Chapter 4

Quaternary, 24 parts Yellow, 16 parts Blue, 24 parts Red 25 parts Red, 23 parts Yellow, 16 parts Blue 26 parts Red, 22 parts Yellow, 16 parts Blue 27 parts Red, 21 parts Yellow, 16 parts Blue 28 parts Red, 20 parts Yellow, 16 parts Blue 29 parts Red, 19 parts Yellow, 16 parts Blue 30 parts Red, 18 parts Yellow, 16 parts Blue 31 parts Red, 17 parts Yellow, 16 parts Blue

PLUM:

Quaternary, 24 parts Red, 16 parts Yellow, 24 parts Blue 25 parts Blue, 23 parts Red, 16 parts Yellow 26 parts Blue, 22 parts Red, 16 parts Yellow 27 parts Blue, 21 parts Red, 16 parts Yellow 28 parts Blue, 20 parts Red, 16 parts Yellow 29 parts Blue, 19 parts Red, 16 parts Yellow 30 parts Blue, 18 parts Red, 16 parts Yellow 31 parts Blue, 17 parts Red, 16 parts Yellow

131. One who attempts to make color compositions with no more reliable guide than taste can expect to accomplish no more than he who in music possesses a good ear but no musical training.

132. The note of discord in color is best avoided by an infallible guide, as the discord in music is best avoided by thorough training in the law of harmony. The color chart on page 73 has been so arranged that each of the shades is in exact harmony with the shade directly opposite.

133. For example, to ascertain the color that is in harmony with the shade denominated Red-Orange, it is necessary simply to lay a ruler across the diagram to find the corresponding harmony, which is Blue-Green.

134. We know that the primary colors are red, yellow and blue, and that the combination of any two of these gives a secondary color. The secondary color is the complement of the remaining third color; thus yellow and blue form green, and green is the complement or contrasting harmony of red. Red and yellow form orange, and orange is the complement of blue. Blue and red form violet, and violet is the complement of yellow. These are facts we all know. Now, if red is the complement or contrasting harmony of green, and yellow contrasts with violet, then red with one, two or three degrees of yellow added will contrast with green with one, two or three degrees of blue added.

Assume, for example, that a decorator dealing with a red side-wall wishes upholsterings in the correct shade of green. He knows he has a red wall, he knows also that he wishes to use some shade of green, but without some fixed standard it is impossible for him to do more than approximate the correct shade of green to use. If, however, he could compare the red of his wall with his color chart and determine exactly which of the many shades of red, or which of the many yellow reds, or blue reds, the wall is toned in, it is a simple process to ascertain the exact green harmonizing with this red.

The second great use of the color chart is then an infallible guide to color harmony, whether analagous or contrasting.

