The laws of contrast of colour
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About This Book
Discover Michel Eugéne Chevreul's groundbreaking theories on colour as he explores the principles of contrasting and harmonising colours in this classic text on colour theory.First published in 1839 as De la Loi du Contraste Simultané Des Couleurs Atlas, Chevreul’s work followed that of Isaac Newton and Johann Goethe. His comprehensive colour guide introduces the concept of simultaneous contrast, explaining how the perception of one colour is affected by those adjacent to it. His advances in colour science were foundational to modern colour theory, influencing artists, designers, and scientist...
Chapters (356)
- THE LAWS OF CONTRAST OF COLOUR:
- THE LAWS OF Harmony and Contrast of Colours.
- INTRODUCTION.
- PART THE FIRST.
- SECTION THE FIRST.
- CHAPTER I.
- CHAPTER II.
- CHAPTER III.
- CHAPTER IV.
- CHAPTER V.
- CHAPTER VI.
- CHAPTER VII.
- CHAPTER VIII.
- SECTION II.
- PART THE SECOND.
- INTRODUCTION.
- Definition of the words Tones, Scales, and Hues.
- Of Diagrams designed to Represent and Define Colours and their Modifications.
- Harmony of Colours.
- Assortments of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet with White, Black, and Grey.
- Article I. Colours with White.
- Article II. Colours and Black.
- Article III. Colours with Grey
- FIRST DIVISION.—IMITATION OF COLOURED OBJECTS WITH COLOURED MATERIALS IN A STATE OF INFINITE DIVISION.
- INTRODUCTION.
- PAINTING ON THE SYSTEM OF CHIARO-’SCURO.
- PAINTING ON THE SYSTEM OF FLAT TINTS.
- SECTION III. ON COLOURING IN PAINTING.
- CHAPTER I. On Colouring.
- Article I. Of Aërial Perspective.
- Of Colouring in respect to the Harmony of the Colours of the various objects composing the Picture.
- CHAPTER II. Utility of the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colours in the Art of Colouring.
- Utility of this Law to facilitate the prompt Imitation of Modifications of Light on the Model.
- Utility of the Law in order to Harmonize those Colours of a Composition which are Inherent to the Nature of the Object represented.
- SECOND DIVISION.— Imitation of Coloured Objects by Materials of a Definite Size, as Threads, &c.
- CHAPTER I. ON THE ELEMENTS OF GOBELINS TAPESTRY.
- Rule I.— THE BINARY MIXTURE OF PRIMARY COLOURS.
- Rule II.— THE MIXTURE OF COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS.
- Rule III.— THE MIXTURE OF THE THREE PRIMARY COLOURS IN SUCH PROPORTIONS THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME NEUTRALIZED, BECAUSE ONE OR THE OTHER OF THEM IS IN EXCESS.
- THIRD DIVISION.—Colour Printing.
- ON CALICO-PRINTING, AND PRINTING PAPER-HANGINGS.
- FALSE JUDGMENT OF THE VALUE OF RECIPES FOR COLOURING COMPOSITIONS.
- CHAPTER II. On the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colours in relation to Paper-Hangings with Figures, Landscapes, or large Flowers of varied Colours.
- OF THE LAW OF SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST OF COLOURS RELATIVELY TO THE BORDERS OF PAPER-HANGINGS.
- PRINTED OR WRITTEN CHARACTERS ON PAPERS OF DIFFERENT COLOURS.
- ON THE ASSORTMENT OF COLOURS FOR READING BY DIFFUSED DAYLIGHT.
- FOURTH DIVISION. Employment of Colours in Architecture.
- I. ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF COLOURS IN EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE.
- II. ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF COLOURS IN GREEK ARCHITECTURE.
- III. ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF COLOURS IN GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE.
- APPLICATION TO THE INTERIORS OF EDIFICES.
- On the Assortment of Stuffs with the Wood of Seats.
- ON THE SELECTION OF FRAMES FOR PICTURES AND ENGRAVINGS.
- ON THE GENERAL DECORATION OF THE INTERIORS OF CHURCHES.
- ON THE DECORATION OF MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES.
- DECORATIONS OF THE INTERIOR OF HOUSES.
