{"id":429,"date":"2011-11-21T19:46:28","date_gmt":"2011-11-21T19:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/?page_id=429"},"modified":"2012-06-21T17:57:51","modified_gmt":"2012-06-21T17:57:51","slug":"colour-theory","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/colour-theory\/","title":{"rendered":"Colour Theory"},"content":{"rendered":"

Primary Colours<\/span><\/h2>\n

Primary colours cannot be produced by the mixing of other colours.\u00a0 RED is not a primary\"\"<\/span><\/a> colour<\/strong>, it is made from a mixture of MAGENTA<\/strong> and YELLOW<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 The third Primary colour in pigment is CYAN<\/strong> (Pthalocyanine Blue).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Colour Wheel<\/span><\/h2>\n

There have been many colour theories and models over the centuries, offering a wide variety of ideas about colour \u2013 dealing with light, pigments, harmony and complementary colours; often limited by the colour technology available at the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Such a range of ideas has resulted in the confusion in the current age concerning the Primary Colours in pigment, and their true Complementaries.\u00a0 In this age of computers and printers, people are becoming increasingly aware that the three primary pigment colours are not Red, Yellow, and Blue<\/strong> as many of the colour theorists of the past taught, but Magenta, Yellow, and Cyan. <\/strong>This places Red, Ultramarine Blue, and Green into the position of secondary colours (produced when two primaries are mixed together).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Three Primary colours of Pigment are the opposite of the Three Primaries of Light.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>A reversal occurs when dealing with light rather than pigment \u2013 Red, Blue, and Green become the three primary colours, and Magenta, Yellow and Cyan are the secondaries (hence the RGB values placed on images to be displayed on a TV\/computer screen \u2013 screens deal with light or additive<\/em> colour: pigment deals with subtractive<\/em> colour).\u00a0\u00a0 James Clerk Maxwell is credited as being the father of additive colour.\u00a0\u00a0 Another common use of additive light is the projected light used in theatrical lighting, in nightclubs etc.\u00a0 Note how the three Primaries of light combine to create white:\u00a0 in pigments, the three Primaries combine to produce black.
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The Colorist, 1908<\/span><\/h2>\n

This knowledge was understood and publicized back in 1908, in a book called \u2018The Colorist\u2019 by \"\"<\/a>J. Arthur H. Hatt, which was: \u201cDesigned to correct the commonly held theory that Red, Yellow, and Blue are the Primary Colors, and to supply the much needed easy method of determining Color Harmony.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Acknowledgements stated that:<\/span> \u201cThe author is deeply indebted to Mr. Clifford H. Coon, to whose splendid chemical knowledge and untiring energy is due the discovery of the method of making the minus color magenta pigment.\u00a0 The three minus color pigments and the plus color pigment red, used in the printing inks for the color charts in this book, were personally made by Mr. Coon and the author.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And later in the book: \u201cPure minus colors magenta and cyan blue are not at present obtainable in permanent pigments, therefore these charts should never be exposed to sunlight, and when not in use should be protected from all light.\u00a0 Treated in this way they will last for years unimpaired.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0 (p. xv)<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Hatt produced an accurate colour wheel back in 1908 but much inaccurate colour theory has been taught in schools across the world since that time.\u00a0 One reason may be that so many colour theory models have been put forth over the years, Mr. Hatt\u2019s model may have been viewed as one possibility among many.\u00a0 Another reason could well be hinted at in the words quoted above \u2013 magenta and cyan pigments were not available in a non-fugitive (non-fading) form until times still ahead of some theorists<\/strong>, i.e. although the colours could be made, they would fade when exposed to sunlight.\u00a0 Even then, a fugitive magenta was not available until 1859, and the Quinacridone Magenta used today was not available until the 1970s!\u00a0 This brings even greater credit to the vision and work of Mr. J. Arthur Hatt.
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Discoveries in Colour<\/span><\/h2>\n

