IMPORTANCE OF COLOR

As color has a tremendous emotional impact and effect on moods and appearance its importance in when you dress for success is without question; and because of its importance it is well to learn something about it now.

SCIENCE OF  COLOR

Color comes from light reflected, from the visible spectrum of radiant energy produced by electromagnetic waves. Light and color are com­posed of atoms traveling in waves at a speed of over 186,000 miles per second.

Various colors in the visible spectrum are of different wave lengths — red has the longest wave length and violet the shortest that the human eye can see. White is the combined reflected light of all the colors of the spectrum; and black is the absence of all reflected light and color.

COLOR IN LIGHTING

The use of colors in lighting differs from pigment colors or paint — and it mixes quite differently. In lighting the primary colors are not red, blue, and yellow — but blue, green and yellow red.

Blue, green, and yellow red light combined produce white light.

Blue and green combined produces blue-green light; blue and yellow red produces violet; green and yellow red produces yellow.

Red filters absorb all colors except red, which passes through; green filter absorbs all but green; blue filter absorbs all but blue; and the yellow filter absorbs all but red and green which pass through the filter in combination as yellow.

Green and red filters combined, absorb and stop the passage of all colors. The same thing occurs when blue and yellow filters are combined.

For the fashion designer who is going to create costumes for the theatre,-it is of prime importance to know how the colors of her costumes will react to the colors used for stage lighting.

COLOR IN PAINTS

In pigments, the substance we use to paint or color our material, the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These are the colors with which we can reproduce all the colors of spectrum. In addition to these, the chromatic colors, we have the achromatic or neutral colors which range from black, through the various shades of gray, to white.

When these are mixed, one or more with another, in various proportions and combinations we can get tremendous variations in hue, value, and intensity.

PURPLE

The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue.

The secondary colors are midway between each primary color:

Mixing yellow with red we get orange. Mixing red with blue we get purple. Mixing blue with yellow we get green.

The tertiary colors are midway between each primary and secondary color:

Yellow and orange produce yellow-orange.

Orange and red produce red-orange.

Red and purple produce red-purple.

Purple and blue produce blue-violet.

Blue and green produce blue-green.

Green and yellow produce yellow-green.

Complementary colors appear opposite each other on the color wheel, and when mixed with one another in equal parts will produce a neutral gray which is worth knowing when you dress for success — or when in unequal proportions the complementary color will have a softening or neutralizing effect on the dominant color. For example, the following pairs of colors are complements to each other:

Red and Green Yellow-Orange and Blue-Violet

Yellow and Purple        Red-Purple and Yellow-Green

Blue and Orange           Red-Orange and Blue-Green

COLOR SENSE

HUEis the name for a particular color to distinguish it from another, such as red from blue, or pink from purple, etc.

VALUE expresses the tones tints, or shades of any particular color or hue ranging from very light — almost white but with a slight tinge of color — to very dark or almost black.

INTENSITY represents the purity of a color — color which is not neutralized or softened by mixing with its complement.

dominant harmony is self color harmony of different values of the same color. Soft effects are achieved by combinations of closer color values, and more striking effects by values farther apart

analagous harmony is a combination of hues adjacent to each other in the spectrum or on the color wheel; for example •

Yellow and Yellow-Green and Green

Yellow and Yellow-Orange and Orange

Violet and Blue-Violet and Blue

Red-Orange and Red and Red-Purple

Complementary harmony is a combination of hues or colors opposite each other on the color wheel. These should never be used together in equal intensity and value as the result would be too striking

triadic harmony is a combination of analagous colors with one com­plementary color added; for example, Red-Orange and Red would com­plete the triadic harmony with the addition of a blueish green.

contrasted harmony is the combination of any chromatic hue in the color spectrum with any achromatic or neutral color such as black, white, or gray.

CHROMATIC    ACHROMATIC        CHROMATIC   ACHROMATIC

COLOR SOURCES

Today most colors are produced chemically in great quantities from coal tars or aniline, oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, and many other organic and inorganic substances, giving a tremendous variety of many more brilliant hues than were possible in the past when all colors had to come from animal, vegetable and mineral sources such as these:

EARTHY BROWN, YELLOW AND DULL REDS from clay which, when richer and deeper colors were desired, was burned to achieve the exact shade.

WHITE — from chalk, lime, or gypsum.

RED — madder roots and birch bark; also dried and ground bodies of insects.

YELLOW — tree sap.

BLUE —elderberries, iris root, indigo; also by burning wood and ox blood together.

