Exploring contrasts

For this exercise, having chosen my main colour, I decided to make several trials with a number of mixes of colours more or less in the same spectrum, and experimented also with some that were not in the same spectrum so I could compare the behaviour of the colours -

Colour A– a secondary colour - a sort of chalky purple mix of Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue and White. Although this combination might have been altered by the proximity of the consecutive colours, the thing that stands out most is No. 3 - Colour A surrounding by a green (made out of Cadmium Red and Ultramarine Blue) almost disappears – there is little difference in the tone

Colour B - Cadmium Red. In No. 9 the Cadmium Red looks darker with Alizarin Crimson than with Yellow Ochre combination No 11.

Colour C– Prussian Blue. In No. 15 the Cerulean Blue makes the Prussian Blue look darker, and in No. 17 the off-white (Titanium White with a tint of Yellow Ochre) makes the Prussian Blue look more vibrant

Colour D - Raw Umber. In No. 21 the Alizarin Crimson makes the Raw Umber appear darker

This was a very interesting and useful exercise, which gives a practical insight into Chevreul’s colour theories, and I would like to explore this more in the future and try to apply it in my practice.