OLD SYSTEM| R |RRO|RO |ROO| O |OOY| OY|OYY| Y |YYG| YG|YGG| G |GGB| GB| ------|===|===|===|===|======|===|===|===|======|===|===|===|=====|===|===| NEW | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| 13 | 14| 15| SYSTEM|RED|R 7|R 6|R 5|ORANGE|R 3|R 2|R 1|YELLOW|Y 7|Y 6|Y 5|GREEN|Y 3|Y 2| | |Y 1|Y 2|Y 3| |Y 5|Y 6|Y 7| |B 1|B 2|B 3| |B 5|B 6| +---+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+---+--+---+---+---+-----+---+---+ H[A]| |56R|48R|40R| 32R |40Y|48Y|56Y| |56Y|48Y|40Y| 32Y |40B|48B| NORMAL| 64| | | | | | | | 64 | | | | | | | LINE | | 8Y|16Y|24Y| 32Y |24R|16R| 8R| | 8B|16B|24B| 32B |24Y|16Y| +---+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+---+--+---+---+---+-----+---+---+ I[B]|56R|49R|42R|35R| 28R |35Y|42Y|49Y| 50Y |49Y|42Y|35Y| 28Y |35B|42B| | | 7Y|14Y|21Y| 28Y |21R|14R| 7R| | 7B|14B|21B| 28B |21Y|14Y| | 8W| 8W| 8W| 8W| 8W | 8W| 8W| 8W| 8W | 8W| 8W| 8W| 8W | 8W| 8W| +---+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+-----+---+---+ J|48R|42R|36R|30R| 24R |30Y|36Y|42Y| 48Y |48Y|36Y|30Y| 24Y |30B|36B| | | 6Y|12Y|18Y| 24Y |18R|12R| 6R| | 6B|12B|18B| 24B |18Y|12Y| |16W|16W|16W|16W| 16W |16W|16W|16W| 16W |16W|16W|16W| 16W |16W|16W| +---+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+-----+---+---+ K|40R|35R|30R|25R| 20R |25Y|30Y|40Y| 40Y |35Y|30Y|35Y| 20Y |25B|30B| | | 5Y|10Y|15Y| 20Y |15R|10R| 5R| | 5B|10B|15B| 20B |15Y| | | W|24W|24W|24W| 24W |24W|24W|24W| 16W |24W|24W|24W| 24W | | | +---+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+-----+---+---+ L|32R|28R|24R|20R| 16R |20Y|24Y|28Y| 32Y |28Y|24Y|20Y| | | | | | 4Y| 8Y| 8Y| 16Y |12R| 8R| 4R| | 4B| 8B| | | | | |32W|32W|32W|32W| 32W |32W|32W|32W| 32W |32W| | | | | | +---+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+-----+---+---+ M|24R|21R|18R|15R| 12R |15Y|18R|21Y| 24Y | | | | | | | | | 3Y| 6Y| 9Y| 12Y | 9R| 6R| | | | | | | | | |40W|40W|40W|40W| 40W |40W| | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+------+---+---+---+-----+---+---+

A color is indicated by the intersection lines perpendicular and horizontal.

[A] This line shows the colors of the normal scale running from Red (R) to Yellow (Y) to Blue (B) to Red (R).

[B] This line and all below it show the same primary and secondary colors lightened by added white.

#ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING#

135. In considering artificial light, we will avoid all efforts to analyze the different forms of energy, magnetic energy, electric energy, heat energy, mechanical momentum, radiating energy, and deal with result rather than with cause and effect. It will be sufficient to state as the deduction of the scientist that certain waves or vibrations which affect the fibers of the optic nerve are transmitted by the brain into color. (¶ 3.) Self-luminous bodies are bodies which produce light. Illuminated bodies shine by borrowed light, and are distinguished by the different amounts and quantities of light which they reflect. A dense cloud which appears nearly black when between the observer's eye and the sun, owing to the degree of density with which it intercepts the light, may become brilliantly white when the sun's rays fall upon its constituent particles, for the light which cannot penetrate the cloud is continually reflected to and from the surface of its minute parts. Thus it happens that the lower part of a cloud seen against a background of dark mountain may appear white, while the upper part may appear dull gray. In the alteration of reflection we have an alteration of color. A stick of sealing wax will show in some positions white reflected light, while in other positions we see only the red. A polished plane furnishes one kind of reflection, a piece of chalk another.

136. The decorator has for years past been disposed to defer to the illuminating engineer in the artificial lighting of a home. But while the technical man or engineer may have a knowledge of power and energy, he has not studied the decorative value of lighting. His problem has been economic rather than psychologic. The illuminating engineer cannot be expected to appreciate fully the harmonies of color in decoration.

137. It is the decorator's province to consider not only the power of light in the furnishing of a house, but the character of the light--not only its color influence, but the structural character of its introduction, as affecting these furnishings. It is beyond his province to determine whether carbon should be replaced by tantalum, osmium or tungsten to get higher efficiency, but he must understand the effects of these lights and prescribe accordingly.

