Happily an Artist

              Do artists take color for granted? That answer is a no. Color is so much of an artists life. Yet, we all have our favorites. At times artists have a hard time choosing a favorite color because he or she knows the specialness of each color. BUT, we all know that color can affect our moods...and more than we realize.  I found this Q & A  article from the 1960's and thought you might have some fun with answering the questions.   Only 8 questions.  Do you think you know the answers? (Hmm, for art teachers this might be good to have some fun with your art class.)

QUESTIONS:

 1) Which major hues make up sunlight?

2) Who discovered the spectrum of color and with it the beginning of the science of color?

3)  Is there a reason for wearing white in summer and dark colors when it is cold?

4) What causes color blindness?

5) Which are the most popular colors? (Don't know if this has changed since the late 1960's.)  What do you think?

6) If you asked someone to move one of two boxes, exactly the same size and weight, but one painted pale green and the other painted a dark gray, which one would a person most likely pick up?

7) If you asked a person to place a box on one of two benches both twenty feet away, but one painted red and the other blue, on which bench would he most likely place it.

8) What is the difference between the colors of light and the colors of pigment? 

ANSWERS:

1) Sunlight is composed of six major hues:  red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.  These however can be reduced to the three primary colors:  red, yellow and blue.

2) In 1666 Isaac Newton, by "blending" light through a prism of clear glass, discovered the spectrum, the separation of colors in light.  What he saw is shown by nature, when raindrops separate light and we observe the spectrum in a rainbow.

3) There is a very good reason for changing the color of clothing when it is hot or cold.  White reflects the radient energy of light and less heat is absorbed.  Dark clothing absorbs light and you are warmer.

4) Color is perceived by the cones on the retinas of the eyes, the inner layer.  When a person does not have cones operating perfectly, he or she may be color blind to some extent.  One man in twelve is color blind while only one out of two hundred women have difficulty distinguishing color.

5) Red is the universal favorite with women.  Blue is most popular with men.  Certain shades of yellow are sometimes least favored.

6) Working visually, the average person would most likely pick up the pale green box because it "looks" lighter.

7) The chances are that a person would place the box on the red bench.  Red is an advancing color and appears to be closer.  Blue recedes.

8) Light from the sun is visible, radient energy.  Without sunlight, there is black or darkness.  Light, or white, is the combination of the basic hues.  In pigment, the opposite is true.  White is the absence of color, but to make black one must combine primary colors of pigment; magenta, yellow, and cyan (blue-green).

Thanks for reading,

Artfully yours,

 Sandy