DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19950#0045
CONTRAST.
45
increase in interest as they approach, but when once they
mingle they destroy or neutralize each other.
Comparatively, all shadows in Nature are true contrasts
to their lights. [Comparatively, because the colour of each
is modified by the effect of atmosphere.) Proceeding on
this principle will prevent the tame and dull effect produced
so often by forming the shadow with a deeper tone of the
same colour as the part in light. It is this principally that
distinguishes the sketch of the artist from that of the learner.
The tyro is so accustomed to form his shadow in Black-and-
white by merely using a greater depth of the same tint, that
he insensibly carries this practice into Painting, and thus
loses the advantage of contrast that an opposite colour
would give him, and his work is tame and feeble in pro-
portion. Let him begin by taking extreme cases, and he
will gradually acquire the power of perception of the colours
of Nature, which are really contrasted when the inexperi-
enced eye does not detect the fact; and this because his
perception is blinded by his knowledge of the local colours
of the objects as seen independent of the effect of the atmo-
sphere. He is apt to colour things, not as he sees them
under particular effects of light, but as he knows their
local colour independent of light. Por instance, in a warm
sunset, the corner of a white house in light is absolutely
yellow, and the side that turns the corner in shadow
is absolutely purple—a most direct and intense contrast.
In this case, perhaps, the learner would perceive the colour,
but in a less obvious instance he would probably render
the light by a pale stone colour, and the shadow by a
45
increase in interest as they approach, but when once they
mingle they destroy or neutralize each other.
Comparatively, all shadows in Nature are true contrasts
to their lights. [Comparatively, because the colour of each
is modified by the effect of atmosphere.) Proceeding on
this principle will prevent the tame and dull effect produced
so often by forming the shadow with a deeper tone of the
same colour as the part in light. It is this principally that
distinguishes the sketch of the artist from that of the learner.
The tyro is so accustomed to form his shadow in Black-and-
white by merely using a greater depth of the same tint, that
he insensibly carries this practice into Painting, and thus
loses the advantage of contrast that an opposite colour
would give him, and his work is tame and feeble in pro-
portion. Let him begin by taking extreme cases, and he
will gradually acquire the power of perception of the colours
of Nature, which are really contrasted when the inexperi-
enced eye does not detect the fact; and this because his
perception is blinded by his knowledge of the local colours
of the objects as seen independent of the effect of the atmo-
sphere. He is apt to colour things, not as he sees them
under particular effects of light, but as he knows their
local colour independent of light. Por instance, in a warm
sunset, the corner of a white house in light is absolutely
yellow, and the side that turns the corner in shadow
is absolutely purple—a most direct and intense contrast.
In this case, perhaps, the learner would perceive the colour,
but in a less obvious instance he would probably render
the light by a pale stone colour, and the shadow by a