#ABSORPTION AND REFLECTION#

138. The architect who designates the number and location of outlets for the lighting sources, and specifies the candle-power of the lamps, knows nothing of the ultimate decoration of the house. Very often the specifications are finished before the color scheme has been decided upon, and as a result the degree of illumination either falls short of what is needed in case of dark-colored interiors, or proves excessive with light-tinted rooms. The architect works from one point, economy, the decorator from another, æsthetic; while the householder, the consumer who pays the illuminating bills, cannot comprehend why his lighting bills increase as his taste for luminous or dark-colored furnishings is gratified. Many houses are left in the white plaster for a year or more until the plaster settles. In this condition a small unit of light is sufficient, but when the decorator completes his work, adding fabrics and wall-papers which absorb and diminish the light, the householder, unaware of the cause, notices a material increase in his bills for illumination. These facts must be understood to be remedied, and it remains for the illuminating engineer to determine by direct experiment the value of any light as it affects and influences color, as well as the value of color as it affects light. It may be assumed without danger that the softest light is that of the candle, but we are not living in the candle age, and have to deal with either gas or electricity as the main illuminating agents.

139. We have to consider the mercury arc light, the yellow flame carbon, the white magnetite and titanium arc--all of high efficiency, giving orange yellow in the flame-carbon to yellow and yellow white in the acetyline of the tungsten filaments. Then we have the greenish yellow of the Welsbach mantle, the bluish green of the mercury arc, the yellowish white of the carbon arc, as well as the clear white of the titanium arc.

140. The subject may be divided into three heads: Quality, or approximation to natural light. Quantity, as demanded by reflection or absorption. Installation, diffusion or mechanical distribution.

141. Normal light is the light of general diffusion in daylight, and when we can find an artificial light that has the character of natural light we will have what is obviously the best illuminant for the home. Bear in mind that natural light as it appears out of doors is materially altered when indoors by the presence of different planes and angles, which cast and receive various depths of shadow; the quality required is that which will provide illumination without glare. The sun's rays are softened and mellowed by the depth of air through which they pass, and it is this mellowness that is the chief requisite in illumination.

Good decorative illumination does not mean illumination that reveals every hidden corner of a room. We need shadows to betray form, relieve monotony and give depth to the _ensemble_. If in an illuminated area light is of a uniform intensity, we have a bad effect. The variation of tone in a fabric is due to the light reaching it from a given point. Differences in intensity make shadows and tones.

142. The illuminating engineer treats the home as he treats a public hall. He ignores the individuality of the room; the ball-room and the sickroom are lighted alike. He does not always consider the diminished force of light as it passes through a refracting surface, for it must be borne in mind that any method of indirect lighting by refraction is apt to cause a loss of volume. The use of various kinds of globes or lamp shades must all be considered. A light-colored wall reflects illumination, a dark-colored wall absorbs it; hence the amount of illumination is increased or diminished by the color of the walls.

#LIGHT EFFECT ON COLOR#

143. To illuminate a city, with the dull grim environment of streets and houses, a soft yellow glow will give warmth and tone; the greenish yellow of the Welsbach or the blue green of the mercury arc may even be desirable, but the same green or violet rays are ghastly in a house, and should never be permitted.

144. The warm glow of the yellow light, while pleasing to the complexion, is, however, objectionable as disturbing the color composition of dress or furnishings. A gaslight sends a yellow glow over all that it reaches, and has the same effect as the introduction of yellow into every color tint in the room. The walls that are red take on a scarlet hue; the scarlet ones are yellowed to orange; the blues become greenish.

145. In order that the decorator may more readily grasp the subject, we have arranged a table showing the color changes effected by rays of yellow, blue, green and violet:

Orange rays falling on white make it appear orange. " " red it appears reddish-orange. " " orange it appears deeper orange. " " yellow it appears orange-yellow. " " green it appears dark yellow-green. " " blue it appears dark reddish-gray. " " violet it appears dark purplish-gray. " " black it appears brownish-black.

