HARMONY OF COLOURS. 



597 



differing only in intensity, be placed side 

 by side, the light colour appears lighter, 

 and the dark one darker by the contrast ; 

 and the difference is greatest where the 

 contrast is strongest, and least where it 

 is weakest j or, in other words, the dif- 

 ference is greatest about the line of con- 

 tact, and grows less and less as we recede 

 therefrom. 



" As to contrast of colour, it is found by 

 experiment, and it may also be proved by 

 a priori reasoning, that, whenever the eye 

 regards two or more different colours at 

 one and the same time, the colour of each 

 is so modified, that it appears by the 

 contrast to be of that colour which would 

 be produced by the addition of itself to 

 the complementary colours of its neigh- 

 bours ; and this modification is, as above, 

 greatest where the contrast is strongest, 

 and least where that is the weakest. 



" When colours that are as nearly as pos- 

 sible 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. Grey, being intermediate between 

 black and white, produces an intermediate 

 effect on colours with which it is con- 

 trasted. * This is seen in the 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 the complemen- 

 tary 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. — The 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 yellow- 

 ish ; 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 (com- 

 posed of yellow and blue) — their common 

 colour (yellow) being lost by the contrast, 

 the orange appears redder, and the green 

 more blue. 



" When a compound colour is contrasted 

 with one of its own elementary or simple 

 colours, the compound colour loses that 

 which is common to both, and the simple 

 colour is modified by receiving the com- 

 plementary 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, (name- 

 ly, 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 con- 

 trast, for example — first, red and yellow, it 

 will be found that the red appears tinged 

 with purple, and the yellow with green, 

 because violet, the complementary of yel- 

 low, is added to the red, and green, the 

 complementary of red, to the yellow ; 

 second, red and blue — the red has a ten- 

 dency to become orange, and the blue, 

 green, because orange, the complementary 

 of blue, is added to the red, and green, 

 the complementary of red, to the blue ; 

 third, yellow and blue — the yellow has an 

 orange, and the blue a violet tinge, be- 

 cause orange, the complementary of blue, 

 is added to the yellow, and violet, the 

 complementary of yellow, to the blue. 



" Such are the great principles on 

 which the whole art of combining colours 

 in an agreeable manner depends. Any 

 one, with ordinary powers of thought, 

 and a little practice, can, with a know- 

 ledge of the above general facts, tell 

 pretty nearly what effect two or more 

 colours, when contrasted, will produce on 

 each other. He has only to remember 

 that each one appears as if its own colour 

 were added to the complementaries of its 

 neighbours ; he has only to recollect what 

 those complementaries are, and then, by 

 his reason alone, he can tell what effect 

 ought to be produced. Whether such 



