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October 30, 2017

Tavis Leaf Glover
0 Comments
Balance, Color , Composition,
Figure Ground Relationship,
Painting
balance, color theory ,
composition, figure ground
relationship, how to ,
paintings, technique, van gogh

T h a n ks a g a in fo r
e ve ryth in g yo u g u ys!
W e lco m e b a ck to a n o th e r
g re a t a rticle !

W e ’re g o in g to b e d ig g in g
d e e p in to V in ce n t V a n
G o g h ’s p a in tin g s a n d se e
th e co lo r co m b in a tio n s h e
u se d to h e lp u s w ith color

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theory. W e ’ll a n a lyz e 1 5
p a in tin g s fo r co lo r, se e
w h y th e y w o rk, th e n
co m p a re th e m to e a ch
o th e r. T h e co lo rs yo u
ch o o se to in clu d e in yo u r
p a in tin g o r p h o to g ra p h
a re im p o rta n t fo r cre a tin g
color harmony, b u t yo u
a lso m u st cre a te a
hierarchy fo r p ro p e r
b a la n ce . W e ’ll co ve r a ll o f
th a t to d a y!

A s yo u ’ve se e n in m a n y
articles (se e b e lo w ), co lo r
h a s th e p o te n tia l to
co n tro l th e vie w e rs e ye s,
g ive b irth to d istra ctio n s,
o r cre a te b e a u tifu l
h a rm o n y. It’s b e e n a
d ifficu lt to p ic to g ra sp fo r
m a n y a rtists, b u t w h e n w e
b re a k d o w n th e p a in tin g s
w ith e x ce lle n t co lo rs, w e
ca n b e g in to u n d e rsta n d
it b e tte r.

Articles covering color:

Day 178, Day 179, Day
181, Day 183, Day 337,
#370, #371, #400, #404,
PC&D book

W e ca n ’t co ve r a ll o f th e
te ch n iq u e s in th is a rticle ,
b u t w e w ill d iscu ss a lo t o f
th e m w h ile u sin g V a n
G o g h ’s p a in tin g s fo r
re fe re n ce .

H e re ’s so m e q u ick
d e fin itio n s (a s I’ve le a rn e d
th e m ) to g e t u s sta rte d ,
b u t th e se w ill b e
e la b o ra te d fu rth e r b e lo w .
I’m sim p lifyin g th e se
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I’m sim p lifyin g th e se
te rm s to o … th is ke e p s it
e a sy to u n d e rsta n d
in ste a d o f co n fu sin g w ith
a ll o f th e d iffe re n t co lo r
te rm s (i.e . a n a lo g o u s,
co m p lim e n ta ry,
m o n o ch ro m a tic, te rtia ry,
e tc). W e d o n ’t n e e d to
m a ke it m o re d ifficu lt a t
th e m o m e n t.

Hierarchy – In th is ca se ,
w e a re ta lkin g a b o u t th e
a p p ro x im a te a m o u n t o f
e a ch co lo r p re se n t in th e
p ie ce o f a rt.

Color Harmony – W h e n
th e co lo rs g o w e ll
to g e th e r in ste a d o f
cla sh in g .

Color Balance – W h e n a
h ie ra rch y is cre a te d w ith
th e se le cte d co lo rs, w h ile
a lso co m p lim e n tin g th e
re a d a b ility o f th e
co m p o sitio n .w

Completed Color Balance

– T h e sa m e a s co lo r
b a la n ce , b u t u sin g
va ria tio n s o f fo u r co lo rs:
re d , b lu e , g re e n a n d
ye llo w .

Side Note About the Term

“Balance”: W h e n w e h e a r
th e w o rd “b a la n ce ,” w e
m ig h t b e th in kin g it
m e a n s to h a ve e q u a l p a rts
(i.e . h a lf re d a n d h a lf
b lu e ). Y e t, if w e cre a te d
th is sym m e trica l b a la n ce
b e tw e e n m a n y co lo rs, w e
w o u ld n ’t h a ve a p le a sin g
p a in tin g . W e w o u ld e n d
u p w ith so m e th in g th a t
lo o ke d like th e co lo r
w h e e l. T h e re n e e d s to b e
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w h e e l. T h e re n e e d s to b e
a n o tice a b le h ie ra rch y in
yo u r co lo rs. W e ca n sa fe ly
sa y th e te rm “b a la n ce ,”
w h e n re fe rrin g to co lo r,
ca n b e e a sily
m isco n stru e d .

