Master Colors Blog

USING MASTER COLORS’ HVC COLOR COMPOSITION SYSTEM

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HOW DOES COLOR REALLY WORK?

Let’s ask this question a different way. Is there a correct and intelligent way to compose colors in a work of art? It is interesting that artists never seem to ask themselves this absolutely critical question, considering that colors are what artists make their art with. If you ask that same question to a hundred different artists, you would probably get a hundred different answers. There is however a correct answer, which we will get to shortly. But before we do answer that question, reflect for a minute on how you would answer that question. In fact, go ahead and write down your answer, so that you can compare it to the correct answer, which you will understand after you have read this article.

 

OK, are we finished? Good. Let’s proceed. Imagine being an artist who does not understand how color works in a work of art. Don’t you think that would be an enormous hole in the knowledge any artist would need to successfully create a work of art. That would be analogous to a carpenter showing up for work without a ruler. So let’s forget everything you have been taught about color for the time being. Color scientists tell us the human eye can see about 16 million colors. How do we acquire intelligent control over all of these colors? The truth is, once you understand it, color is beautifully simple. The key to color is contrast: controlled, organized contrast. We actually don’t compose a work of art with colors. We compose color with the idea of contrast. We tend to think of contrast as a lightness-darkness phenomenon. However, there are two other variables that contribute to the total degree of contrast that is generated when two colors touch each other, those being hue and chroma. Chroma refers to how weak or strong a hue is.

 

Contrast is critical to controlling color relationships, because contrast is something we can attach a number to. Once we can attach a number to something, we can control it. Once we can control color numerically, then we can organize, arrange and harmonize color. So, in a sense there is no such thing as color harmony. There can only be color-contrast harmony, because it is not the color that we are harmonizing, but the differences between the colors, measured objectively and numerically, just like music. All other aspects of color usage are subjective and intuitive. So to compose color correctly, this is the absolutely key idea that must be understood.

 

To make this idea perhaps a bit clearer, imagine a line of equidistant gray swatches from one to ten. To determine how far these grays are from each other, all we have to do is count. The math gets a little more subtle when you also have to account for the hue and chroma differences as well as the value distance. This is something the HVC Color Composer does for you instantly. You do not have to completely understand the math whereby we determine the numerical HVC contrast distances between colors, but it’s a good idea to have some intellectual appreciation of how contrast numbers are determined. The math is similar to the math that determines the distance between two points in a room, for example. There are some little math quirks that are peculiar just to color, but we will not get into that here. The HVC Color Composer solves for these numerical distances in what color scientists call 3D color space, which is basically just a three dimensional color chart.

 

So now that that we can determine numerical HVC contrast distances, then what do we do with these numbers. We tend to organize color contrast naturally into three categories, soft, middle and strong. To successfully handle any problem a work of art might throw your way, we need access to a full range of contrasts. The key to color harmony then is to apply those HVC contrast numbers to the art in a coherent, organized way. Master Colors has recommended nine different HVC contrast progressions, each of which provides a full range of HVC contrasts, from soft to strong, and each of which automatically provides a harmonic shell, or structure, into which you can place your color choices. These progressions provide a simple underlying proportional scheme to even the most complex works of art. Is this beginning to sound a little like the way music works? That’s because musical scales work the same way.

 

Perhaps the greatest quote ever from the available literature on color in art was said by the great French painter Pierre Bonnard, who is renowned for color surfaces verging on rapture. “Just like music,’ he said. “Count one, two, three, etc.” Short, but perfectly to the point.

 

The next thing to address is this: Is it difficult to apply this knowledge to your artwork? Once we understand that color composition is really color-contrast composition, applying this knowledge to your art is not only easy, but profoundly rewarding, because for the first time you will experience having control over every color in the piece you are working on, whether it’s a simple graphic design with maybe a half dozen colors or a complex work of realism involving hundreds and even thousands of colors.

 

Composing color correctly in beautiful harmony is a simple mental process. Here are the steps: 1) Choose one of Master Colors nine recommended progressions. 2) Use Master Colors’ HVC Color Composer to create your palettes, which provide the correct numerical contrast distances from the colors you are working with. 3) Learn to build your compositions first two colors at a time and then three colors at a time. 4) Write down the progression you are working in, and stick to it as the work progresses.

 

Our 6th lesson in “Nirvana: 6 Lessons to Color Enlightenment” is called “The Grid: The Ultimate Challenge”, which focuses on three-color combinations. Once you get it, it’s easy. Paying attention to this much neglected knowledge of controlling colors from the level of HVC contrast will have profound rewards for you, and profound benefits for your work. For the first time ever, you will be the master of every color you apply to your artwork. (Note: Our lesson plan is free. Go ahead and download the lessons and templates and a free demo of the HVC Color Composer.)

 

 

COLOR KEYS BY MASTER COLORS

 

FIRST PROGRESSION

 

5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 80.

 

SECOND PROGRESSION

 

6, 12, 20, 25, 40, 50, 80.

 

THIRD PROGRESSION

 

5, 10, 20, 25, 40, 45, 90 (88).

 

FOURTH PROGRESSION

 

10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80. 

 

FIFTH PROGRESSION: THE GOLDEN MEAN

 

5, 10, 15, 25, 40, 65, 88.

 

The Golden Mean, otherwise known as the Fibonacci sequence, has been used for centuries in art, architecture and science. This is the first time we have been able to see what this useful and beautiful harmonic scale looks like in color. Give it a try with one of our templates.

 

SIXTH PROGRESSION

 

5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60, 88.

 

SEVENTH PROGRESSION

 

5, 10, 20, 40, 80 (black and white), This is the progression offered by the HVC Color Composer’s Auto-Range palettes.

 

EIGHTH PROGRESSION (THE WHITE PROGRESSION)

 

5, 10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80 plus.

Recommended for color compositions on a white field. Perfect for page designers.

 

NINTH PROGRESSION (WHITE PROGRESSION, 1^ST VARIATION)

 

5, 15, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 plus