398 



DR. J. C. MOTTRAM ON 



The following diagram (text-fig. 11) shows the blending distance in feet, plotted 

 against the percentage of the spots to the whole pattern ; the X shows the white- 

 spot pattern, and the the black centre. It can be seen that the white spot shows 

 the greatest blending distance, which occurs when the white is approximately 

 20 per cent, of the whole. 



Text-figure 11 



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Ordinates=blending distance of the patterns in feet. Abscissae =percentage of the 

 central components of the pattern. = the readings obtained when a black 

 centre pattern was used (text-fig. 10, upper sei'ies). X = when a white centre 

 pattern was used (text-fig. 10, lower series). 



It can be seen that the greatest blending distance is produced 

 by a white-centre pattern containing 20 per cent, of white, and 

 it is shown also that the white-centre pattern blends at a 

 greater distance than the black centre. It appears, therefore, 

 that the blending distance of patterns is affected in the following 

 ways : — 



(1) By contrast in tone between the components: the greater 



the contrast, the greater the blending distance. 



(2) By size of components : the larger the size, the greater the 



blending distance. 



(3) By shape of components : the more concentrated the area 



of the components, the greater the blending distance. 



In order, therefore, to cover an object with a pattern which 

 will blend at the greatest distance: (1) make the tone of the 

 components a great contrast, black and white ; (2) make the 

 size of the components as large as possible, by reducing their 

 number to two ; (3) make the shape of the components as con- 

 centi"ated as possible, by making one of them a circle. 



