366 



COLOR AND LIGHTING 



also reduces visual efficiency and causes dis- 

 comfort. Illumination should be as uniform 

 as possible and brightness contrast between 

 areas should be reduced to a low minimum. 

 A ratio of not over 3 to 1 between the central 

 visual field and surrounds is best. Light 

 fixtures in the field of vision should have a 

 surface brightness of not over two candles 

 per square inch. It is desirable that it be 

 not over one candle per square inch. In 

 other words, all glare should be eliminated 

 and brightness contrasts kept at a low ratio. 



Coordination of Intensity 

 AND Distribution 



The results of Holway and Jameson (12) 

 led them to conclude that four important 

 lighting conditions should be controlled for 

 easy and comfortable visual work. They 

 are glare, brightness contrast, quality of 

 light, and intensity. Intensity, if adequate 

 lighting is to be provided, must always be 

 coordinated with distribution. To increase 

 intensity without controlling distribution 

 will only make a bad situation worse. In 

 fact, when the distribution is poor, relatively 

 low intensities must be employed to avoid 

 visual discomfort (30). Furthermore, it is 

 difficult to provide adequate distribution of 

 hght with installations above 50 f.c. (31). 



Color 



Introduction 



In planning any living or working environ- 

 ment, color as well as lighting must be 

 considered. We are concerned with the fol- 

 lowing aspects of color: (a) pleasingness, 

 psychological meaning of color, and color 

 combinations; (b) color of paint as a reflect- 

 ing surface; (c) influence of quahty of light 

 on colored objects; (d) coordination of hght- 

 ing with color of paint. 



Pleasingness and Meanings of Colors 



Poffenberger (26) has summarized the 

 data on pleasingness and meaning of colors. 

 Washburn's study (p. 442) measured the 

 pleasingness of 19 saturated colors, 18 tints, 



and 18 shades. On the average the tints 

 were most pleasant, the shades next, and the 

 saturated colors least. The size of the col- 

 ored area had some influence on pleasing- 

 ness. With saturated colors, the small areas 

 were preferred, but the larger areas of tints 

 and shades were preferred. In saturated 

 colors, red, orange-red, and green-blue were 

 most preferred while yellow and yellow-green 

 tended to be disliked. The most pleasing 

 tints were blue, blue-violet, violet, and red- 

 violet. Tinker (29) found that, with the 

 exception of yellow-green, any color was 

 preferred over black, white and gray, i.e., 

 over achromatic surfaces. So-called warm 

 colors are the most frequently preferred. In 

 all these experiments relatively small areas of 

 color were used. It is not certain that the 

 same results would hold for areas as large as 

 walls of rooms. There is a suggestion, how- 

 ever, in the fact that tints are more pleasant 

 than saturated colors or shades, and tints are 

 more pleasant in larger areas. 



Colors Carry Meaning 



Red-orange, orange, and red are consid- 

 ered warm colors, and blue-green, black, 

 gray, and white are cool colors (29). In 

 another report (26), reds, oranges, and yel- 

 lows are rated as exciting colors, yellow- 

 green, green, and blue-green as tranquilizing, 

 and blues and the violets as subduing. Ap- 

 parently these meanings of colors are con- 

 sistent and compelhng. 



Color in Reflecting Surfaces 



Color as color (hue) in objects and back- 

 grounds has no effect on ease of seeing. 

 Tinker and Paterson (28) have shown that 

 when words are printed in colored ink on a 

 colored background, the rate of perceiving 

 the printed material is greater, the greater 

 the brightness contrast between ink and 

 paper irrespective of the colors used. Simi- 

 larly, the reflection factor of walls, ceilings 

 and furnishings of any living or working 

 space is more important than the color used. 

 These surfaces are virtually secondary 



