Hue Groupings
Hue Range for Wood Work and Walls
A wood stain should be closely related to the natural color of the wood. As this is usually a warm color we naturally find most of the wood stains included between the red and the yellow hue rectangles, inclusive of red and yellow green. Walnut then may be stained a deep shade of orange or red, but would not be adapted to a blue green stain. This arbitrary but wide range of hues of stained wood naturally affects the hue of the side walls. The plotting of the hues for the side walls, [Figure 457], shows a close relation to the hues of the stain to the wall. In no instance do we find the hue rectangle of the wood work more than three hues away from that of the walls. In four instances they are within two hue rectangles of each other and in one instance they are both within the same rectangle. This develops the fact that analogous or neighboring groupings of hues prevail in relating the hues of wood work and side walls.
Analogous Hues
An analogous group of hues is an arrangement based upon a selection of tints and shades within three rectangles of each other, as orange and yellow. These harmonize because yellow is mixed with and becomes a hue common to both. While the analogous arrangement of hues seems to be most commonly used, and with a result that seems to justify its adoption into general practice, there are other arrangements that are pleasing to the eye.
Contrasted Hues
[Figure 458] illustrates what is commonly known as a contrasted grouping or arrangement of hues. It consists of the tints or shades of one or more hues and gray. It is the basis of color harmony between silver and semi-precious stones. If two hues are used, one of them should be reduced in chroma to nearly gray.
Dominant Hue
[Figure 463] is typical of still another form of positive hue grouping. By consulting the yellow hue rectangle of [Figure 457] it is noted that the wood work, side walls, and ceiling of [Figure 463] are all contained in one rectangle. This classes this color scheme as an example of dominant arrangement which may be simply defined as the tints and shades of one hue. The arrangement does not have the variety supplied by analogous grouping, introducing as it does, two hues from different rectangles, but for large surfaces dominant grouping is a conservative and safe arrangement. Its tendency toward monotony should be guarded against by the introduction of some object high in chroma in the room decorative scheme. A bright colored vase will accomplish this successfully. Rule 12o, [Chapter XVII].
Rule 12f. Color schemes for wood work and side walls should preferably be selected from one of the following groupings: analogous, contrasted, or dominant arrangements of hues. Analogous grouping is preferable where variety of hue is desirable.
Special Arrangements
The above rule is not to be taken as arbitrary. In the hands of competent designers attractive color schemes are developed that differ materially from the above suggestions. But, for the usual home setting, the above arrangement may be regarded as satisfactory, and is given with the idea of bringing the school shop work and the home environment into closer color harmony. A specimen of special arrangement is given by the Circle 3A. This is delft blue, which harmonizes with dark mahogany in a satisfactory manner.
Hue Range for Side Walls and Ceilings
In adjusting the hues for side walls and ceilings, the relations should be of the closest. The plotting of ceiling hues in [Figure 457] shows a strong tendency for the ceiling to be colored with a tint of the side walls (dominant arrangement), or by a tint selected from the next rectangle (analogous arrangement). Yellow or yellow-green, very light and much reduced in chroma, seems to be the almost universal custom. This is due to the strongly light reflecting qualities of yellow.
Plate 65
Rule 12g. Ceilings should be colored by a lighter tint of the side walls or by a lighter tint of an analogous hue.
Range of Chroma for Stains
Stains, as they occupy a comparatively limited area in the room color scheme, are of their full chroma value or reduced to three-fourths chroma. In only one instance (18), [Figure 463], do we find a reduction to one-fourth chroma, demanded by the nearly gray color scheme of the walls. We find it to be an established fact that small areas are capable of enrichment by colors of greater purity and higher chroma than larger surfaces. A silver pin may be designed to contain a stone of high brilliancy, but a wall surface has to be materially reduced in chroma to possess color harmony.
Rule 12h. Stains are usually not reduced to below three-fourths chromatic intensity. Nearly gray side walls, however, call for a reduction to one-fourth intensity.
Range of Chroma for Walls
As the walls occupy a large proportionate area of the color scheme of the room we find it necessary to reduce them in chroma in order to soften the glare of too brilliant colors. [Figure 457] shows only one instance (14) of a hue unreduced in chroma. It is retained at the full chroma for that value on account of the brightness of the sage green wood stain. The other hues represented in the diagram are grayed or reduced in chroma from three-fourths to less than one-fourth, or to nearly neutral gray.
Rule 12i. Wall colors are usually reduced to three-fourths chroma to a minimum reduction of slightly less than one-fourth chroma.
Range of Chroma for Ceilings
The same tendency toward chromatic reduction is to be seen in ceilings, although we have two examples in [Figure 457] (10 and 13) of nearly white and high light ceilings that have not been reduced. To avoid crudity a reduction in chroma by the addition of gray is to be desired.
Rule 12j. Ceilings should usually be reduced in chroma to three-fourths intensity with slightly less than one-fourth chroma as a minimum reduction.
Summary
With a single exception (3A), the stains and wall tints have been selected between and including the red and green rectangles. This is customary and gives safe hue range as it insures the retention of wall and ceiling hues in unified conformity with the warm tints of the natural wood and its equally dark hued stains.
Wall and Ceiling Pigments
The following is a list of dry colors which may be purchased at a paint or hardware store for a few cents a pound. It is suggested for the designer or craftsman who desires to tint his own wall or ceiling. While oil paint is to be preferred, these colors are readily and quickly applied and form serviceable backgrounds.