W h e n w e lo o k a t a
p a in tin g w ith n ice co lo rs,
a n d w a n t to le a rn m o re
a b o u t th e co lo r h a rm o n y
a n d b a la n ce , w e ca n
b re a k it d o w n b y
h ie ra rch y. T o d o th is w e
ca n m a ke n o te o f th e
m o st p ro m in e n t co lo r,
se co n d m o st p ro m in e n t,
th ird , a n d fo u rth . W e ’re
lo o kin g fo r va ria tio n s o f
re d , b lu e , ye llo w , a n d
g re e n , w h ich h e lp
co m p le te th e b a la n ce a n d
h a rm o n y.

By u sin g th e te rm
variations, I’m re fe rrin g
to hues (co lo rs a n d
co m b in a tio n s), tints
(cre a te d b y a d d in g w h ite ),
tones (cre a te d b y a d d in g
g ra y), a n d shades
(cre a te d b y a d d in g b la ck).
T h e se m o stly h a ve a n
im p a ct o n co m p o sitio n
a n d n o t co lo r b a la n ce . Le t
m e e x p la in fu rth e r,
b e ca u se th a t so u n d s
kin d a co n fu sin g .

In th e d ia g ra m b e lo w ,
w e ’ll se e th e h ie ra rch y o f
co lo rs; first is ye llo w ,
se co n d is g re e n , th ird is
re d , fo u rth is b lu e . V a n
G o g h h a s g o t th e fo u r

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co lo rs fo r a co m p le te
co lo r b a la n ce , b u t n o tice
h o w w e a re n ’t re a lly
co n ce rn e d w ith a n y
va ryin g h u e s, tin ts, to n e s,
a n d sh a d e s. W e a re ju st
lo o kin g a t th e h ie ra rch y
h e ’s cre a te d w ith th e fo u r
co lo rs. P ro p e r a p p lica tio n
o f th e h u e s, tin ts, to n e s,
a n d sh a d e s o f th e se fo u r
co lo rs a re w h a t w ill h e lp
h is co m p o sitio n to b e
re a d cle a rly.

H e ’s g o t a co u p le h u e s o f
ye llo w a n d g re e n , so le t’s
ta ke a lo o k a t th o se . W h e n
w e lo o k a t th e lig h t
ye llo w -g re e n b a ckg ro u n d
it h e lp s th e d a rk ye llo w
flo w e rs sta n d o u t…
cre a tin g a n ice figure-
ground relationship
(FGR) (se e D a y 2 1 ). W e
ca n se e h o w th e lo w
h a n g in g ye llo w flo w e r o n
th e le ft isn ’t e a sily se e n
like th e d a rk ye llo w
flo w e rs. S u re , w e se e th e
g re e n ste m o f th is flo w e r,
b u t n o t th e ye llo w p e ta ls.
W h e n w e lo o k a t th e d a rk
g re e n ste m s o f th e o th e r
flo w e rs w e ca n se e th a t
th e y sta n d o u t b e tte r
a g a in st th e lig h t
b a ckg ro u n d . If h e u se d
th e lig h t g re e n co lo r o f
th e flo w e r’s ce n te r to
p a in t th e ste m s it
w o u ld n ’t h a ve e n o u g h
co n tra st… re d u cin g th e
n ice F G R .

S o , th e se d iffe re n t h u e s,
tin ts, to n e s, a n d sh a d e s o f
co lo rs h e lp w ith th e

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co m p o sitio n , w h ile th e
ch o ice o f co lo rs h e lp s
w ith th e co lo r b a la n ce . W e
d o n ’t a lw a ys h a ve to h a ve
th e fo u r co lo rs (o r
va ria tio n s) re d , b lu e ,
ye llo w , g re e n to h a ve
co lo r b a la n ce , b u t w h e n
co m b in e d w ith a
h ie ra rch y it completes th e
co lo r b a la n ce .

W e ca n ta ke o u r h ie ra rch y
fro m a b o ve a n d sim p lify it
in to a b a r fo rm a t. Y o u
co u ld u se a circle p ie ,
tria n g le , o r a n y o th e r
sh a p e to cre a te a visu a l
a id fo r th e h ie ra rch y, b u t
th e b a r w o rks fo r th e se
e x a m p le s.

