Over the past several blog posts, I have sought to elaborate on various palettes built from the Full Spectrum Palette. Initially, I delved into creating a Full Spectrum Palette based on 12 intervals corresponding to the light spectrum and the 12 musical notes of a chromatic scale. I then elaborated on the Bi colors derived from these 12 intervals. I then expanded this palette to include the 6 Hues of the most neutral colors. Each of the 3 lines, Full Spectrum of 12 intervals; the 15 Bi colors of semi-neutrals; and the 6 Hues, is fully integrated with one another, therefore producing a harmonious and versatile palette.
This palette is expansive, as it displays all possible tones produced by the 12 intervals from the most intense root notes, descending in intensity to the most neutralized notes. Both H.G. Maratta and Robert Henri sought patterns of color relationships within this extensive palette by relying on the idea of limitation. One possible limitation was based on an arrangement derived from musical chords. The musical intervals that make up a chord are set at intervals 3-4-5 in any sequence. There are 12 major and 12 minor chords. Let’s examine a major and minor chord through the parameters of a triangular palette format.
The triangular palette design can be found in John Sloan’s On Drawing and Painting, p. 120. H.G. Maratta developed this triangular palette design based on models from European colorists, such as Tobias Mayer’s Mixing Triangle. Maratta provided this diagram to artists in pad form [hence, it can be found in the Sloan, Henri, and Bellows archives] so that artists could experiment with various color arrangements for each image, finding the most evocative combinations to elicit the appropriate emotional response.
Below is a major chord R-YG-BP. In the color chart, I have mixed between the root notes to get the RO Bi, GB Bi, and PR color. I have added white below the top line to see the tone quality at a higher value.
Below, I have diagrammed the chord. All the tones within the red triangle are available to use. Note that a large portion of the palette is accessible because it is a major chord. The full scale of R, YG, and BP is available and forms the axes of this palette. The most intense Y and B are cut off. The secondaries O and G now reside in the Bi color zone. But P remains at full intensity. All Hues and the neutral are accessible. The cools of PR, P, and BP dominate. The R and YG are near complements and when mixed, approach the RO Bi, O Bi, and the Y hue. These warm tones support the root note R, adding echoes with the YG. Muted G’s also echo with the R in simultaneous contrast. There is variety and depth to this major chord.
Below is a minor chord RO-YG-P. In the color chart, I have mixed between the root notes to get the OY Bi, G hue, and PRR Bi. I have added white below this top line again to see the tone quality at a higher value.
Below, I have diagrammed the minor chord. One can immediately see that this palette is more focused. Large portions of the palette are cut off. We see the full scale of the root notes RO, YG, and P moving towards the neutral center. We can also observe that YG and P are near complements and, when mixed, produce tones that approach neutrality, and a series of muted G’s, while maintaining YG-ness and P-ness at the extremes. Note that warm tones dominate this palette: R Bi-RO-O Bi-OY Bi-YG. P acts as a counterpoint to this warm feeling in this arrangement.
I chose these 2 chords because they share characteristics, namely the YG. But there is also a small shift between these chords in the R-RO and in the BP-P. You may find that with your image, you are debating which of these chords may enhance your painting. You may find that there is a decidedly warm cast in your image, and may choose the minor chord. Or you may find that you need the major chord to account for the color of your various objects within your painting. Either way, each chord produces its particular color quality and color interaction between the notes that is surprising. In practice, it is important not to over-mix the color notes. The root notes of the chord need to remain firm in the image to create emotive color interaction in the arrangement. As a practical note, I will often create 2 studies in this situation to try out each chord and see the visual effect, then decide which one works for my image.
Experimentation and risk are the raison d’etre of real painting. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and step outside your comfort zone. There is a vast well of wisdom gained in the process.
I cover these ideas in Chapters 8 and 16 of my book, The Color Investigations of Robert Henri, Vols. 1 & 2. Check it out.
