COLOR CAN BE CONTROLLED, COMPOSED, ORGANIZED AND HARMONIZED AT THE FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL OF CONTRAST.
You can only control color if you can quantify color relationships. That means determining the numerical distances between colors. The HVC Color Composer is the only existing technology that can accomplish this task.
Simple proportions are inherently harmonic. Once we can establish the numerical distances between colors, what do we do with these numbers? The answer is to apply the numerical distances to the artwork in an orderly way. Master Colors is recommending seven different HVC Contrast Progressions, which are similar to the idea of musical scales. Each of Master Colors’ progressions contains a range of soft, middle to strong contrasts. These progressions provide an orderly structure into which the ideas and feelings of the artist can be placed into the artwork in an organized and beautiful way (just like music).
(Click image for full size)
Figure 1. If Beethoven had composed all of his music in the key of C major, it still would have been great music. But a little variety is nice. In the same way, merely one of Master Colors’ progressions would be sufficient for an art career. But many artists will enjoy exploring Master Colors’ “7 Progressions” with their rich variety of proportional relationships, and each with distinctly different and interesting moods. Artist using Master Colors’ HVC Color Composer may want to print this out to have easy reference to our progressions.
Notice the two Grid Compositions in the upper right corner of Figure 1. Grid Compositions are great exercises for mastering how to construct a color composition, three colors at a time. Try Lesson 6 from our free online color composition course, titled “Nirvana: 6 Lessons to Color Enlightenment”, which uses the Grid to solve three colors touching problems. http://www.master-colors.com/tutorials.php
The two arrangements at lower right on the light gold and blue fields are “Golden Mean” compositions. This is the first time we have been able to see what this classical progression looks like in color.
The other swatch arrangements in Figure 1 are intended to illustrate what color looks like when we begin to organize colors around the idea of numerical contrast distances. We have to remember that as soon as we start applying color to a surface, numerical relationships are getting established whether we wish them to or not. The colors can either pile up on each other in a random and uncontrolled manner, or we can take control of this fundamental level of color organization and build the work in an orderly and beautiful way.
Once we have decided on the progression we wish to work in, the artist’s can be free to work in a very free and intuitive way. In fact, by taking care of the underlying contrast organization we can forget about the numbers. Subsequently, every addition to the artwork can be a joy as your work unfolds before you like a beautiful symphony.
Numbers, like colors, are the artist’s friends. They can either help or hurt the work. If you take control, you can rise to a higher level of expression in your art than ever before. The HVC Color Composer contains the knowledge and practical technology to take an artist to new heights with a just a few hours of practice. Go ahead; make music with your colors.
The whole concept is pretty silly. If you actually research what great artist' have to say about color, it conflicts with the whole point of this blog. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS COLORS THAT WORK or DO NOT WORK TOGETHER. ALL COLORS LOVE EACH OTHER, JUST IN DIFFERENT WAYS. THE BIGGEST DETERMINER OF COLOR MATCHING IS CULTURE(pure relativism) If you are reading a book about what colors work, you should just stop working and pick a new hobby.
Posted by: Edward | December 06, 2008 at 01:53 PM