10 ON CONTRASTING THE COLOURS OP FLOWERS. 



Colours contrasted. Modifications produced. 



,„ J Blue appears tinged with green. 

 '■^- \ Violet , , red. 



H j Indigo , , blue. 



^'•(Violet ,, red. 



" When colours that are as nearly as possible complementary to 

 each other are contrasted, the colour of each is rendered more intense, 

 or its tone is deepened. This follows immediately from the general 

 principle last laid down, and is fully confirmed by experiment. Colours, 

 when contrasted with white, are deepened in tone, and at the same time 

 appear more brilliant, the white itself being tinged very slightly with 

 the complementary of the contrasted colour. Contrasted with black, 

 colours appear of a higher tone or less intense, and the black is feebly 

 tinged with the complementary of the contrasted colour. Clrey, being 

 intermediate between black and white, produces an intermediate effect 

 on colours with which it is contrasted ; this is seen in tlie following 

 results, obtained by placing different colours in contact with a grey 

 ground : 



" Red and Grey. — The grey appears greenish, in consequence of 

 its receiving tiie complementary of red ; the red appears purer, less 

 orange-coloured perhaps. 



" Orange and Grey. — The grey appears bluish ; the orange purer, 

 more brilliant, and perhaps a little yellower. 



" Yellow and Grey. — The grey is tinged violet; the yellow 

 appears more brilliant, and at the same time less green. 



" Green and Grey. — Tlie grey is reddish ; the green is more 

 brilliant, perhaps yellower. 



" Blue and Grey. — The grey is tinged with orange ; the blue 

 appears more brilliant, and a little greenish. 



" Indigo and Grey. — As the last. 



" Violet and Grey. — The grey becomes yellowish ; the violet 

 purer and less dull. 



" When two compound colours, having one and the same simple 

 colour common to them both, are contrasted, the common colour loses 

 its effect in a greater or less degree. For example, take orange (com- 

 posed of yellow and red) and green (composed of yellow and blue) ; 

 their common colour (yellow) being lost by the contrast, the orange 

 appears redder and the green bluer. 



" When a compound colour is contrasted with one of its own ele- 

 mentary or simple colours, the compound colour loses that which is 

 common to both, and the simple colour is modified by receiving tiie 

 complementary of the compound colour with which it is contrasted. 

 Thus with orange, composed of yellow and red, and pure red, the 

 orange loses some of its red and appears yellower; whilst the red, 

 receiving the complementary of the orange (namely, blue, as has been 

 already shown) appears bluish. 



" If two simple colours are contrasted, we find that the general 

 principle before laid down still holds good. If we contrast, for ex- 

 ample, 1, red and yellow, it will be found that the red appears tinged 



