1G2 



ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



ary colors are produced by one of the primitive colors being absorbed, and 

 the two others reflected; for exam pie, if red be absorbed, and blue and yellow 

 reflected, the surface appears green. There are two reasons why a perfect 

 blue, yellow, red, cannot be seen, etc. The first is, that surfaces cannot 

 entirely absorb one or two rays, and reflect the others. The second is, that 

 when the retina receives the impression of one color, immediately its com- 

 plementary color is generated. Thus, if a blue circle is placed on a perfectly 

 gray surface, an orange hue will be perceived round it ; if an orange circle, 

 round it will be noticed a bluish tint; if a red circle, a green; if a greenish- 

 yellow circle, a violet; if an orange-yellow circle, an indigo; and so on. 



The "successive" contrast has long been known; and it consists in the 

 fact, that on looking steadfastly for a few minutes on a red surface fixed on 

 a white sheet of paper, and then carrying the eye to another white sheet of 

 paper, there will be perceived on it not a red, but a green one; if green, red ; 

 if purple, ydlow ; if blue, orange. 



The " simultaneous " contrast is the most interesting and useful to be 

 acquainted with. When two colored surfaces arc in juxtaposition, they 

 mutually influence each other, favorably, if harmonizing colors, or in a 

 contrary manner, if discordant; and in such proportion, in cither case, as to 

 be in exact ratio with the quantity of complementary color Avhich is gene- 

 rated in the eye. For example, if two half-sheets of plain tinted paper, 

 one dark-green, the other of a brilliant red, arc placed side by side on a gray 

 piece of cloth, the colors will be mutually improved, in consequence of the 

 green generated by the red surface adding itself to the green of the juxta- 

 posed surface, thus increasing its intensity; the green in its turn augmenting 

 the beaut}* of the red. This effect can easily be appreciated if two other 

 pieces of paper of the same colors arc placed at a short distance from the 

 corresponding influenced ones, as below : 



Red. 



Red-green. 



Green. 



It is not sufficient merely to place complementary colors side by side to 

 produce harmony of color, since the respective intensities have a most de- 

 cided influence. Thus, pink and light-green agree; red and dark-green, also; 

 but light-green and dark-red, pink and dark-green, do not: and thus, to ob- 

 tain the maximum of effect and perfect harmony, the following colors must 

 be placed side by side, taking into account their exact intensity of shade 

 and tint. 



Complementary 

 Colors. 



Red, Green, 



HARMONIZING COLORS. 



Primitive 

 Colors. 



{Light-blue, 

 Yellow, 

 Red, 

 < Red, 



Blue, Orange, - - - < Yellow, 



( Blue, 

 ( Blue, 



Yellow-orange, - - Indigo, - - - < Red, 



( Yellow, 

 ( Red, 



Greenish-yellow, - Violet, - - - < Blue, 



( Yellow, 

 ( Yellow, 



Black, White, - - - { Blue, 



(Red, 



[ White light. 

 1 White light. 



> White light. 

 1 White light. 



> White light. 



