Industrial Arts Design Part 33

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

Rule 12f. _Color schemes for wood work and side walls should preferably be selected from one of the following groupings: a.n.a.logous, contrasted, or dominant arrangements of hues.

a.n.a.logous grouping is preferable where variety of hue is desirable._

Rule 12g. _Ceilings should be colored by a lighter tint of the side walls or by a lighter tint of an a.n.a.logous hue._

Rule 12h. _Stains are usually not reduced to below three-fourths chromatic intensity. Nearly gray side walls, however, call for a reduction to one-fourth intensity._

Rule 12i. _Wall colors are usually reduced to three-fourths chroma to a minimum reduction of slightly less than one-fourth chroma._

Rule 12j. _Ceilings should usually be reduced in chroma to three-fourths intensity, with slightly less than one-fourth chroma as a minimum reduction._

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What should we have in mind when staining furniture for the home?

2. Why are the side walls important when considering the color scheme of a room?

3. Give the value range for the average wood stains, side walls, and ceiling.

4. State the value range to include wood work, furniture, trim, and side walls.

5. State the value range that includes side walls and ceilings.

6. Give the hue range for wood work and side walls.

7. Explain the a.n.a.logous, contrasted, and dominant groupings of hues and name two examples of each.

8. Give the hue range for side walls and ceilings. Name several good combinations.

9. Give range of chroma for wood work, side walls, and ceiling.

Explain the reasons for each change of chroma.

10. What experience have you had in mixing calcimine for wall decoration?

11. Discuss opaque finishes for wood.

12. Give the hues for rooms with northern and southern exposures. Why?

13. State the effect of hues upon the apparent size of a room.

CHAPTER XVII

COLOR AND ITS RELATION TO INDUSTRIAL ARTS DESIGN

SMALL SURFACES IN CLAY AND METAL

Before proceeding to the discussion of the application of color to clay it becomes necessary to determine what technical possibilities are presented.

[Sidenote: Color Applied to the Surface Enrichment of Clay]

Plain glazing of the entire surface is a common form of pottery enrichment. A piece of ware, thus glazed, may become a point of concentration in the color arrangement of a room, and should be definitely located in that arrangement. The ware may harmonize with the background (side wall) by a.n.a.logy, dominance, or contrast or through complementary coloring. Rule 12o. A glaze from the diagram in Figure 464 should be selected as forming a part in the selected arrangement. Side wall (11), Figure 457, would harmonize with glaze C9 by virtue of its dominant relation or with M7 through a.n.a.logy. The glaze selected should be higher in chroma than the side wall and will be found to form a cheerful and brilliant element in the room color scheme. The definite linking of these different factors of interior decoration into unity has been earnestly advocated in these chapters. Figures 457 and 464 show the possibilities of cross references.

[Sidenote: Stains for Glazes]

It soon becomes apparent because of the coloring of clay ware that the designer must know something of the color possibilities of glazed pottery forms. The decorative processes were explained at some length in Chapter XII, wherein we described the common types of surface enrichment. As we are now primarily considering the question of color, we first regard the ware as uniformly glazed with either clear or matt glaze. The former is brilliant, of high chroma, and has a highly polished surface, while the latter is dull surfaced glaze of lower chroma.

[Sidenote: Metallic Oxides]

Metallic oxides are used to stain or color clear glazes, while underglaze colors are ordinarily used for matts. The percentage of stains to be added to the dry glazes is stated in Figure 464 where they can be readily traced to their approximate locations in the hue rectangles by the reference letters M1, C1, etc. Certain oxides are weak coloring agents and require larger amounts of oxide to color the glaze perceptibly.

Iron and copper oxide may be mixed to produce a large variety of yellow greens; other combinations will suggest themselves. It is possible to use oxides as well as underglaze colors for staining matt glazes.

