
pear higher, or if in a recess will
deepen 1t. Yellow, on the contrary.
appears to advance toward the eye, and
If used upon the ceiling, will seem TO
lower it; or if upon projecting mould
ing, will exaggerate its prominence;
while red is the only color that remains
1t is as painful to the eye
to see hues inharmoniously disposed as
are discordant sounds TO the musical
Magazine.