PURPLE —from plums and dandelion roots; crushed snails.

BROWN — walnut husks and oak bark.

SEPIA — inkbag of the cuttlefish.

BLACK — burned ivory, burned teeth and bones.

PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR

COLORS   EXPRESS   PERSONALITY       AND   AFFECT   IT.

COLORS   EXPRESS   MOOD—AND   AFFECT   IT.

Color plays a more important role in daily life than we may at times realize, certainly a very important role when we dress for success. With selective use of color, a mood-atmosphere can be created, changed, or modified—and with it personalities and efficiency affected.

THE MEANINGS OF COLORS

Throughout the ages color has had many meanings — many of them based on superstitions, and many on actual physical reactions of the individual due to association of ideas such as:

Red — Fire — Heat

Blue — Sky — Water — Cool

Green — Grass — Nature — Peace

Yellow — Sun — Gaiety

Purple — Shadow — Mystery

WARM COLORS: red, red-orange, red-purple, yellow-orange, yellow, and yellow-green are stimulating and exciting, and seem to come for­ward or advance. When these colors are used in full intensity in large areas they seem to make the mass appear larger.

COLD COLORS: blue violet, blue, blue green, and certain shades of green and purple. These colors are more restful than exciting — used in large areas without any accents of warmer colors they can be too restful and even give a feeling of futility or rejection. Cool colors ap­pear to recede and give a minimizing effect to the mass. In general, receding, silent colors are inconspicuous, such as the less intense, low value shades of secondary and tertiary colors or hues; and, the more intense the hue, the louder or more overpowering it becomes.

Traditionally the colors of spring have been pink and yellow green; of summer — yellow, blue and green; of autumn — orange and brown; and winter — red and black.

red indicates excitement, heat, bravery; and appeals to most basic in­stincts.

blue indicates distance, calm, truth, sincerity; and appeals to the spir­itual or intellectual aspects of personality.

green is the color of nature and indicates coolness, youth, and hope of eternal life. In the proper hue, value, and intensity this is the most restful color without being too depressing.

yellow and gold colors indicate sunshine, gaiety, honor, loyalty.

violet indicates mystery, sorrow, high rank, royalty:

red violet indicates luxury, elegance, and sacrifice.

orange indicates cheerfulness, strength, endurance.

white indicates light, innocence, purity, faith, joy, and glory.

black indicates grief and sorrow.

DEVELOPING COLOR SENSE

Each fashion collection features a "new" color — actually this means that some particular hue is being used more often. The designer inter­ested in creating attractive clothes will in practice, however, develop and use the colors most becoming to the wearer. Color should enhance the natural qualities inherent in the color of skin, hair, and eyes.

In learning which colors combine best, as you focus to dress for success, it is well to note what effect colors have on each other. This is also important in choosing the predominant color for a costume as certain colors will accent various hues in certain skin tones — some complexions will appear more sallow, other paler — or brighter. Sometimes colors, or hues, which we have been told do not "go together" can be successfully combined when their intensity is changed or when their values are changed.

In general, the following can be easily observed:

Light colors appear lighter when placed next to dark colors.

Gray combined with any color assumes a tinge of that color's comple­ment, as for example: a gray used with blue will have an orangey tinge or cast, and a gray used with red will seem to have a greenish tinge.

When CONTRASTING COLORS are used each color will assume a tinge of the other's complement, as for example: red and blue — the red will seem to have an orange tinge which it wouldn't have when viewed apart from the blue, and the blue would appear to have a green­ish tinge which doesn't exist when the blue is viewed apart from the red.

Any color seems brighter when place next to its complement. In fact when placed next to each other in full intensity they will appear to fight or jump.

When you dress for success, in choosing colors for a costume, it is important to know whether the garment will be worn in the daytime or at night, or will it be worn at both times, because the effect of light on color has to be kept in mind.

ALL COLORS WILL APPEAR MORE INTENSE AND BRIL­LIANT WHEN VIEWED IN THE DAYLIGHT. In artificial light the same colors will be subdued. Candlelight will soften colors, incan­descent light slightly brighten, and fluorescent will change the apparent hue.

AMBER LIGHTING will seem to make yellow more intense, green seem tinged with yellow, blue very dull, and purple slightly reddish.

BLUE LIGHTS will dull green and yellow, intensify blue, apparently change red to purple.

UNDER A RED LIGHT yellow will seem almost red and both green and blue will appear dull, while red will be very intense.