It becomes easier to see why so many colour theories were put forth, when we consider the pigments which were actually available during the period in history that the theorists lived.\u00a0 Some interesting colour discoveries are listed below, along with a selection of colour theories, in order that the student of colour may see just how diverse this seemingly simple subject has been over the centuries.
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I am deeply indebted to Mr. Don Jusko, Maui, Hawaii, artist and colour theorist of our modern era, for information on his website www.realcolorwheel.com<\/span><\/a> regarding colour discoveries and theories throughout the ages, from which we have quoted and added to below.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His own version of the colour wheel is displayed, designed so as to provide extra information regarding how colours darken to black, which also matches the way elements, which make crystals, get darker.
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1705 Prussian Blue available
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1826 Permanent Alizarin discovered<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1860 Germany Cobalt Violet is made (a blue-tone magenta colour)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1909 Cadmium Red is made<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1935\u00a0 Cyan Blue (Pathalocyanine) is discovered, the true primary.
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1970s Liquitex make a perfect transparent magenta, called \u201cAcra Violet\u201d.\u00a0 Nowadays, the correct name is Quinacridone Magenta, PR:122.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A Selection of Colour Theories over the Centuries<\/span><\/h2>\n

1666<\/strong> Isaac Newton (Opticks) devised the first colour wheel, with seven segments of the light spectrum (in which magenta does not show up), based on the observation that a prism splits white light into the colours of the visible spectrum.<\/span><\/p>\n

1708\u00a0<\/strong> Traite de la Peinture in Mignature, <\/em>attributed to Claude Boutet, included the oldest example of the symmetrical 12-hue artists colour wheel, using RED, YELLOW and BLUE as primaries.<\/span><\/p>\n

1755<\/strong> Tobias Myer produces a RED, YELLOW, BLUE\u00a0 colour triangle<\/span><\/p>\n

1788<\/strong> Mosas Harris and Gainsborough create an 18 segment colour wheel with no cyan or magenta.\u00a0 They place Ultramarine Blue is opposite Orange, an inaccuracy which is accepted for a long time.\u00a0 (Ultramarine Blue is the complementary colour of Yellow in an accurate true colour wheel)<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Otto Runge's Colour Spheres<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Goethe's Colour Wheel, 1809<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

1809<\/strong>:Zur Farbenlehre <\/em>[Theory of Colours] Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s double intersecting triangle depicts a 6 segment colour wheel with no magenta or cyan.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/p>\n

1839<\/strong> The Law of Simultaneous Color Contrast <\/em>by Chevreul: a 12 segment RYB colour wheel, placing Ultramarine blue\/Orange; Yellow\/Purple; Red\/Green.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1862<\/strong> Japanese Colour Wheel: 5 colours, White, Black, Yellow, Red, Ultramarine Blue.<\/span><\/p>\n

1879<\/strong> Ogden Rood makes a double colour cone model with white on top, black on the bottom, RED, GREEN, BLUE as primaries.\u00a0 No magenta or cyan.<\/span><\/p>\n

1880<\/strong> Ewald Hering said there were six primary colors, coupled in three pairs: red\u2013green, yellow\u2013blue and white<\/span>\u2013black<\/span><\/p>\n

1905<\/strong> Albert Munsell creates a 5 segment colour wheel, i.e. no Primary Triad.\u00a0 Red, Green, Yellow, Blue, Purple.<\/span><\/p>\n

1908 J.A. Hatt \u201cThe Colorist\u201d publishes an accurate 24 segment colour wheel for pigment and light \u2013 some colour names have since changed, but the colours themselves are correctly positioned. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1919<\/strong> Die Farbenfibel\u00a0<\/em> (Color Primer) by Wilhelm Ostwald Die Farbenfibel depicts a 24 segment colour wheel.\u00a0 Red, Yellow, Blue, Sea-Green in the quarters.<\/span><\/p>\n

1961<\/strong> Johannes Itten Farbkreis <\/em>shows RED, YELLOW and BLUE as primaries.
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Johannes Itten's "Farbkreis"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Don Jusko's Real Color Wheel, 1996<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1996 Don Jusko Original Real Color Wheel.\u00a0 <\/span>This transparent 3 primary colour wheel joins together <\/span>the colors of Light, Crystals and Pigments.\u00a0 Primaries: MAGENTA, YELLOW and CYAN.\u00a0 <\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Primary Colours Primary colours cannot be produced by the mixing of other colours.\u00a0 RED is not a primary colour, it is made from a mixture of MAGENTA and YELLOW.\u00a0\u00a0 The third Primary colour in pigment is CYAN (Pthalocyanine Blue). The Colour Wheel There have been many colour theories and models over the centuries, offering a wide variety of ideas about colour \u2013 dealing with light, pigments, harmony and complementary colours; often limited by the colour technology available at the time.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-429","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=429"}],"version-history":[{"count":57,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/429\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":790,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/429\/revisions\/790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendricharthouse.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}