Back [to Color in 'Vision and Invention' by Harlan]
The Color Wheel and the Natural Order of Colors - The Afterimage - The Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Hues - The Achromatic Scale - Color Terminology - Chromatic Gradations: Tints and Shades - Chromatic Whites and Blacks - Broken Colors - Chromatic Grays: Warm and Cool
[From: Harlan, Calvin. Vision & Invention, An Introduction to Art Fundamentals. Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1986.]
Again, it is important to make large swatches of each value, starting with black. In the case of black, it is better to apply black paint to black paper. The finished product may be placed alongside the color wheel in such a way as to parallel the values of the colors on both sides of the wheel--white, however, being above yellow, and black being well below violet.
It is more difficult to recognize values--various degrees of lightness and darkness--in colors than in arrangements of grays, black, and white. Color tends to "take over"; we often have to train ourselves to recognize values in colors. Squinting seems to help; it tends to suppress color intensity. The studies to follow will provide experience in recognition of chromatic values through the actual mixing and matching of colors. [pp. 95-96]
[Harlan, Calvin Vision & Invention, An Introduction to Art Fundamentals. Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1986.]
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