COLOR 



367 



sources of illumination. They receive and 

 reflect about the room light from the lamps. 

 Getting (25) points out that eye comfort and 

 performance are more dependent upon the 

 brightness pattern of a working environment 

 than upon the color scheme. This bright- 

 ness pattern is determined by the intensity 

 and distribution of light from the fixtures 

 and by the reflectance values of all finishes 

 in the room. Getting (26) also points out 

 that all paint should have a flat or mat finish 

 to avoid undesirable specular reflection. 

 Areas above the field of vision should have a 

 surface reflectance of 80 percent or more 

 (white or near white). Walls should have 

 reflectances of 50-60 percent and desk tops 

 of working surfaces, about 35 percent. 

 Tints of appropriate colors may be used. 

 Psychologically, a "change of pace" is desir- 

 able in decoration. This can be achieved 

 by varying the color and at the same time 

 avoiding undesirable brightness contrast (see 

 above). There should be a coordination of 

 illumination with colors that are pleasing 

 and have appropriate meanings. 



Influence of Illumination on Perceived Color 



The color appearance of objects under 

 artificial illumination depends upon the color 

 components in the illuminant and upon the 

 reflectance characteristics of the objects. 

 Most objects do not have the same color 

 appearance under fluorescent and incandes- 

 cent light as in daylight. Under most 

 fluorescent light, the color of natural objects 

 as food, flowers and human complexions, 

 becomes unnatural and frequently disagree- 

 able. The fluorescent color quality is de- 

 scribed psychologically as cold and harsh. 

 Its blue component is detrimental to color 

 tints and tends to make them look bluish or 

 grayish. It takes the warmth and softness 

 out of color. The daylight fluorescent tube 

 has been found to be decidedly unflattering 

 to the human complexion (2). Under in- 

 candescent light, however, the alterations of 

 color usually are not objectionable. It is 

 kind to tinted wall decorations, tending to 



enhance soft, warm appearances. It is im- 

 portant to combine color and lighting so the 

 colors in paint do not go "flat" in the fight. 

 Buck and Thayer (4) point out that one of 

 the more acceptable methods of designating 

 color of a light source is in Kelvin units. 

 For instance, 3500° K means the color from 

 a black body raised to 3500° temperature. 

 The most commonly used illuminants in 1947 

 are from the white fluorescent lamps, 3500° 

 K, 4500° K, 6500° K (daylight), soft white, 

 and incandescent lamps averaging about 

 2900° K. In a later study, Buck and Froe- 

 lich (3), after determining the color charac- 

 teristics of the human complexion, obtained 

 preferences for lights while viewing a model 

 with "average" complexion. The percent 

 distribution of choices were 45 for soft white 

 fluorescent, 24 for incandescent, 15 for 4500° 

 K, 14 for 3500° K and 2 for 6500° K (day- 

 light). The fight chosen most frequently, 

 soft white, had a spectral character close to 

 that of the average complexion. Even this 

 had much more blue and less red than the 

 complexion. These authors also found that 

 lamps preferred for viewing colored materials 

 were in general very nearly the same domi- 

 nant wave-lengths as in the average com- 

 plexion. 



In general, a light which enhances warmth 

 and softness of colored paints is desirable. 

 It should be one that does not change natural 

 colors (including complexion) in disagreeable 

 ways. 



Coordination of Lighting With Color of Paint 



To achieve a pleasant environment and at 

 the same time to maintain good seeing condi- 

 tions, it is necessary to coordinate lighting 

 with decoration. According to Kahler and 

 Meacham (13), good seeing conditions are 

 attained when there is adequate light on the 

 task and when brightness of the task is no 

 greater than three times that of surrounds 

 (30 degrees each way from line of vision). 

 The ratio of the brightness of a light fixture 

 to its background also should not be greater 

 than 3 to 1. These authors (13) point out 