T h is h ie ra rch y h e lp s o n ly
if th e re is a n o tice a b le
d iffe re n ce in th e a m o u n t
o f e a ch co lo r. If yo u r
ca n va s o r p h o to s h a ve
2 9 % ye llo w , 2 6 % g re e n ,
2 5 % re d , a n d 2 0 % b lu e ,
th e n th e h ie ra rch y w o n ’t
b e e a sily p e rce ive d b y th e
vie w e r. W e ca n se e th a t
V a n G o g h se le cte d h is
h ie ra rch y o f co lo rs
p ro p e rly in th is p a in tin g .

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What about Neutrals? W e
w o n ’t in clu d e n e u tra ls
(b e ig e , g ra y, w h ite , b la ck)
in o u r sw a tch e ith e r
b e ca u se th e y w ill typ ica lly
h e lp th e o ve ra ll
co m p o sitio n a n d b a la n ce
n o m a tte r w h a t. N e u tra ls
g o g re a t w ith a n y o th e r
co lo r.

I cre a te d a co u p le o f
sim p le a b stra ct e x a m p le s
in P h o to sh o p b y u sin g th e
co lo r th e o ry w e ju st
co ve re d (a n d th e P h i
g rid ). In th is first
e x a m p le , I h a ve a ll o f th e
fo u r co lo rs, a n d I’ve g o t
th e m in a h ie ra rch y. F irst
re d , th e n b lu e , ye llo w ,
a n d g re e n . I’m a lso
p a yin g a tte n tio n to gamut
(re p e a tin g d ia g o n a ls) (se e
D a y 3 8 ), th e Law of
Symmetry (visu a l b a la n ce )
(se e D a y 5 7 ), a dominant
diagonal (b a ro q u e ) (se e
D a y 6 3 ), Law of
Symmetry (visu a l b a la n ce )
(se e D a y 5 7 ), Law of
Continuity (co in cid e n ce s)
(se e D a y 1 7 ), a n d Law of
Closure (h e a rt sh a p e )
(se e D a y 3 2 ). S im p le stu ff
th o u g h … a ll I d id w a s
tra ce th e p h i g rid . M o M A
h e re I co m e !

O n e th in g to m a ke n o te o f
is th e co lo r h a rm o n y… th e
w a y th e co lo rs te n d to g o
to g e th e r. A n o th e r th in g
to m a ke n o te o f is th e

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re a d a b ility o f th e
co m p o sitio n . W e h a ve
lig h t b lu e o n a d a rk re d
b a ckg ro u n d … cre a tin g
n ice F G R . T h e lig h te r
ye llo w is a lso o n th e b lu e
a n d re d . If th e se co lo rs
w e re n ’t lig h te r th a n th e
re d , th e co m p o sitio n
w o u ld n ’t b e ve ry readable
a n d th e co lo rs w o u ld sta rt
to clash… lo o kin g ve ry
u n p le a sin g .

In th is b la ck a n d w h ite
ve rsio n w e ca n se e h o w
th e to n a l va lu e o f th e
ye llo w , g re e n , a n d b lu e
co lo rs a re cle a rly visib le
a g a in st th e re d
b a ckg ro u n d .

In th is n e x t e x a m p le , w e
ca n se e h o w th e co lo rs
d o n ’t w o rk to g e th e r, th e y
cla sh . T h e y a ll b e g o u r
a tte n tio n in ste a d o f
singing together in
h a rm o n y. H a rm o n y is
u su a lly th e e a sy p a rt.
M o st o f u s ca n te ll if
co lo rs g o w e ll w ith e a ch
o th e r, b u t w e h a ve to
m a ke su re to e ith e r tin t,
to n e , o r sh a d e th e m to
m a ke th e m sin g to g e th e r
in h a rm o n y a n d cre a te a

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in h a rm o n y a n d cre a te a
re a d a b le co m p o sitio n
w ith h ie ra rch y.

W e ca n se e so m e p re tty
b a d cla sh in g co lo rs in th is
logo fro m th e 2 0 1 2
O lym p ics. C a n yo u
id e n tify w h a t is w ro n g
n o w ? T h e co lo rs a re
fig h tin g e a ch o th e r…
la ckin g h a rm o n y.