- ON THE ASSORTMENT OF COLOURS IN INTERIORS, THE WALLS OF WHICH ARE PANELLED OR COVERED WITH MARBLE, STUCCO, OR PAINTED WOOD.
- FIFTH DIVISION.—CLOTHING.
- I. Men’s Clothing.
- OF THE ADVANTAGES OF CONTRAST, CONSIDERED WITH REGARD TO THE APPARENT CLEANLINESS OF CLOTHS FOR CLOTHING.
- II.—Female Clothing.
- Colours for the Dress of Women with White Skins.
- Of the Colours of the Hair and Head-dress.
- Of the Colours of the Complexion and the contiguous Drapery.
- The Head-dress in relation to the Coloured Rays which it may reflect upon the Skin.
- FAIR-HAIRED TYPE.
- TYPE WITH BLACK HAIR.
- ON THE ASSORTMENT OF COLOURS IN THE DRESS OF WOMEN WITH COPPER-COLOURED SKINS.
- ON THE ASSORTMENT OF COLOURS IN THE DRESS OF WOMEN WITH BLACK OR OLIVE SKINS.
- APPLICATIONS TO HORTICULTURE.
- ON THE ART OF ARRANGING ORNAMENTAL PLANTS IN GARDENS SO AS TO DERIVE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE ADVANTAGE FROM THE COLOURS OF THEIR FLOWERS.
- ASSORTMENTS OF FLOWERS,
- ASSORTMENTS RELATING TO THE HARMONIES OF CONTRAST OF HUES.
- ASSORTMENTS AS TO HARMONY OF ANALOGY.
- ON THE ART OF ASSORTING LIGNEOUS PLANTS IN GARDENS, SO AS TO DERIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE ADVANTAGE FROM THE COLOUR OF THEIR FOLIAGE.
- ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND PLANTING OF TREES, ETC., IN MASSES.
- CHAPTER I. Of Lines of Plants.
- Article I. Of the Lines of Plants called Screens.
- Of Lines of Plants considered as Elements of Masses.
- Of Homogeneous Masses.
- Of Heterogeneous or Varied Masses.
- Isolated Masses.
- Article II.
- Contrast of Colours.
- Repetition.
- Symmetry.
- General Harmony.
- SIXTH DIVISION.
- ON THE CONNEXION OF THE LAW OF SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST OF COLOURS WITH THE JUDGMENT WE FORM UPON ALL COLOURED BODIES, UNDER THE RELATIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE BEAUTY OF PURITY OF THEIR COLOURS, AND OF THE EQUALITY OF THE DISTANCE OF THEIR TONES IF THESE BODIES BELONG TO THE SAME SCALE.
- ON THE COMPARISON OF TWO SAMPLES OF THE SAME COLOUR.
- INFLUENCE OF A SURROUNDING COLOUR UPON ONE COLOUR WHEN COMPARED WITH ANOTHER.
- On the Effect of Contrast upon the Browns and the Lights of most of the Scales of Wool and Silk employed in Tapestry and Carpets.
- MEANS AFFORDED BY CONTRAST FOR ASCERTAINING WHETHER THE TONES OF A SCALE OF COLOUR ARE EQUIDISTANT.
- OF THE BINARY ASSOCIATIONS OF COLOURS, CRITICALLY CONSIDERED.
- OF THE COMPLEX ASSOCIATIONS OF COLOURS, REVIEWED CRITICALLY.
- OF THE ARTS WHICH ADDRESS THE EYE BY EMPLOYING COLOURED MATERIALS OF A DEFINITE SIZE, CONSIDERED RELATIVELY TO THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THESE MATERIALS, AND TO THE PECULIARITY OF THE ART IN WHICH THEY ARE EMPLOYED.
- TAPESTRIES, CARPETS, MOSAICS, AND COLOURED GLASS WINDOWS, CORRESPONDING TO PAINTINGS IN CHIARO-’SCURO.
- OF THE DISPOSITION OF THE MIND OF THE SPECTATOR IN RESPECT TO THE JUDGMENT HE FORMS OF AN OBJECT OF ART WHICH ATTRACTS HIS EYE.
- ON THE COLOURS OF MILITARY UNIFORMS.
- INDEX.
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