Industrial Arts Design Part 31

1. What pigments are best adapted to rendering design problems?

What pigments are particularly adapted to the rendering of wood stains? How should each be applied?

2. What are standard hues? Why do we need standards of hue?

3. Define the term _values_.

4. What are tints and shades?

5. Define fully the term _chroma_.

6. Bound the hue rectangle and trace the value and chroma changes occurring on its vertical and horizontal lines.

7. Locate in its proper hue rectangle (Figure 455) the following hues: OY 3/4HD; YG 1/2LL; RV 3/4M; YL.

8. Name the three primary hues. How may an approximate scale of twelve hues be prepared from them?

9. Name the three basic aniline wood dyes and give their relation to the three primary hues. What is the practical use of nigrosene in stain mixing?

10. Give the symbol and explain the method of mixing Flemish oak wood stain. Name and explain the method of mixing two others.

11. How does its application to wood effect the color and value of aniline stain?

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE 64]

CHAPTER XVI

COLOR AND ITS RELATION TO INDUSTRIAL ARTS DESIGN

LARGE SURFACES OF WOOD; WALL AND CEILING AREAS

[Sidenote: Color Harmony]

In the preceding chapter, the cla.s.sification and standardization of color were emphasized as preliminary to the study of color harmony.

Color harmony is obtained by the proper balancing of value, hue, and chroma upon a surface or surfaces to give a pleasing reaction to the eye, and through the eye to the intellect.

We are now ready to familiarize ourselves with the specific applications of these factors to practical design problems. Too many pieces of furniture are stained with no thought as to the final adaptation in the school or home. This is not wise, either from the standpoint of a complete educative process or of good taste. Figures 458, 459, 460, 461, show stains of Plate 64 applied to wood. Two new stains have been added, sage green and silver gray. These six stains are representative ones and act as a typical data for study of color harmony.

FURNITURE--TRIM--SIDE WALLS--CEILINGS

[Sidenote: Backgrounds]

The side walls of a room form the background for furniture; trim, wall brackets, and similarly related objects; therefore the _closest relation and harmony_ should be maintained between them.

[Sidenote: Value Range of Wood Stains]

The wood stains 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18, Plate 65, as they appear on various kinds of wood are, in part, duplicates of the unapplied stains of Plate 64, Figure 456. The effect of the wood has changed their values and in some instances their color as can be seen by comparing the two plates. Their _new relations_ have been plotted on the hue rectangles of Figure 457, Plate 65, and the results joined by a dotted line. The circles in the diagrams contain cross reference figures in order that the stains may be traced without difficulty. The highest value is near middle (18), and the lowest is low dark (6), showing a value range of four steps.

[Sidenote: Value Range of Side Walls]

The side walls, taken from well-known wall tint catalogs have been similarly plotted in Figure 457, and the results joined together by a heavy black line. The lightest value is light (11), and the darkest is middle value (14), an average range of three steps slightly above middle value.

[Sidenote: Value Range of Ceilings]

Ceilings are the lightest of the surfaces considered. Their range is from slightly below white (10), to light (16), a range of two values.

From the results, as plotted in Figure 457, it is seen that there is a tendency to keep the ceilings within a close range of values. The results have been joined together by means of a double black line. There are exceptions to these results, but it is quite safe to keep well within the suggested range for harmonious results. We may now draw the following rules as a result of an empirical method of deduction.

Rule 12a. _An average wood stain is to be retained between the values middle and low dark._

Rule 12b. _An average wall hue is to be retained between the values light and middle._

Rule 12c. _An average ceiling hue is to be retained between the values white (minus) and light._

[Sidenote: Value Range of Side Walls and Wood Work]

Averaging the value range between the wood work which includes the furniture, trim, and the side walls of Figures 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, and 463, we find that the range varies from five values in Figures 459 to slightly more than one in Figure 463. As the side walls and furniture are to be regarded as un.o.btrusive settings for pictures and people it is well to be very conservative with the use of values. A wide range of values will cause a lack of unity. In this respect Figure 459 may be regarded as approaching the extreme limit of contrasts of value compatible with good taste. Let us, therefore, limit the value range to four values, as, for example: low light for side walls and dark for stain.

Rule 12d. _The relation between the side walls and furniture, trim, etc., should be retained within the range of four values or less, as low light and dark._

[Sidenote: Value Range of Side Walls and Ceilings]

The ceiling and side walls in Figure 459 are four values apart and in Figure 463 this has been reduced to a one-value step. There seems to be a common average of three values as an acceptable and agreeable contrast. For dark rooms this would well be increased. For rooms with light side walls the contrast would be considerably lessened.

Rule 12e. _The relation between side walls and ceiling should be within the range of three values or less, as high light and low light._

HUE GROUPINGS

[Sidenote: Hue Range for Wood Work and Walls]

A wood stain should be closely related to the natural color of the wood.

As this is usually a warm color we naturally find most of the wood stains included between the red and the yellow hue rectangles, inclusive of red and yellow green. Walnut then may be stained a deep shade of orange or red, but would not be adapted to a blue green stain. This arbitrary but wide range of hues of stained wood naturally affects the hue of the side walls. The plotting of the hues for the side walls, Figure 457, shows a close relation to the hues of the stain to the wall.

In no instance do we find the hue rectangle of the wood work more than three hues away from that of the walls. In four instances they are within two hue rectangles of each other and in one instance they are both within the same rectangle. This develops the fact that _a.n.a.logous_ or neighboring groupings of hues prevail in relating the hues of wood work and side walls.

[Sidenote: a.n.a.logous Hues]

An _a.n.a.logous_ group of hues is an arrangement based upon a selection of tints and shades within three rectangles of each other, as orange and yellow. These harmonize because yellow is mixed with and becomes a hue common to both. While the a.n.a.logous arrangement of hues seems to be most commonly used, and with a result that seems to justify its adoption into general practice, there are other arrangements that are pleasing to the eye.

[Sidenote: Contrasted Hues]

Figure 458 ill.u.s.trates what is commonly known as a _contrasted_ grouping or arrangement of hues. It consists of the tints or shades of one or more hues and gray. It is the basis of color harmony between silver and semi-precious stones. If two hues are used, one of them should be reduced in chroma to nearly gray.

[Sidenote: Dominant Hue]