| Experience has taught us that certain | | | | causing a disturbing division of interest. But there |
| combinations of colors, whether in nature or art, | | | | are no arbitrary rules to be followed with regard |
| affect the eye and mind agreeably, while others | | | | to area and color harmony. |
| give offense. We call the former "harmonies," the | | | | Nor are there definite laws governing the use of |
| latter "discords." | | | | such phenomena when alternating bands of |
| Just as numerous attempts have been made to | | | | complementary colors were viewed from a |
| discover the laws of light and of color vision, and | | | | certain distance. Yet effects such as this are |
| to invent practical systems of color measurement | | | | capable of making some schemes disagreeable |
| and notation, great effort has been expended in | | | | and others pleasing or telling. |
| trying to ferret out the reasons why some | | | | Texture, although not a quality of color, is another |
| combinations of color are pleasing and others are | | | | influence that can seldom be ignored. In |
| not, and to devise laws to insure harmonious color | | | | architecture and decoration, for example, |
| employment. We have finally learned, however, | | | | materials harmonious in color often show textural |
| that even if it were possible to grasp all such | | | | inconsistency or discord. A mere coating of |
| reasons, workable laws guaranteeing immunity | | | | varnish, changing dull woodwork to shiny, can be |
| against chromatic discord still could not be devised. | | | | enough to upset a scheme completely. Even in |
| In view of the contrary claims of some writers, | | | | painting pictures, textural harmony is almost as |
| we offer the following arguments to substantiate | | | | important as color harmony the two are closely |
| our statement. | | | | wedded yet there are no clear cut laws. |
| First, as we have demonstrated, colors change in | | | | Color fitness or suitability must also be considered, |
| effect according to their environment, each hue | | | | as must that ever present matter of personal |
| being modified by those adjacent to it. Color | | | | taste. After all, who is to say which colors |
| harmony is not merely a matter of selection, | | | | harmonize and which do not? We have all seen |
| therefore, but also of arrangement a fact not | | | | that changing fashions can have a considerable |
| nearly as commonly recognized as it should be. A | | | | effect on the average person`s ideas of what |
| color scheme extremely pleasing to the average | | | | colors are or are not attractive and suitable for |
| person can become, in rearrangement, positively | | | | particular purposes, especially in relation to |
| disturbing. Arrangement obviously cannot be | | | | women`s clothing and interior decoration. There |
| controlled wholly by rule at least in | | | | are also, as we are all aware, attitudes toward |
| representational paintings. | | | | particular colors and color combinations that stem |
| Area, like arrangement, influences color | | | | from temperament, national traditions, climate, |
| appearances, as we have seen. Harmonious | | | | environment and other unpredictable factors. |
| schemes can often be made discordant, or at | | | | This should be enough to warn the student |
| least uninteresting, simply by increasing or | | | | against the exaggerated statements of writers |
| decreasing certain color areas. Of course, the | | | | who claim or imply that their methods or |
| reverse is also true. It is easy to see that a small | | | | systems of obtaining color harmony are infallible |
| spot of vivid red, which delightfully reinforces, | | | | or universally applicable. Printed laws and clever |
| through contrast, a large area of bright green, | | | | devices designed to reveal color schemes can |
| might, if sufficiently expanded, rival the green, | | | | certainly be of help, but only in a very limited way. |