Flaws in the Color Debate

Published: Sat, 10/27/18

Dear ,

Color baffles emerging artists more deeply than any other visual element. I suspect prevailing dogmatic teachings about color are largely responsible emerging artists fear of color. What I am sure about is that these attitudes cause some heated color debates. Too often an artist-teacher latches on to a single color theory, then disregards all the others even though that one theory is only one among many.

My opinion is that we all should be wary of any color dogma.

Consider this: Starting as early as the 17th century, pioneers in color theory-Isaac Newton, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Arthur Schopenhauer (see photos above)-started artists thinking about and debating color theory. On the heels of these guys, the 20th century gave us Albert Munsell, Josef Albers, Johannes Itten and a slew of others. Anybody who has studied them ALL knows that in the long run, color is a matter of individual perception. (Warning: Studying these guys can be painful.)

FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF

But getting bogged down in theory can stifle your creativity. It doesn't matter whether yellow, orange or red is the warmest color. It doesn't matter whether ultramarine blue or phthalo blue is warmer than the other. Any justification for any of those arguments has its basis in one of many theories. What matters is that we get know what our colors can do and that we understand how to change them to what we want them to be.

If I look out my window at a cluster of dull, golden leaves on a dreary rainy October day and know what to mix to express them, I don't give a hoot whose theory my process supports or even if it supports a theory at all.

Happy Painting,

Dianne

dianne@diannemize.com

You can access the archive of all my newsletters at anytime by going HERE.