In th is n e x t e x a m p le , w e
sw itch a ro u n d so m e o f
th e co lo rs fro m o u r first
e x a m p le , a n d th e sa m e
co lo r co n ce p ts fo r
h a rm o n y a n d b a la n ce a re
a p p lie d . In o rd e r to h a ve a
n ice co m p o sitio n w e n e e d
to e n su re th e co lo rs o n
to p o f th e lig h t g re e n
b a ckg ro u n d a re e ith e r
lig h te r o r d a rke r. In th is
ca se , I m a d e a ll o f th e
co lo rs d a rke r th a n th e
lig h t g re e n . W e h a ve a
co m p le te co lo r b a la n ce a s
w e ll b e ca u se th e re is a
h ie ra rch y in clu d in g th e
fo u r co lo rs, a n d th e
re a d a b ility o f th e
co m p o sitio n is
co m p lim e n te d .

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H e re is th e b la ck a n d
w h ite ve rsio n , w h e re w e
ca n se e th e to n a l va lu e .
T h e ye llo w m a y b e m o re
intense th a n th e lig h t
g re e n , b u t it is still d a rke r
in to n a l va lu e . In te re stin g
rig h t?

If w e d o n ’t in clu d e o n e o f
o u r co lo rs, like re d , w e
ca n se e th e d iffe re n ce in
th e co lo r b a la n ce . T h e
co lo rs still lo o k g o o d
to g e th e r, b u t th e co lo r
p a le tte se e m s to b e
m issin g so m e th in g . T h e
re d co m p le te s th e
b a la n ce .

D o yo u se e a co lo r palette
yo u p re fe r m o re th a n th e
o th e r? Id e n tify yo u r
fa vo rite a n d se e if it’s a
V a n G o g h p a in tin g yo u
a re fa m ilia r w ith . M a yb e
it’s o n e yo u ’ve lo ve d fo r a
lo n g tim e , o r m a yb e it’s a
n e w o n e . It w ill b e
in te re stin g to se e h o w th e
co lo rs a ffe ct yo u r
d e cisio n .

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A n o th e r th in g to n o te , is
th e w a y th e co lo rs ch a n g e
d e p e n d in g o n it’s
su rro u n d in g co lo r. If w e
lo o k a t th e co m p le te se t
o f sw a tch e s it d o e sn ’t
se e m to h a ve m u ch
h a rm o n y b e ca u se th e
co lo rs a re ve ry clo se to
e a ch o th e r. O n ly w h e n w e
lo o k a t e a ch strip
in d ivid u a lly, d o e s it sta rt
to h a rm o n iz e .

N o n e o f th e co lo rs V a n
G o g h u se s is stra ig h t
fro m th e tu b e s. W e ca n
se e th is in th e sw a tch e s
a b o ve , w h ich sh o w a ll o f
h is p a le tte s fro m th e
fo llo w in g e x a m p le s.
E ve ryth in g is slig h tly
m ix e d w ith o th e r co lo rs
to cre a te a d iffe re n t
va ria tio n , w h ich is g re a t.
T h e first th in g m o st
p a in te rs le a rn is to m ix
th e co lo rs (w ith o th e r
co lo rs o r n e u tra ls), a n d
n o t u se it stra ig h t fro m
th e tu b e . O f co u rse , th e re
a re a lw a ys circu m sta n ce s
th a t ca ll fo r th e ra w
co lo rs.

P le a se scro ll d o w n to

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e n jo y 1 5 o f V a n G o g h ’s
p a in tin g s w ith th e co lo r
sw a tch o f h ie ra rch y.

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W h e th e r yo u a re
p h o to g ra p h in g co lo rs o r
p a in tin g th e m , a lw a ys try
to cre a te a h ie ra rch y. If
yo u ca n in clu d e th e fo u r
co lo rs (re d , ye llo w , b lu e ,
g re e n ) a n d a llo w th e m to
sin g in h a rm o n y (in ste a d
o f cla sh ) w ith d iffe re n t
n e u tra ls, tin ts, to n e s, a n d
sh a d e s th e n yo u ’ll b e o n
yo u r w a y to m a ste rin g
co lo r th e o ry in a sim p le
w a y.

T h a n ks fo r jo in in g in
to d a y, a n d h u g e th a n ks
fo r e ve ryth in g ! I re a lly
a p p re cia te yo u a ll! T a ke
ca re , se e yo u n e x t tim e !

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