PRINCIPLES OF COLOR. 



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so as to bring the first and last in juxtaposition, these 

 would be found to merge, and thus complete an unbroken 

 ring of graded colors. The three primary colors each enter 

 into the composition of eleven of the eighteen named in the 

 list, as follows : Bed, in nos. 1 to 6 and 14 to 18, inclusive ; 

 yellow, in nos. 2 to 12 ; and blue, in nos. 8 to 18. 



Eeturning to the impure colors, or those which do not 

 occur in the solar spectrum, it may be premised that 

 black and white represent, respectively, the absorption and 

 refraction of the sun's rays, the former being in reality 

 a combination of all colors. 



- It is an axiom of chromatologists that the multitu- 

 dinous hues, shades, and tints of Nature are simply the 

 results of various combinations of three primary colors, 

 together with the two additional elements of absorption 

 and refraction ; making five elements in all, from which 

 it of course follows, as a mathematical deduction, that 

 one hundred and twenty combinations, that is, specific 

 colors (using the latter term in the comprehensive sense) 

 are possible. Additional modifications almost ad infini- 

 tum are produced by varying circumstances, as different 

 relative proportions of the component elements, effects 

 of contrast, etc. 



Accepting this theory as correct, it would therefore 

 seem that in order to reproduce from Nature any color, 

 tint, or shade whatsoever, that might be desired, the 

 artist would require only three pigments to represent the 

 primary colors, that is, a red, a yellow, 1 and a blue ; together 



1 We here speak of yellow as one of the primary colors, for the reason 

 that it is really so to all appearance and intent, so far as the requirements 

 of the artist are concerned. It has, however, we think, been conclusively 

 proven that it is green and not yellow which is the third primary color, in 

 addition to red and blue. Says Von Bezold (Theory of Color, p. 128) : 

 "Red, yellow, and blue were generally looked upon in former times as 

 the fundamental colors, the results accepted by the mixture of pigments 





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