Notebook

Notebook, 1993-

COLOR

Back [to Color in 'Vision and Invention' by Harlan]

Contrast - Contrast of Hue - Contrast of Temperature - Contrast of Intensity - Contrast of Extension - Contrast of Value - Simultaneous Contrast - Contrast of Complementaries

[From: Harlan, Calvin. Vision & Invention, An Introduction to Art Fundamentals. Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1986.]

Contrast of Intensity
Preceding Fauve paintings by little more than a decade were the bold pictorial creations of Gauguin and van Gogh. These command less attention for the play of warm and cool colors than they do for other qualities. The genius of both of these artists as colorists is seen in their use of contrast of intensity and contrast of extension. Contrast of intensity refers to the variation of chroma [color strength] chiefly in a single hue or in closely related hues. We have dealt with this in previous experiments in extended harmony and in monochromatic arrangements. The special virtue of this use of color lies in its economy of means, demonstrating an important truth: Good color does not necessarily mean many colors. Similarly, a great composer is not one who attempts to display in every composition his ability to modulate harmonically through every key or tonal center in the musical spectrum. A great colorist like van Gogh knew the value of making a few things do many things. More than half of the areas in most of his canvases contain quiet variations of one or two related hues. Smaller quantities of stronger colors of similar and contrasting hues focus and charge [activate] these larger, more subdued areas. The effect is that of great internal, organic color energy. The drama takes place in subtle permutations and extensions, in two or more kinds of interaction, not in blatancy and extravagance. We look for at least one or two secrets of van Gogh's way with color in these large areas of related hues of suppressed chroma and very much smaller areas of hues in full strength--analogous or complementary to the weakened hues. [pp. 111-112]

[Harlan, Calvin Vision & Invention, An Introduction to Art Fundamentals. Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1986.]




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