These six bright colours, when used in conjunction with black and white, with each other, or with their complementaries, will strengthen, intensify and enrich each other without altering their true value—when such vivid effects and sharp contrasts offend the taste of the worker, when they appear too crude, too conspicuous and too obtrusive—which they are apt to do—they may be harmonised quite simply, either by modifying the complementaries or by using a tint or a shade, that is, a lighter or a darker tone of the same colour. The strength and potency of these startling contrasts are in this way tempered; they become less glaring, less assertive, pleasanter and simpler to arrange, and lose the jarring effect they might have if used in their full brilliancy. For simple household articles with little decoration these bright colours may be used with charming effect. It is well to remember, in choosing the tints and shades of a colour, that the foundation material will have a considerable influence on them. On a white ground they will appear stronger and brighter, their tone being heightened by the white or light background, while on a black ground they appear more distinct and brilliant, particularly light ones, the contrast being greater. Dull hues gain in brightness when used with black and lose accordingly when combined with white.
Juxtaposition of Colour.—Colours, then, when associated, influence each other simultaneously in various ways, darkening and lightening, adding to or detracting from, as the case may be—thus, by placing a light and dark one in contact, for example, black and white, the former looks blacker, intenser, while the latter looks more startlingly white on account of its dark neighbour.
It is advisable, also, in arranging the colour scheme—after taking materials and positions into consideration—to determine at the very outset what the leading features are to be, and to have one colour in the scheme more predominant than the others, either in intensity or in area. There should be some central point or points of interest which will attract the eye to certain parts of the construction.
PLATE II.
SOME USEFUL STITCHES ([See p. 29])
A Dominant Colour.—A liberal use of a dominant colour, by conveying a definite impression, will give decision of character as well as beauty of tone to the work, while a vague, uncertain, or too equally distributed arrangement will leave an unsatisfied and indefinite impression on the mind.
There are abundant suggestions to be had from fields, hedgerows, flowers, plumage of birds, etc., for the embroideress who can adapt them to her purpose, but a simpler plan for the beginner is to choose her colour scheme from a good picture, a coloured illustration, a piece of chintz, cretonne or good brocade, or, when possible, to study the various pieces of old embroidery preserved in our museums, as a record of the time when we could compete with other countries, when embroidery was almost the sole occupation of women of rank, as it was of the occupants of the convents.
Green.—If we were to use one of the primaries as a dominating colour, say green, a bluish-green, we might have as a background a deep pomegranate red, the design could be worked out in bluish-greens, grey-greens, soft blues and purples, with touches of pale chamois yellow here and there; all the colours should have a tinge of bluish-green, the combining colour.
Blue.—Or we might choose blue, the pleasantest, simplest and most harmonious combining colour, and select as a background a warm white or cream. The decoration could be carried out in various tones of blue, deep rich blue, turquoise, deep and pale orange, and a blue grey—much would depend on the tones used in combination and the manner in which they were employed. Always avoid a spotty effect, and do not contrast colours too suddenly in an endeavour to emphasise special points.