RERAMIC STUDIO 
127 
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN 
(Fifth Article) 
Hugo I'rochlich 
N the July number of the Keramic 
Stimjio the lucaning of the term 
value was defined as the eompara- 
tive light or dark note that an ob- 
ject or space makes against its 
surroundings. For instance, a tree 
may in its entire shape be lighter 
or dark'cr than the meadow against 
which it is seen. A vase may ap- 
pear as a lighter or darker sha])e 
against a background. This lighter or darker ciuality is termed 
the value of the object and ma,y be very slight, as the difference 
between two light greys, or it may be strongly pronounced as 
the value of a white object against a black groimd. 
For the sake of a good working basis we may divide the 
gradation from white to black into a value seale of nine ste])s, 
viz: No. I is white; No. 2, High Light, etc. This is a division 
made by Dr. Denman Ross of Har\'ard and is purely arbitrary. 
It is a convenient arrangement for the student and has the 
further advantage of corresponding to the color circle of fidl 
intensity. Of this ct)lor phase, however, more will be said in 
the future. 
On analyzing this value seale we lind that the grey which 
is just half way between white and black is called middle: and 
again half-way betw^een white and middle is called light; while 
half-way between middle and black is called dark. 
One step above light is high light: \\hilc one step below 
light is low light. 
On the lower half of the scale one step above dark is high 
dark and one step below dark is low dark. 
Try to learn this arrangement so that in referring to these 
terms you maj^ readily understand their meaning. Roughly 
speaking everything about us will have a value almost coincid- 
ing with some note of this scale. If now we play on, say three 
notes above the middle or on three notes below" the middle, we 
are more apt to get harmonious results than if we play on notes 
that are widely separated, such as white, middle and blaek. I 
have given 3'ou iii a previous lesson pure black or white because 
the terms (black and white) were limited. I wanted you to 
feel that a certain quantity of black would balance a certain 
(luantity of white. If I had given you three greys of little 
difference in values 3-ou would not have realized this balancing 
qualitj' in a large measure, hence the black and white spotting 
of a rectangle and border of the clover and Swastika motiv'es. 
In the present lesson, however, we may tr\- some of the more 
subtle and harmonious arrangements. Hamaonious here means 
likeness, viz: — if two or more objects, shapes or lines are like, 
there will be perfect harmony among them, if they have some 
elements of likeness there will be a tendency toward harmon\r. 
This is what is meant by shapes being related. In previous 
lessons the necessity of shapes or areas being related (harmony) 
has been emphasized as one condition of beauty. It has been 
stated further that this harmony may lie in the contour of an 
area (line or shape) in the value of the area or in the color of 
the same. 
SOLUTION OF PKOBLEJl n BY A PUPIL. 