Yellow rays falling on white make it appear yellow. " " red make it appear orange-brown. " " orange make it appear orange-yellow. " " yellow make it appear deeper yellow. " " green make it appear yellowish-green. " " blue make it appear slaty-gray. " " violet make it appear purplish-gray. " " black make it appear olive-black.

Green rays falling on white make it appear green. " " red make it appear yellowish-brown. " " orange make it appear grayish-leaf-green. " " yellow make it appear yellowish-green. " " green make it appear deeper green. " " blue make it appear bluish-green. " " violet make it appear bluish-gray. " " black make it appear dark greenish-gray.

Blue rays falling on white make it appear blue. " " red make it appear purple. " " orange make it appear plum-brown. " " yellow make it appear yellowish-gray. " " green make it appear bluish-green. " " blue make it appear deeper blue. " " violet make it appear bluer. " " black make it appear bluish-black.

Violet rays falling on white make it appear violet. " " red make it appear purple. " " orange make it appear reddish-gray. " " yellow make it appear purplish-gray. " " green make it appear bluish-gray. " " blue make it appear bluish-violet. " " violet make it appear deeper violet. " " black make it appear violet-black.

146. The pale tints of electric lights, which make every face in a room look ghastly, will affect quite as disastrously every soft color in the furnishings. In ordinary gaslight a pair of white gloves looks yellow, and we have seen Welsbach lamps which threw out a violet-blue illumination, depressing in the extreme. Under a yellow glow, blues, greens, violets and purples are greatly changed. Under a violet glow, yellows and greens are ruined. To see all colors in about the same value that they possess by daylight one must have a light in which no color tone is apparent.

The question as to the disposition and intensity of the lights is of vital importance, and must be considered with the requirements of each particular room in mind.

147. For the drawing-room and reception-room it is desirable that all parts of the room be evenly lighted, without a pronounced glare in any particular part of the room. One of the most effective ways of accomplishing this is by distributing the lights around the room, either on the ceiling, in the cove or above a wide molding, so that the ceiling acts as a reflecting agent, and distributes an even tone of light to all parts.

#ILLUMINATION#

148. For the dining-room and living-room a different plan must be used, because of the different requirements. The table is usually in such rooms the chief feature of the furnishings, and it is customary to focus upon it the main body of light. While this is obviously necessary, the surroundings must not be ignored; neither is it possible to raise the center light to such a height that its radiation may reach all parts of the room, because in so doing the light reaches the eye at an extremely unpleasant angle. The drop fixture should be low enough to effectively light all parts of the table, while at the same time its shade should screen the light from the eyes of the room's occupants. To illuminate the surrounding parts of the room other lights should be distributed where they will most effectively supply what further illumination is required.

149. For the bedroom or boudoir the location of the lights should also be subordinated to the purposes of the room, and in addition to providing sufficient illumination to the entire area, special illumination should be provided for the mirrors and the dressing-table. The lights for the mirrors should be planned to illuminate the person and not the image.

150. For large reception-rooms in hotels and public institutions the plan is frequently adopted of having all light provided by small table lamps with opalescent shades. These provide a medium glow throughout the entire room that is pleasing, and avoid entirely the garishness usually associated with such rooms. One of the mistakes of the day is the use of high-power lights, which are so intense that they require to be screened or shaded, involving waste of light and concentrating an unnecessary amount of illumination upon a narrow sphere.

