Colors are shifty buggers. The way we process visual information causes colors to change in relationship to what they’re next to, giving us a constant source of optical illusions. This makes mixing accurate color rather complicated. Below are a few optical quandaries to illustrate how complicated this “accurate seeing” stuff can be.
“A thing is never seen as it really is.” – Albers
These illusions are excellent illustrations of why color mixing is so danged difficult. The grey bar in the gradient is the same color across. Both the orange bars are the same color, and on the next it looks like one bar is blue and the other is green, but again, they are the same. Below are some more optical illusion reveals.
[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”3565″ image_2_url=”3575[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”3566″ image_2_url=”3576 The “blue” tiles on the left are the same color as the “yellow” tiles on the right. They are both grey. [nectar_image_comparison image_url=”3586″ image_2_url=”3587
The right eye appears to be cyan in the left image, yellow in the middle one, and red in the right one, though in each image the right eye is the same color as the left eye. Color constancy is supposed to be perfect when in each image the right eye appears to be the same color as the bead on the hair.
Color contrast using the same color combinations as the faces above. The small square in each image is the same color as the “eye” in of the face, respectively. The surround in each image is the same color as the “skin” of the face, respectively.
[image_with_animation image_url=”3579″ alignment=”” animation=”None Images from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/228490244_fig1_Fig-1-Colour-illusion-by-colour-constancy-The-right-eye-appears-to-be-cyan-in-the-left These optical tricks are happening all the time, in everything we look at. Color changes according to what it’s next to. This means everywhere there is a color, this is happening in some small or dramatic measure. It’s happening in our subject matter, on our palettes, and on our canvas. I believe this is a big part of why the seemingly simple goal of “applying color where it goes” in a painting is so danged complicated.
The most interesting thing about these puzzles is that once they’re “solved” they still fool the eye. Must be some strong mechanisms in the mind to fight the proof before us. I’m educated and experienced with color theory, but that doesn’t stop my eyes from being fooled. Because of this, I’ve changed my painting strategies from “I’m going to learn to see better” to “I’m going to have a lot of my own tricks to make sure I don’t get fooled by my own paintings.”
You’re reading a V. Note, written by Ruthie V, the director of the Seattle Artist League. The League is an art school for the busy nurse, tech geek, and mom with a long lost art degree. We offer engaging online classes in drawing and painting. Join us! Find your class:https://www.seattleartistleague.com/product-category/d-online-classes/
[image_with_animation alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] I just discovered these abstracted still lifes by Peri Schwartz. Playful and studied. As did yesterday’s artist, this artist repeats compositions in different media: watercolor, monotype, and in oil. Interesting to compare. I am always thinking of how something was made, and more and more I have been enjoying …
After the election I experienced a reality shift. It was something I found neither productive nor pleasant, but it happened. I’m not sure if it affected my pictures, or if it would have affected them if I was painting them, but I wasn’t. What it did effect was how I viewed the the school. While a …
We started the challenge with a self portrait, and we ended by drawing the place where you make art. I enjoyed getting to glimpse into everyone’s spaces, especially after getting to know you a little in your posts. Seeing your spaces, I felt that we were all a bit closer, even though we may not …
“Anything done more than a week ago I’m embarrassed about. You think you can get it right, but you never get it right. No one’s got it right. Who got it right?” – Harry Ally Source: https://www.escapeintolife.com/mixed-media-2/breaking-the-mold-art-of-harry-ally/ Harry Paul Ally paints with dry pigments, acrylics, tar, fabrics, oils, bonding agents, and different clays dug from the …
Color Illusions
Colors are shifty buggers. The way we process visual information causes colors to change in relationship to what they’re next to, giving us a constant source of optical illusions. This makes mixing accurate color rather complicated. Below are a few optical quandaries to illustrate how complicated this “accurate seeing” stuff can be.
These illusions are excellent illustrations of why color mixing is so danged difficult. The grey bar in the gradient is the same color across. Both the orange bars are the same color, and on the next it looks like one bar is blue and the other is green, but again, they are the same. Below are some more optical illusion reveals.
[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”3565″ image_2_url=”3575[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”3566″ image_2_url=”3576 The “blue” tiles on the left are the same color as the “yellow” tiles on the right. They are both grey. [nectar_image_comparison image_url=”3586″ image_2_url=”3587
More Color Illusions
[image_with_animation image_url=”3577″ alignment=”” animation=”None
The right eye appears to be cyan in the left image, yellow in the middle one, and red in the right one, though in each image the right eye is the same color as the left eye. Color constancy is supposed to be perfect when in each image the right eye appears to be the same color as the bead on the hair.
[image_with_animation image_url=”3578″ alignment=”” animation=”None
Color contrast using the same color combinations as the faces above. The small square in each image is the same color as the “eye” in of the face, respectively. The surround in each image is the same color as the “skin” of the face, respectively.
[image_with_animation image_url=”3579″ alignment=”” animation=”None Images from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/228490244_fig1_Fig-1-Colour-illusion-by-colour-constancy-The-right-eye-appears-to-be-cyan-in-the-left These optical tricks are happening all the time, in everything we look at. Color changes according to what it’s next to. This means everywhere there is a color, this is happening in some small or dramatic measure. It’s happening in our subject matter, on our palettes, and on our canvas. I believe this is a big part of why the seemingly simple goal of “applying color where it goes” in a painting is so danged complicated.
The most interesting thing about these puzzles is that once they’re “solved” they still fool the eye. Must be some strong mechanisms in the mind to fight the proof before us. I’m educated and experienced with color theory, but that doesn’t stop my eyes from being fooled. Because of this, I’ve changed my painting strategies from “I’m going to learn to see better” to “I’m going to have a lot of my own tricks to make sure I don’t get fooled by my own paintings.”
You’re reading a V. Note, written by Ruthie V, the director of the Seattle Artist League. The League is an art school for the busy nurse, tech geek, and mom with a long lost art degree. We offer engaging online classes in drawing and painting. Join us! Find your class: https://www.seattleartistleague.com/product-category/d-online-classes/
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