[Sidenote: Harmony of Color]

We have, to this point, considered the enrichment of large surfaces whose areas were arbitrarily determined by construction, as, for example, the extent of wall surface, ceiling, or wood trim and furniture. The essential element in this type of problem is the selection of a one, two, or three-hued color arrangement that would harmoniously link ceiling, wall, and wood together. If we had introduced stencilling or figured wall paper it would have immediately called for the solution of another problem, the factor of _how much_ strong color to use. In other words, it would have introduced the question of _proportionate distribution_ of color upon a given area. It was thought best to limit the subject of proportionate distribution to small areas, where the designer is often forced to make decisions and to divide surfaces into proportionate color parts for his surface enrichment.

We may now repeat the definition of harmony with the accentuation placed upon a certain wording directly applicable to small surfaces. Harmony is obtained by the proper balancing and _proportionate distribution_ of value, hue, and chroma upon a surface to give a unified and pleasing reaction to the eye and intellect.

[Sidenote: Proportionate Distribution of Color for Small Areas]

Rule 12k. _Proportionate distribution of hue, value, and chroma in surface enrichment calls for a small area, high in chroma, and contrasting in value to the rest of the surface but harmonizing with it.

This is usually located in the area of concentration. The larger areas are to be sufficiently reduced in chroma and value to form a slight contrast with the background._

[Sidenote: Examples of Proportionate Distribution]

Figure 465 ill.u.s.trates some of the salient factors of distribution of values and hues. Hues of or near standard chromatic intensity should be used in _small quant.i.ties_ and should accentuate the point of concentration. These small areas are to be regarded as giving brilliancy and life to the surface and to hold the eye at the point of concentration. Very small surfaces are capable of sustaining spots of high chroma, as is shown in the silver pin of Figure 468. The remaining portions of the surface enrichment should be kept subordinated in hue and value to the point of concentration, _but related to it_. The bands of Figure 465 are well reduced in value and make little contrast with the background, thus forming true surface enrichment or that which neither rises above or apparently falls through the surface. The point of concentration is higher in chroma than the surrounding areas.

Rule 12l. _One hue, or a group of a.n.a.logous hues should dominate all color schemes. The point of concentration may be emphasized by one hue related to the other hues by (1) contrasted, (2) dominant, (3) a.n.a.logous, (4) complementary relations. This hue should make slightly stronger value and chroma contrast than the remaining hues._

Rule 12m. _An extreme range of five values is generally sufficient to supply contrast to a design but still retain its value unity. Restraint in the use of values is essential._

Rule 12n. _The amount of chroma may be increased in proportion to the decrease in the decorated area. Exceptions may be made to this under Rule 12o._

[Sidenote: Value and Hue and Chroma Range for Small Areas]

In the vase, Figure 464A, the designer selected hues from neighboring or a.n.a.logous rectangles green and blue-green. The value range is restricted to four steps and the areas of concentration are placed at the top of the vase by the stronger value and hue contrasts of the foliage of the trees and dark blue rim. In both Figures, 464A and 465, the designer has used a.n.a.logous hue arrangements. This is suggested to the beginner as serviceable for objects exceeding the dimensions of jewelry and includes such problems as vase forms, book stalls, and brackets. Contrasted and dominant arrangements are also good, safe, and sound arrangements, but fail to give the variety of color to small objects afforded by a.n.a.logous grouping. At a later point in this chapter the subject of complementary coloring will suggest a new arrangement to the reader, but this scheme is to be left until he has sufficiently mastered the possibilities of the arrangements just indicated.

Five values form a safe value range for small objects. It is good practice to keep the larger areas, including the background, within three steps of each other and to allow the point of concentration to form the strongest value contrast.

[Sidenote: Over Reduction in Chroma]

The chroma may range from full to three-quarters intensity. Reduction to one-half or one-fourth intensity is inclined to make a small object appear washed out or chalky. Shades, at their full intensity, are good colors to use for small surfaces in wood. Small enameled objects may be developed in full chroma, while pottery forms range from full chroma to one-half chroma in forms of slip and underglaze painting.