COLOR HARMONY: HISTORICAL REVIEW JosĂŠ Luis CAIVANO caivano@fadu.uba.ar
University of Buenos Aires and National Council for Research Argentine Color Group
Ostwald: 12 principles of harmony 1923 Die Harmonie der Farben
Wilhelm Ostwald [1853-1932]
OSTWALD HARMONIES
1. Harmony of grays: This is the most simple harmony. The combinations can be made with equal intervals (small or big) or with unequal intervals at increasing or decreasing distance.
OSTWALD HARMONIES
2. Harmonies of equal white content
OSTWALD HARMONIES
3. Harmonies of equal black content
OSTWALD HARMONIES
4. Harmonies of equal chromaticity
OSTWALD HARMONIES
5. Monochromatic harmonies that combine different series
OSTWALD HARMONIES
6. Circles of equal white content and equal black content
OSTWALD HARMONIES
7. Complementary pairs in circles of equal white content and equal black content
OSTWALD HARMONIES
8. Transverse complementary pairs
OSTWALD HARMONIES
9. Non-complementary pairs
OSTWALD HARMONIES 10. Harmonies of two and three colors: a) Any two colors of the same hue b) Two colors of any hue with the same notation in letters c) Any color with the two grays that have the same letters d) Any two colors with the first letter in common e) Any two colors in which the first letter of one is equal to the second letter of the other f) Any two colors with the second letter in common g) Any two colors with a third color whose notation is a combination of the letters of the other two
OSTWALD HARMONIES
11. Harmonies with various colors
OSTWALD HARMONIES
12a. Circle with 24 colors of different hue and equal chromaticity, white content and black content
12b. Another circle related to the previous one through a line of constancy
Munsell: 9 principles of harmony 1921 Munsell and Cleland: A grammar of color
Albert Munsell [1858-1918]
neutral axis
MUNSELL HARMONIES
Concept of balance in relation to chroma (chroma is the strenght of color) In this case there is no balance: red has a strongest chroma than blue-green
MUNSELL HARMONIES
bluegreen red
bluegreen
red
Concept of balance in relation to chroma
MUNSELL HARMONIES
red of chroma 10
blue-green of chroma 5
Concept of balance in relation to chroma
MUNSELL HARMONIES
1. Grays equally spaced with center in N5
value
MUNSELL HARMONIES
2. Monochromatic colors equally spaced and centered in a middle value and chroma chroma
MUNSELL HARMONIES
3. Opposite colors of equal chroma at the same level of N5
MUNSELL HARMONIES
(6 parts)
(12 parts)
(4 parts)
(6 parts)
4. Opposite colors of equal value and different chroma, with areas in inverse ratio to the chroma
MUNSELL HARMONIES
5. Opposite colors of equal chroma and different value with center in N5
MUNSELL HARMONIES
(6 parts)
(12 parts)
6. Opposite colors of different value and chroma, with areas in inverse ratio to the chroma
MUNSELL HARMONIES
7. Neighboring hues and split-complementaries: a) Neighboring hues of equal chroma
MUNSELL HARMONIES
(4 parts)
(8 parts)
(12 parts)
7. Neighboring hues and split-complementaries: b) Neighboring hues of different chroma
MUNSELL HARMONIES
7. Neighboring hues and split-complementaries: c) Complementary hues, with one of them split into its neighbors
MUNSELL HARMONIES
8. Diminishing sequencies
MUNSELL HARMONIES
9. The elliptical path: a) Opposite hues of equal value and chroma, and sequences of intermediate colors of equal value
MUNSELL HARMONIES
9. The elliptical path: b) Opposite hues of different value and equal chroma, and sequences of intermediate colors varying in value and chroma in regular steps
MUNSELL HARMONIES
9. The elliptical path: c) Opposite hues of equal value and chroma, and sequences of intermediate colors varying in value and chroma
VillalobosDomĂnguez: color transposition 1947 Colour atlas
Julio Villalobos [1905-?]
VILLALOBOSDOMÍNGUEZ color transposition
Itten: 7 contrasts of color 1961 Kunst der Farbe
Johannes Itten [1888-1967]
CONTRASTS: Johannes Itten, contrast of hue
CONTRASTS: Johannes Itten, light-dark contrast
CONTRASTS: Johannes Itten, warm-cold contrast
CONTRASTS: Ellen Marx, warm-cold contrast
CONTRASTS: Johannes Itten, contrast of complementaries
CONTRASTS: Johannes Itten, simultaneous contrast
CONTRASTS: Johannes Itten, contrast of saturation
CONTRASTS: Johannes Itten, contrast of extension
CONTRASTS: Ellen Marx, contrast of extension
CONTRASTS: Ellen Marx, contrast of extension
CONTRASTS: Ellen Marx, contrast of extension
CONTRASTS: Ellen Marx, contrast of extension
Jannello: logical color harmonies about 1980
CĂŠsar V. Jannello [1918-1985]
JANNELLO HARMONIES
Logical harmonies with hue, lightness, saturation (HLS)
HARMONIES after JANNELLO
Logical harmonies with cyan, magenta, yellow (CMY)
HARMONIES after JANNELLO
Logical harmonies with red, green, blue (RGB)
Nemcsics: polychrome harmonies 1990 SzĂndinamika (Color dynamics) Antal Nemcsics [1927-]
NEMCSICS HARMONIES
Monochrome harmony
NEMCSICS HARMONIES
Dichrome harmony
NEMCSICS HARMONIES
Trichrome harmony
NEMCSICS HARMONIES
Tetrachrome harmony
Another possibility: Basing the color harmonies on statistical studies and surveys. The results are, yet, contradictory, because there are so many factors: • the enoumous quantity of possible color combinations; • the perceptual conditions and the illumination in which the surveys are carried out; • the differences in age, sex, nationality and cultural and social background of the observers.
Lozano: color schemes in environmental design 1978 El color y su medici贸n [Color and its measurement] Roberto Daniel Lozano [1934-]
As regards the hue of color: warm colors are advisable if: • the space is open to the south in the southern hemisphere, or to the north in the northern hemisphere • the average temperature in the room is low • the room is very large • the background noise is low • the texture of the existing elements is moderate • the activity to be performed does not imply physical effort • the time of permanence is short • a stimulating atmosphere is desired • the illumination is cold fluorescent
As regards the hue of color: cold colors are advisable if: • the room is open to the north in the southern hemisphere, or to the south in the northern hemisphere • the average temperature of the room is high • the room is very small • the background noise is high • the texture of the elements stands out • the activity to be performed requires physical effort • the time of permanence is long • a soothing atmosphere is desire • the illumination is incandescent or fluorescent warm
With respect to the saturation of the colors: colors should be saturated if: • the time of permanence is short or must be short • a lively atmosphere is desired • the background noise is low • taste and olfactory senses does not play an important role while the colors should be nonsaturated if: • • • •
the time of permanence is long a relaxed atmosphere is desired the noise level is high taste and olfactory senses are important
As regards contrast (of luminosity, saturation, or hue): it is advisable to use an elevated contrast if: • • • •
the time of permanence is short the room is very large a lively and exciting atmosphere is desired the walls are smooth
it is advisable not to employ contrasting combinations if: • • • •
the time of permanence is long the room is small a soothing atmosphere is desired the walls are textured
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