#REFLECTIVE POWER OF COLOR#

The following table will give an idea of the percentage of light reflected from ordinary wall-hangings and papers:

Per Cent. Reflection

White blotting-paper .82 White cartridge-paper .80 Ordinary foolscap .70 Ordinary newspaper .50 to .70 Chrome yellow paper .62 Orange paper .50 Yellow wall-paper .40 Yellow painted wall (clean) .40 Tracing cloth, pale blue .35 Light pink paper .36 Blue paper .25 Emerald green .18 Dark brown paper .13 Vermilion paper .12 Blue green paper .12 Cobalt blue paper .12 Black paper 0.5 Deep chocolate paper 0.4 French ultramarine blue paper 3.5 Black cloth 1.2 Black velvet 0.4

151. It is very difficult to select practical artificial illuminants, because of the various color properties possessed by each. A Welsbach mantle, which gives a greenish tint, is pretty sure to alter the character of any color other than green. Incandescent electric light, as well as ordinary gaslight, contains a yellow tint.

#THE COLOR OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS#

152. In planning or matching colors for a room, it is best to consider the purpose for which the room is to be used, and match the colors under the same light conditions that will prevail in the finished room.

Deep, full colors are less affected by the shadings in artificial illuminants than lighter tones of the same color.

ILLUMINANT. COLOR.

Sun (high in sky) White. Sun (near horizon) Orange red. Sky light Bluish white. Electric arc (short) White. Electric arc (long) Bluish white to violet. Nernst lamp White. Incandescent (normal) Yellow-white. Incandescent (below voltage) Orange to orange-red. Acetyline flame Nearly white. Welsbach light Greenish white. Gaslight (Siemens burner) Nearly white, faint yellow tinge. Gaslight (ordinary) Yellowish white to pale orange. Kerosene lamp Yellowish white to pale orange. Candle Orange yellow.

#ARTIFICIAL LIGHT APPLICATION#

153. The introduction of light by the medium of a wire, which may be carried to any point in a room, encourages so many possibilities for comfort and effect that it behooves us to forget traditional customs which were established during the gaslight period. The introduction of gaslight through tubes was a rather complex problem, and the carrying of the pipes into the room through a main chandelier was the most advisable constructive form. But we have no need for such cumbersome fixtures in this day of wiring.

A mere cord takes the place of an inch pipe. Modern German and Austrian lighting fixtures frequently are mere pendants, with the cord frankly in evidence. In this way the lights may be placed wherever needed--at the head of the lounge, so one may read more clearly by it; close by the piano; over the tea-table. In fact, supplementary lights to the general illumination are a convenience that the decorator should consider.

154. The lighting of a house is a matter so dependent upon æsthetic conditions that it is never within the scope of the electrician. It is a problem for a decorator alone to solve. Intense and glaring lights of unusual power must be avoided. Luminants of low intrinsic brilliancy are preferable.

155. The floor is the least important surface for illumination, and has no reflecting power of value. The walls vary in value according to their color and surface. With lights radiating upward, however, the ceiling possesses definite power, and should be considered.

156. Dark colors absorb light, while white and light colors reflect, and this must always be remembered; for upon the character of the decorations and furnishings of various rooms the quantity as well as the quality of light has serious influence.

#POWER NECESSARY#

157. While the list which we give herewith is based largely upon area, it may be taken as a basis of calculation for lighting equipment.

It is estimated that 300 square feet of a hallway requires four sixteen-candlepower, or eight eight-candlepower units.

In a room 20 x 20 feet, with furnishings of mahogany and green, broken up by bookcases and other furniture producing heavy shadows, it is estimated that twelve eight-candlepower lights are sufficient if worked into the frieze, and that a reading lamp of not less than thirty-two-candlepower be used as a drop light.

Assuming a room is 15 x 15 feet, and furnished in light tones, four eight-candlepower lamps are ample.

A living-room 20 x 25 feet, in light tones of color, requires two thirty-two-candlepower lights, centrally located, and about twelve eight-candlepower lights. This should provide brilliant illumination.

A room 15 x 20 feet, in dark wood and hangings, needs eight eight-candlepower reflector lamps, backed up by six more eight-candlepower lamps.

Bedrooms 15 x 15 feet in size, where they are not furnished in deep colors, should be equipped with two sixteen-candlepower lights.

#COLOR CONTROL#