VIEWED UNDER A GREEN LIGHT yellow will seem almost green and all other colors very dull except for the green itself which will be intensified.

COLOR CARDS

To get a better idea of the effects of one color on another, get yourself some color cards either from the paint supply store or the Textile Color Card Association. Place various colors next to each other and observe the effect they have on one another. In this way you can learn to combine the most becoming colors for the effect you — the individual and creative designer, the artist — wish to create.

COLOR CHARTS

FOLLOWING ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR VARIOUS COLOR TYPES. WHEN YOU DRESS FOR SUCCESS, HOWEVER, DON'T BE BOUND BY THEM —DO A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIMENTING—SOMETIMES A PARTICULAR SHADE OF SOME COLOR WILL APPEAR EX­TREMELY ATTRACTIVE EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE RECOM­MENDED ON THE CHART. IN GENERAL YOU WILL BE QUITE SAFE IN WHATEVER YOU USE IF YOU REMEMBER THAT NATURAL COLORING OF SKIN, HAIR, AND EYES SHOULD NOT BE OVER­POWERED BY THE DRESS COLORS — THEY SHOULD RATHER AC­CENT AND ENHANCE THEM.

Pale Blonde— With Pale Skin: Light green, blue green, light and dark blue, blue violet, lavender, pink, dark brown, light orange, neutral red or red orange, blue gray, light gray, cream or flesh white, shiny black. Avoid intense colors or dead black.

Vivid Golden Blonde — Rosy or Cream Complexion: Colors slightly grayed or softened, blue, blue violet, violet blue, soft green, blue green, black, off-white, gray, pink, beige-tan, soft red, red orange, yellow. Avoid colors that are neutral or very intense.

Neutral Semi-Blonde — Dark Ash Blonde — Fair Skin:       Soft colors but not too low in value, medium greens and blues, soft blue, blue green, blue violet, soft reds and red orange, soft pink, dark brown, creamy white, shiny black. Avoid very Pale pastel tints and warm intense colors.

Medium Brown — Medium Fair Complexion: Black when trimmed with white, brown, dark gray, warm white, blue green, low intensity blue or green, dark red, soft orange or yellow, ecru, natural beige. Avoid purple, somber colors, or very intense colors.

Brunette — Dark Brown or Black Hair — Pale, Fair, or Ivory Skin: Various shades and hues of red or orange, medium — dark — or warm green, light or dark tan, cream white, medium blue green, neutral dark blue, warm gray, dark red purple. Avoid light blue, bright green, pale violet, blue purple, bright pink.

Dark Brunette — Dark Brown or Black hairi Skin Golden Brown, Olive, or Copper Colored:

Low value (dark) clear red — blue — or green, dark neutral orange, maroon, dark tan or gray, cream white, black velvet. Avoid the same colors mentioned for previous type.

Pale Red Hair — Pale Transparent Skin: Blue, blue gray, gray, blue green, brown, light or dark tan, light or dark gray, green, purple, ivory white, black. Avoid bright very intense red, orange brighter than hair, red violet, r«se pink.

Bright Red Hair— Vivid Complexion: Soft medium green or blue green, dark blue, blue gray, ivory white, light tan, dark gray. Avoid bright red or orange, purple or rose pink, yellow green.

Mixed Gray Hair — Pale Skin: All soft colors, dark blue, black only when accented with color near face. Avoid: bright yellow, natural beige, light greens or blues, and all intense high value colors.

Gray Hair — Pale Skin: All soft shades of most warm or cool colors, shiny black, dark gray. Avoid: Brown, tan, dull black, white, light gray.

White Hair — Pale Skin: Pastel tints, all shades and tints of low intensity red from flesh to maroon, soft blues or greens, creamy white, black. Avoid: Tan, brown, dead white, yellow green.

Complexion Variation:

Sallow skin — avoid bright blue and unrelieved black.

Sallow skin but coloring is cool — soft cool colors, blues and greens, creamy white accents near face.

Sallow skin but coloring is warm — soft warm colors, yellow orange to red.

Florid Complexion: can be subdued by dark values. Avoid complementary colors near face.

Color of complexion and cheeks can be EMPHASIZED BY ACCENT­ING OR CONTRASTING with color; also by cream white near the face.

To accent the color of eyes avoid a large expanse of a similar color near the face unless it is substantially subdued and darker or duller than the eyecolor — with contrast the eyes seem brighter. Exception: A small accent of bright or very intense color near the face of the same hue as the eyes will make the observer conscious of that color which will make theeye color seem brighter by reflection.

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