Calcimine
The pigments are white, yellow ochre, chrome yellow light, chrome yellow medium, and chrome yellow dark, burnt and raw sienna, turkey and raw umber, ultramarine and ivory black. The greens are preferably mixed by adding ultramarine to one of the chromes. Shades are formed by the addition of the siennas, umbers, or black. Black and white, mixed to a gray, are useful in reducing the chroma of a hue. The stains should be mixed with hot water and a small amount of glue for a binder. White occasionally comes prepared with glue in its composition.
Opaque Wood Finishes
While this chapter has emphasized the transparent finish for wood treatment, as a method best fitted for woods with a distinct grain, it is realized that oil painting of wood surfaces has a distinct and important part to play in the interior decorative scheme of a room. This latter method is adapted to soft woods without a strongly marked grained surface. The warm hued rectangle of the spectrum: red, orange, and yellow with their associated hues, which are so intimately connected with the natural wood colors and their stains, no longer stand as a limiting factor in controlling the color of the wood or the side walls. The opaque nature of oil paints allows us to disregard the color of the wood, and thus select any hue of oil paint which harmonizes with the walls and decorative scheme of the room. The rules stated herein are equally applicable to opaque colors. It may be necessary to reduce oil paints in chroma beyond the point indicated in Rule 12h.
While it is not within the scope of this chapter to enter into a complete discussion of the subject of interior decoration, the following suggestions are considered as applying to our subject: viz., the surface enrichment of large areas. Complete color harmony in interior decoration generally demands the presence of the three so-called primary hues: red, yellow, and blue, in some form in the wall color scheme. While this is not always possible, two may be introduced as follows.
Northern Exposure
The light from the north, northeast, or northwest is cold blue, supplying blue in the decorative scheme of three primary colors: blue, red, and yellow. The wall tints should then be composed of combinations of red and yellow, the remaining primaries. These may be applied to the walls by means of tints of yellow and orange reduced in chroma, or shades of orange and orange-red. No greens or blues should be used.
Southern Exposure
The light from the south, southeast, and southwest supplies plenty of yellow. It is, then, necessary to add the remaining primaries or at least one of them in the form of gray-blue, orange, or orange-yellow, reduced to one-fourth chroma and practically to neutrality or grayish-reds and greens, well reduced in chroma. Any hue strongly yellow should be avoided.
Effects of Hue upon Apparent Size
Certain hues materially affect the apparent size of a room. If the room is small certain values and hues will make it appear much smaller. Dark values, as a rule, make the room look smaller by seemingly drawing the walls closer together. Red contracts the apparent size of a room, while yellow and blue expand it. Green and shades of yellow and red-orange, if not too dark, have little effect upon the apparent size of a room.
SUMMARY OF DESIGN STEPS
(a) Determine, by its exposure, the kind of light the room receives.
(b) Choose a hue for the walls embodying one or both of the primary hues not represented by this daylight.
(c) Select a value and chroma for this hue in accordance with Rules 12b and 12i.
(d) Select a hue, value, and chroma for the ceiling in accordance with Rules 12g, 12e, and 12j.
(e) Select the correct hue, value, and chroma for paint or stain for the wood work in accordance with Rules 12f, 12a, and 12h.
SUGGESTED PROBLEMS
Develop the color scheme for the walls, ceiling, and wood work of a room with a northern exposure; southern exposure. Mix the stain for a piece of oak to harmonize with the wood work and walls of the living room of your home.
Determine the wall tints to harmonize with dark weathered oak. Mix them from dry colors.
SUMMARY OF RULES
Rule 12a. An average wood stain is to be retained between the values middle and low dark.
Rule 12b. An average wall hue is to be retained between the values light and middle.
Rule 12c. An average ceiling hue is to be retained between the values white (minus) and light.
Rule 12d. The relation between the side walls and furniture, trim, etc., should be retained within the range of four values or less, as low light and dark.
Rule 12e. The relation between the side walls and ceiling should be within the range of three values or less, as high light and low light.
Rule 12f. Color schemes for wood work and side walls should preferably be selected from one of the following groupings: analogous, contrasted, or dominant arrangements of hues. Analogous grouping is preferable where variety of hue is desirable.
Rule 12g. Ceilings should be colored by a lighter tint of the side walls or by a lighter tint of an analogous hue.
Rule 12h. Stains are usually not reduced to below three-fourths chromatic intensity. Nearly gray side walls, however, call for a reduction to one-fourth intensity.
Rule 12i. Wall colors are usually reduced to three-fourths chroma to a minimum reduction of slightly less than one-fourth chroma.
Rule 12j. Ceilings should usually be reduced in chroma to three-fourths intensity, with slightly less than one-fourth chroma as a minimum reduction.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What should we have in mind when staining furniture for the home?
2. Why are the side walls important when considering the color scheme of a room?
3. Give the value range for the average wood stains, side walls, and ceiling.
4. State the value range to include wood work, furniture, trim, and side walls.
5. State the value range that includes side walls and ceilings.
6. Give the hue range for wood work and side walls.
7. Explain the analogous, contrasted, and dominant groupings of hues and name two examples of each.
8. Give the hue range for side walls and ceilings. Name several good combinations.
9. Give range of chroma for wood work, side walls, and ceiling. Explain the reasons for each change of chroma.
10. What experience have you had in mixing calcimine for wall decoration?
11. Discuss opaque finishes for wood.
12. Give the hues for rooms with northern and southern exposures. Why?
13. State the effect of hues upon the apparent size of a room.