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Sunday, December 20, 2009

MY PHILOSOPHY OF COLOR




I changed my font at thecutestblogontheblock.com




While the application of color may be limitless, the understanding of the behavior of color is quite logical, rational, and relatively easy to comprehend. Color behaves in a predictable, consistent manner, bounded by the laws of physics rather than by mysticism, intuition, or supernatural phenomena. The visible colors of the white-light spectrum have definite bounds, which can be located, measured, quantified, identified, and controlled, at the will of the knowledgeable artist.


Of all the aspects of creating two-dimensional art, color is one of the most dependable. Even though we, as artists, are forced to work with the limited capabilities of pigments, the simple and understandable laws of the colors of light prevail, and they are not violated because of our use of pigments--pigments which are a bit limited in their capabilities. After all, the colors that emanate from those art pigments, are, in fact, still colors of light, in reality, and those laws of color behavior are not violated, nor do they somehow change or bend in their inflexibility, just because the medium selected (pigment) cannot totally serve the behavior of spectral color.

Here is an interesting question:

Can we, as artists, produce or re-create every hue in the visible rainbow, or spectrum?

Yes, ........and one that isn't ! !

You can e-mail me for the answer, regarding what that color is, or put it in "comments".

4 comments:

  1. I'm stumped Bill, please post the answer!
    Is it... "mud"? :D

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  2. "Magenta" (a primary color) is not represented in the spectrum. Magenta is most certainly a "color"--it's just not in the spectrum. The reason it cannot be in the spectrum is that the colors of wavelengths that comprise it are located at the opposite ends of the spectrum (Blue and Red) Since those two wavelengths do not have the opportunity to overlap in the spectrum, the color, Magenta, simply does not exist in the spectrum.

    That does not make it any less a "color"--it just means that it is not represented in the spectrum. I would invite those who doubt the facts of my statement, to merely Google "Spectral Magenta," to discover that the overwhelming opinions of the more scientifically-minded support that fact, as well.

    The learning of this interesting fact does not make one a better painter, but it is an unusual fact that is quite thought-provoking with its truth.

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  3. That is so interesting Bill, for it explains why I have always had a knee jerk reaction when I have seen that colour. You have just put it in perspective for me.
    Many thanks
    Win (Baggy)

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  4. You're an amazing wealth of information Bill. Have you ever considered creating a YouTube video so that your insights and painting techniques can be viewed by everyone? Your flower paintings look so amazing I would love to see them close up, though I live in Australia so this is unlikely.

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